The Mennobrarian

More adventures in home improvement

08:48, Friday, January 4, 2008 .. Posted in Home Improvement .. 2 comments .. Link

When we first began working on our house, we thought it would be practical to renovate on a room-by-room basis, starting with the kitchen. So we tore that up first. That was before we discovered that all of the electrical wiring throughout the home needed upgrading, and that what you fixed in one room invariably affected the room next to it.
And the room next to that one.
And then the code inspector would come and tell you that the last ten things the former owner did to a certain room weren't done up to code and you need to fix those, too.
And before you know it, the whole house is in shreds and you are just trying to maintain one room as livable space and fighting the squalor of dirt caused by the commotion everywhere else. For a person like myself who loves to clean and be organized, it's hard. It means nothing is ever in its permanent place, and things need to be moved around a lot, even if it's inconvenient. And it's always inconvenient. We have entire appliances in odd places, rooms without insulation (why yes, it is cold, funny you should ask...) and unfinished walls.

Our kitchen has about ten inches of counter space. Maybe less. The few cabinets we have are packed to the brim so whenever I open the door of one, I instinctively duck because a bag of brown sugar or a box of crackers always comes falling out and hits me on the head. I think my husband felt bad recently when, due to lack of counter space, half a batch of fresh baked cookies ended up on our filthy floor. Another problem has been that none of the electrical sockets near the counter have been upgraded, so they don't work.
"I need to plug in the mixer. Where can I plug it in?"
"Just unplug the bathroom light and use that orange extension cord."
"Oh, does that work? Where is that plugged into?"
"A socket under the house."

My husband has now installed new electrical sockets near the counter, and also wants to help the problem of having no counter space. That's great, but we had been keeping all of our canned goods in a cabinet on the kitchen counter, so it meant finding a temporary spot for them until we can work something else out. It was late. I was desperate:

This will not be an easy laundry day.
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09:57, Friday, January 4, 2008 .. Posted by gabbie427
Ahhh I am so sorry you are dealing with this while trying to renovate. I had to giggle at the canned goods, etc in the dryer though. LOL

God's Blessings,
Amy Jo

***Desperate times, Amy Jo, desperate times!***
Monica

Edited by Mennobrarian on Saturday, January 5, 2008 at 01:03

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10:46, Saturday, January 5, 2008 .. Posted by HandsNHearts
LOL....I'm not laughing AT you dear sister...I'm laughing WITH you (and if you aren't laughing now, you will be soon...remodeling is actually funny...)
I have been there, done that. In fact, right now, my kitchen sink is sitting on a framework of 2x4's attached to a bare...bare, no insulation at all...back wall. I can see light through that wall in places. Guess I am thankful we aren't living up north with the snow or I'd see that on my kitchen floor!
I would suggest taking out at least a handful of canned goods before washing the clothes though -- but really, maybe you have just hit upon the best way to avoid wrinkles...the cans will beat the clothing into submission! In the washer, they could prove helpful for those stubborn stains, too...

Next you'll be showing me how to cook dinner in a front loader, heh? Space-saving **and** frugal...I like that!
Deanna

***Oh Deanna, it is SO good to hear someone else say it! And yes, if you don't have a sense of humor about this, it will kill you!
Walls with crevices that allow you to see outside? Check. Lack of ceiling? Check.
Hey, at least it's winter and the birds aren't flying in anymore.
It was a couple of months before we could use our dryer since it runs on gas and we had to install a gas line, so for that duration I used it as cabinetry. Need more coffee? It's in the dryer! It was the closest thing I'll ever have to a pantry around here.
Thanks for the encouragement!
Monica***

Edited by Mennobrarian on Saturday, January 5, 2008 at 01:02

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