Packing up our current house while the new one gets its floors installed has been a busy stretch. Before we move out, we wanted to share one final, updated Listy McListerson — a comprehensive run-through of what we completed room by room, plus a few ideas we would have loved to tackle if we’d stayed longer. #warningitslong
For nostalgia, here’s the very first list we posted for this house back in 2010. It’s funny how plans evolve as you live somewhere and figure out what you actually want. Also wild how quickly your brain normalizes big changes — a week after we opened the doorway between the dining room and kitchen it felt like it had always been there.
– The Front Yard: Complete! –
Completed:
- Pruned the magnolia so it no longer hides the house.
- Removed overgrown bushes that obscured the facade and filled in the bare patches with grass.
– The Front Porch: Complete! –
Completed:
- Furnished the porch using pieces from our previous home.
- Planted shrubs and flowers in window boxes and planters.
- Painted the front door a cheerful yellow to make it pop.
- Framed the porch columns to create chunkier, more ranch-appropriate posts.
- Painted the porch siding to distinguish it from trim and highlight the door.
– The Carport: Complete! –
Completed:
- Replaced a tiny light with a large black lantern for better scale.
- Added a column for balance and built a pergola to add architectural interest.
– The Living Room: Complete! –
Completed:
- Painted walls and refinished dark wood trim to brighten the space.
- Gray-washed the ceiling beams for a softer look.
- Added a new sectional (we love it) and built a console behind it.
- Installed subtle patterned curtains, updated the rug and ottoman, and replaced the media cabinet.
- Added a leaning chalkboard and built a shelf above the TV for the awkward niche.
- Installed overhead lighting — a pendant over the table area and recessed cans.
– The Office: Complete! –
Completed:
- Built a double built-in desk for two workstations.
- Painted and reupholstered secondhand chairs and stenciled the walls.
- Updated the chandelier with color and a large shade, added bamboo blinds and sentimental art, and brought in extra storage for function.
– The Hall Bathroom: Complete! –
Completed:
- Raised the shower curtain height, painted the walls, and framed the mirror.
- Added window trim to cover a demo patch and installed a new light above the mirror.
- Built a chunky shelf, updated vanity knobs, and added a homemade window shade.
– The Big Hallway: Complete! –
Completed:
- Created a frame collage above the console table, turning this area into one of our favorite spots in the house.
– The Small Hallway: Complete! –
Completed:
- Spray-painted dated doorknobs in oil-rubbed bronze, added board & batten, replaced an old light and the gaudy doorbell chime, installed crown molding, and hung playful art.
– The Dining Room: Complete! –
Completed:
- Painted the walls and the back of built-ins a dark teal, hung homemade curtains, and added a large round dining table with chairs.
- Brought in a chippy painted buffet, personalized yard-sale art, and installed a substantial light fixture above the table.
– The Laundry Room: Complete! –
Completed:
- Painted the walls, removed shutters, frosted the side door, painted cabinets and replaced hardware, and installed cork flooring.
- Replaced old appliances with efficient models, added custom shelves next to the washer and dryer, mounted the ironing board on the wall, and hung art and a clothespin chandelier.
– The Kitchen: Complete! –
Completed:
- Painted the brick fireplace and the paneling, rearranged cabinets, added a peninsula, and primed and painted all cabinet faces with new hardware.
- Swapped mismatched appliances for energy-efficient stainless steel, replaced granite counters with white Corian, tiled a full backsplash and added open shelving.
- Built a microwave cabinet with ventilation, installed a range hood and cover, replaced laminate with dark cork flooring, and reworked lighting and seating.
- Refaced the fireplace with a new mantel and herringbone marble tile surround.
– The Playroom: Complete! –
Completed:
- Cleared clutter via a yard sale and donations, painted the walls, made curtains, added a rug and kid-sized table, and brought in storage solutions.
- Replaced the ceiling fan with a pendant, hung a frame collage of meaningful objects, and installed birdcage decor to balance an off-center window.
– Nursery: Complete! –
Completed:
- Painted walls, hung curtains, moved in existing furniture, added art and baskets, swapped in a capiz chandelier, and built a play kitchen and play fridge.
- Added crown molding and personalized touches throughout.
– Clara’s Closet: Complete! –
Completed:
- Removed the bifold door and replaced it with a curtain, painted and stamped the walls, and sewed a beanbag to create a cozy reading nook.
– The Sunroom: Complete! –
Completed:
- Spray-painted hardware in oil-rubbed bronze, painted walls and an odd brick box, furnished the room with existing pieces, hung art, added storage, and installed window treatments.
- Painted a small marble table to coordinate with the space.
– Our Bedroom: Complete! –
Completed:
- Added a new bed, repainted the walls (twice), replaced a dated fan with a light chandelier, hung curtains and art, rearranged furniture, and made an upholstered headboard.
- Filled the formerly bare wall with furniture for balance.
– Our Sink Nook: Complete! –
Completed:
- Removed dated bifold doors, added a mirror over the sink window, removed the granite backsplash to make the piece read more like furniture, and updated hardware.
– Our Bathroom: Complete! –
Completed:
- Raised the shower curtain, painted the walls and trim, frosted the window for privacy, replaced the toilet and the old light with a centered glass pendant, and updated border tile to white frosted glass subway tile.
– The Guest Bedroom: Complete! –
Completed:
- Primed and painted the walls, furnished the room with repurposed items, hung curtains and a mirror, added crown molding, and upgraded some furnishings.
– The Guest Bathroom: Complete! –
Completed:
- Removed an awkward door-mounted mirror, installed a new shower curtain and bath mat, replaced the sink mirror and light fixture, painted walls and trim, frosted the window and added a fabric shade, and finished with art and accessories.
– The Basement Workshop: Complete! –
Completed:
- Cleared a huge mess with donations and a Bagster, organized tools on framed pegboards, labeled screws and nails in jars, and added functional shelving and sawdust-proof art above the main workspace.
– The Side Lot: Complete! –
Completed:
- Planted two trees and naturalized the area to create a low-maintenance, woodsy buffer for privacy.
– The Deck: Complete! –
Completed:
- Cleared vegetation, planned and permitted the deck, demoed an old balcony, dug post holes, framed and installed deck boards, railings and steps, furnished the space, added a new french door, and power-washed and sealed the deck.
- Camouflaged the utility box to blend with the exterior.
– The Patio: Complete! –
Completed:
- Cleared weeds and dead trees, planned and purchased materials, leveled and prepared the base, laid pavers with a custom curved edge, landscaped around the patio, built a rock box for Clara, and added a rain barrel for water savings.
– The Backyard: Complete! –
Completed:
- Built a compost bin, cleared overgrown beds to create more lawn space, removed invasive monkey grass from brick paths, transplanted oddly placed bushes, reseeded the lawn, and removed a large vine from a tree near the upper patio.
Looking back at all these completed projects feels really satisfying. We’ll miss this house so much. And because homes are never truly finished, here are a few ideas we would have loved to pursue if we’d stayed:
- Convert the kitchen fireplace into a double-sided feature that opens into the living room (would have required structural consultation).
- Refinish the floors throughout in a richer mocha tone to blend with the cork in the kitchen and laundry for a seamless look.
- Paint the playroom ceiling a cheerful color like soft teal.
- Replace the sunroom flooring with something we preferred more than the existing beige tile.
- Turn the bedroom window that faces the deck into a french door.
- Tile the bedroom sink nook back wall with a glossy material for a dramatic statement (we debated whether it would read too bathroom-like).
- Retile the bathroom floor—maybe gray hex— and consider reglazing or covering the beige wall tile to brighten the space.
- Add raised beds for vegetables, fruits, and herbs and build a swingset for Clara — projects we’d love to bring to the new house, too.
We hope the next owners enjoy the house as much as we did and maybe pick up some of the unfinished ideas. Maybe one day we’ll house-crash them and see what they’ve done!