Happy New Year: January No-Cost Home Repair Challenge

[Vixenmama]

Happy New Year Mamas!
You are all cordially invited to join the January Home Repair Challenge!

Rules

• during the month of January, make as many household repairs and improvements as you can that can be done without any dollar investment at all. (meaning you already own the equipment or supplies)
• you can post a goal list of all the things you'd like to do, and then post updates once they're accomplished or just list things as you do them for a no pressure challenge.
• During the month, keep a list for February of household repairs and improvements that can be done with a minimal or small investment.

For a clean sweep in January check out the pantry and declutter challenges as well!

[Vixenmama]

my January No-Cost Home Repair List

• Re-install all the switchplates that are still off from painting
• spackle and paint the 4 little holes in my bedroom wall
• spackle and paint all the dings in my stairwell
• replace the doorbell cover in the dining room (still off from paint job 18 months ago...)
• put up the mirrors that are still unhung
• wash bedroom windows
• touch up the walls in dd's bedroom

more to come!

[teacup]

Whoo boy.

• Paint toy box (curb-diving score)
• Expand the front garden bed and move the plants there
• Move bushes
• Remove old and place new caulk around tub
• Organize/declutter photos and albums
• Organize yarn/knitting materials
• Paint yard barn
• Paint kiddo's room
• Complete detail paint in family room
• Paint ceiling in family room
• Perform spring cleaning: baseboards, windows, upholstery
• Take hazardous materials to toxdrop

Done:

• Organize cleaning goods (Freecycle! As if I'm gonna use Orange Glo.)

[annettemarie]

Oh, awesome!

I have a bathroom ceiling to paint and new light fixtures to install, as well as some photos, etc to hang up. We also have a bunk bed to put together.

[supervee]

I want to join, but don't have many existing supplies, so this will work better in February when I can buy spackle, LOL.

Okay:

1. finish bagging leaves
2. set up fencing for compost bin
3. replace light switches in kitchen
4. organize tool cabinet
5. fix exhaust vent in master bath
6. paint dings on moulding in living room (if I can find a paint brush)
7. finish removing shelf hardware from kids' bedroom walls
8. remove curtain hardware from kids' bedrooms
9. oil ceiling fan on the stairs
10. fix DS's drawer facing

[Vixenmama]

Originally Posted by supervee

I want to join, but don't have many existing supplies, so this will work better in February when I can buy spackle, LOL.
....

Why is it that it seems much more interesting to do repairs that need purchases? That reminds me, I need to locate some paintbrushes also---I finally flung mine after the last painting spell! Still I know there are plenty of no-investment repairs hanging around here just waiting....

[U2can]

I'm in!

• put together new bed frame
• finish trim in bathroom
• paint bathroom ceiling (is 5 year old paint still usable?)
• touch up paint in bedroom
• spackle & texture living room walls

I'll have to see what other supplies I have on hand -cause I have LOTS of projects that need doing

[Rhiannon Feimorgan]

I'm in!

*stencil space ships in ds's room.
*orginise spare room.
*use found cabinets to create a craft area in the bacement.
*sew some curtins (as many as I can, every room needs them )

[KnittingKara]

I'm in! (or, rather "we're in" cuz Hubby is totally helping me ... like it or not LOL)

- finish painting our bedroom
- refinish dining table
- refinish kid's table & chairs set for playroom
- clean out the baby's room and set up the bookshelves for the toys & books he acquired over the holiday
- sort out and freecycle/donate/sell/trade books
- clean out our Master bedroom closet

(I'm being such a joiner today - must be the New Year's spirit or something)

Best Wishes!

[Jennisee]

I like the idea of this challenge!

--Reglue loose spots on wallpaper.
--Use primer to cover paint splatters on downstairs bathroom ceiling.
--Scrape peeling paint by downstairs shower, prime, and repaint.
--Recaulk around upstairs shower.
--Caulk leaky pipe in basement.
--Tidy up and organize electronics cords.
--Retighten loose cabinet latches.

[4evermom]

What a good idea. I'm much better at buying what I need to do a job then actually getting the job done

I need to paint the trim of a very large room (4 doors, 5 colonial windows with deep sills, and baseboards).

I have the paint to repaint my kitchen, but I shouldn't start a new painting project until I finish the other one.

I have the caulk to recaulk the tub.

I could probably fix the pipe that came loose from the drain of the tub in the spare bathroom.

I need to replace my kitchen faucet. I think my mom is planning on buying it for me as a late xmas present.

[Vixenmama]

Ok, I have a goal so now I need a plan.

Unless I schedule a few of these items I'm not going to get anything done!

-Tomorrow I'll spackle the holes in my bedroom and try to locate and put up the missing switchplates (my room, ds's room)

anyone have any accomplished projects to post yet? Come on! It's January Second!

[3happygirls]

Finish current project: Painting and reflooring dining room (already have all supplies).

Rearrange pics and move into new dining room.

Fill old holes in wall.

Reorganize/declutter.

Hang new pics of kids in hallway.

Sand and paint old mirror for over mantle (already have supplies).

Repair big "Foof" bag chair seams.

More to come, I'm sure.............

[eloise24]

Hmm, good idea. Let's see what didn't get done over Christmas Vacation (my notes to self are here also):

1. touch up the paint on our front door (green)
2. touch up the paint on our baseboards (off-white)
3. fix the hallway light (see if there is one in the shop???)

[cdmaze]

Cool!!

Ok here's the list:

install towel rack in bathroom
clear off back porch
rake pine needles and burn
paint upstairs bathroom
do decorative painting in bathroom
replace bathroom faucets


Okey doke!

[KnittingKara]

Okay, I have two bookshelves cleaned off and I've located the paint we bought last summer for our bedroom (we painted two walls and then the baby was born and it has stayed that way for 6 months now - whoops!)

Hubby has promised to work on the tables, but it will have to wait until a bit later in the month. I can live with that.

Amazing, really, what a difference just having two uncluttered bookshelves makes ... I walk into the living room now and smile because just that change makes things feel more orderly.

How's everyone else doing this first week?

Best Wishes!

[papercranegirl]

finished
-screwed in loose switchplates and electrical outlet covers
-finally hung my barometer collection

working on-
-bathroom counter (waterlox the cherry counter top) and hook up sink and faucet

still to do-
clean off and organize china cabinet
wash master bathroom walls and ceilings
re-attach and re-grout loose tiles in master bath
sew curtains with the yards of white muslin sitting in my closet

[Vixenmama]

I have to admit...I was off to a slow start, but

I kicked my procrastination in the butt and found some of my supplies. Within the hour I've

• replaced three switchplates from past painting jobs (some have been off for more than TWO YEARS. groan.
• replaced the cover for our doorbell apparatus--in the dining room btw---another piece that's been missing for TWO YEARS.
• spackled up the holes in my bedroom wall and all along our stairwell, tomorrow I'll sand and paint

For some reason this challenge is much harder than the decluttering challenge. I have no idea why I end up procrastinating on stuff like this. There is no good reason. I end up worrying about the deed 25 times longer than it would have taken to do it in the first place.

Originally Posted by KnittingKara

Okay, I have two bookshelves cleaned off and I've located the paint we bought last summer for our bedroom (we painted two walls and then the baby was born and it has stayed that way for 6 months now - whoops!)

Hubby has promised to work on the tables, but it will have to wait until a bit later in the month. I can live with that.

Amazing, really, what a difference just having two uncluttered bookshelves makes ... I walk into the living room now and smile because just that change makes things feel more orderly.

How's everyone else doing this first week?

Best Wishes!

Congratulations....I'm doing fine now that I've got my a$$ moving.

Originally Posted by papercranegirl

finished
-screwed in loose switchplates and electrical outlet covers
-finally hung my barometer collection

working on-
-bathroom counter (waterlox the cherry counter top) and hook up sink and faucet

still to do-
clean off and organize china cabinet
wash master bathroom walls and ceilings
re-attach and re-grout loose tiles in master bath
sew curtains with the yards of white muslin sitting in my closet

Good for you. I'm so glad some "done" items are getting posted. Congratulations and keep 'em coming.

[TigerTail]

Paint trim in dining room.

Cover Sharpie walls with saved paint (sigh).

Install ceiling fan in office (yoo-hoo dh...)

Paint entry.

Does it count if my new switchplates for the living room come from store credit from returning a fencing product I didn't need? I can't bear to put the old ones on over new paint. 80's shiny brass plate!

Paint end tables & wax.

Repaint nightstand (baby with Sharpie again- ack! He's deadly.)

It's a good thing I already bought all this paint! Maybe we'll FINALLY get the bathroom tile installed, who knows?

[antannie]

Finish laying floor in closet.
Build closet organizer thing with plywood that has been in hallway for 6 years.
Return crappy closet organizer thing.
Put all the stuff back in the closet that is all over our bedroom.
Hang pictures in hall
Paint window trim in kitchen