Review of 2015 Home Goals: What I did (and didn’t) do

Before 2015 comes to a close, I wanted to review the goals I set for our home and see what progress I’ve made. I know I didn’t get to everything, and that’s totally ok, bu we did a lot this year and I’m feeling pretty accomplished. There are already a number of projects on my mind for 2016, but I’m trying to prioritize and figure out what makes the most sense to focus on first.  You can take a look at the original post to see the items that were checked off before I launched the blog back in August.  And here’s where I stand on the other to-do’s that I had set for the remainder of 2015:

• Paint mailbox post & numbers; replace mailbox: This one seemed really easy, but hasn’t happened. Partly to do with the rainy fall we’ve had and partly because I have a strong fear of wasps & bees, which always seem to be hovering around the mailbox. I even took a before picture one weekend with the intent of doing the project that day, but the bees had other ideas. So I painted the garage stairs instead …
• Finish redecorating the screened in porch: Done! This was one of my favorite projects ever and was so much fun! Delayed for several weeks due to weather, I finally got it done in early October and was able to enjoy a few football weekends out there before the rain came back (again, so glad I went with outdoor durable furniture and accessories because that porch is soaked right now!). See the before here.
  

  The screened porch makeover completed in October.

• Refinish vanity/side tables for master bedroom: Not even close … I didn’t touch the master bedroom after the bathroom renovation, but truth is, I didn’t have a vision yet for the space and didn’t want to get started until I had one. Good news is now I have a vision and this will likely be item No. 1 on 2016 goals. I’ll be sharing my plan in the next few weeks.
• Finish TV wall & cabinet for living room: Done! I love love love the way this turned out. I was really struggling on what to do with this wall so I used SwatchPop! to help me come up with a design solution. And I love that it gives me a place to swap out family photos over the years, but without the busyness of a gallery wall (I love gallery walls in other people’s houses, but it just doesn’t feel like “me”).
  

  This huge wall was my biggest design challenge in 2015.

• Possibly update front porch with some existing decor/plants (maybe something like this): Kind of. I added a rug and brightened the space up for fall with some plants and mums. For Christmas, I did more garland than normal and added a cute mini-tree. The porch is so narrow it’s hard to do much more than add a few plants and a wreath.
  

  Fresh greenery always make for great outdoor decor

  

  Front porch with some fall decor

• Add window boxes to front windows: This one has been on my list for two years now and it still hasn’t happened. But, outdoor projects will be a big focus next year so hoping to up our curb appeal in 2016.
• Explore potential costs/plans for landscaping and hardscaping (probably more long-term but would like to have a plan in place so I can figure out what we can do ourselves and what we may need to save for): Didn’t get to this one either, but it’s on the list for 2016!
• On the non-fun list, we also probably need to get some siding replaced and take a look at a few of our gutters for potential repair:  We didn’t end up doing this one either, but with all the wet weather lately, this is something we’ll need to look at soon.

Items that weren’t on the list that were completed? I re-hung the drapes in the master bedroom with double curtains – but still need to go back and patch the walls and hem the curtains (which I can do now with my new sewing machine I got for Christmas!). My favorite item is that we got gas logs installed in the living room and bought a chimenea for the patio, both of which have already been put to good use. We also got a new pre-lit Christmas tree which was an added, but worth-it, expense. As a final touch to outdoor living, we strung some patio lights up on the awning and enjoyed spending some quality time out there this fall.

Our chimenea on the stone patio.

It’s still crazy to me to look at the “before” pictures of our house when we bought it. It’s been such a transformation, but done over time, so you often forget what things originally looked like. See you in 2016!