Home Update #1

I recently put the call out on twitter for post requests, and a few people said they’d be interested in more home-themed posts. It’s been a little while since I updated you on my new home progress, so what better time than now? You may remember this post earlier in the year, where I broke down exactly what I needed to do in various areas of the house. I’m going to do a quick rundown of what I’ve managed to finish so far in a couple of areas of the house, and talk a little bit about what’s next on the list.

Front Yard
[DONE] Have the front render touched up, and the back of the train pipes painted
[HALF DONE] – Follow up on the front verge (I’m still following up on this, it’s turned out to be more of a headache than I’d anticipated)
– Work on a plan for the garden
[HALF DONE] – Remove the one dead plant, and tidy up the kangaroo paws that run along the fence
– Have the front window tinted
– Install a light fixture over the front door
– Install an additional wire security screen at the front door

I managed to remove the dead plant from the garden, and now I need to move one plant along so they look more uniform. I still haven’t dead-headed the kangaroo paws, although I did do the ones in the back yard, and they’ve flourished ever since, so I really need to get on top of that. As for the verge, I’m aware of the process that I need to follow, but they’re making it such a hassle for me that I’m putting it off. Unfortunately, they seem to think that I’m landscaping the WHOLE block, rather than just the verge out the front (which is technically council land, so I’m not sure why I even need to be the one to follow up on it). But anyway, we’ll get there eventually. At this stage, the priority for the front yard is the window tinting, and also the landscaping of the verge. We’ve noticed the bedroom getting hotter (and brighter) early in the morning, and it’s only going to get worse as the season progresses. I’m currently researching window tinting companies to see what the cost will be.

Living Area
[HALF DONE] – Pick paint colours, and paint the living area and kitchen
[DONE] Hang a mirror or artwork over the hutch
[DONE] Buy a bigger TV
[HALF DONE] – Sort out the storage area in both hutches
– Sort out the drawers under the TV cabinet
– Install light fittings
[HALF DONE] – Buy, frame, and hang artwork
– Buy a rug for the living area
– Buy tall fake flowers for the pot next to the hutch
– Buy a large soft basket for storing throw rugs
– Buy a small side table to sit drinks/snacks on when we’re watching tv
– Fix the table (it wasn’t put together properly)

One major tip I’d give those that are considering building is a house is MAKE SURE THE PAINTING GETS DONE BEFORE YOU MOVE IN. I built with the Homebuyers centre, and although my overall experience with them was a positive one, they do not paint the interiors of the house. This is because they suggest you live in the house for three months before painting, which makes sense, but gosh once you’re in it’s very hard to motivate yourself to move furniture/take down your blinds/stay elsewhere so you can paint the interior walls. We’ve picked a paint colour, and purchased it, and now it’s a matter of picking an appropriate weekend to paint the house. Which, considering we’re heading towards Christmas and the new year, I can’t see being anytime soon. Still, baby steps. Next up will be painting the interior walls, and buying a side table.