Here we are at WEEK 3 of Spring 2021 One Room Challenge and all I can say is…

OUCH!

If you’ve followed along with my first two write-ups and my Instagram or Facebook posts, you’ve seen what I’m talking about.

My thoughts for this week are centered around the fact that this much manual labor is probably better suited for the young. Or maybe the young at heart who spent Covid in their home gym instead of their home sofa sipping red wine and cheezits. I’m outta shape! But the job MUST roll on and I’m fully stocked in Ben-Gay and over-the-counter pain relievers.

So far, the hubby and I removed all the kitchen cabinets, the counters, the lighting, the appliances, and the floor. With it came 2” worth of concrete that the dated travertine was embedded in. Seriously, Hubby deserves some kudos here. I will be hard-pressed to get him to do any renovations in our own home after the memory of this one! But now he has taken off for his annual trip down south and I’m hanging sheetrock.

One thing I did that I’m super pleased with is reselling many of the items that were still usable! I sold the stove, a few cabinets, refrigerator, lighting, countertop, and even the kitchen sink!!! I’m not kidding. It seemed such a waste to me that these still usable products would just go in the dumpster. That goes against every fiber of my being. If I have the ability to help out someone in need, that’s exactly what I plan to do! I know those things will have happy new homes to live out the rest of their useful lives. Thank you, Marketplace!

What I’m struggling with most with this project is the dribbling in of my kitchen cabinet order! Please keep your finger, toes, and any additional appendages you have available crossed for me that I’m actually able to get all the pieces received in time to have the counter templated and meet the ORC deadline. One other thing I’ve learned through this somewhat rushed process is that hired tradespeople don’t want to (or dare I say NEED to) do jobs that are a bit of this, a bit of that. I get it…why spend time doing part of a job when people with larger budgets are clamoring to get their projects finished too?

So that leaves me as the person doing #allthethings and frankly. I’m sore. But I think I mentioned that already? Exhaustion is clouding my mind lately. So I’ll keep this short and sweet.

I have all the finishes selected. The paint colors are shades of oatmeal and mushroom. Neutrals that play well with others. What I haven’t yet decided is if I will do a bolder “pop” on the island. It’s a major design feature in this small home and it could be fabulous, or it could be polarizing.

That’s the thing about renovating for resale. The finish choices aren’t about ME. They’re about what will make this little home most appealing to buyers. As much as I would LOVE a black kitchen with super sleek and sexy appliances, that’s probably not a good idea in this situation. So, I have been doing some market research and I think I’ve come up with a plan that will allow the new homeowners to have some fun with the finishes without completely remodeling the most expensive and prominent room in the house (the kitchen).

But you’ll have to wait til next week for the write up on that little tip and trick. Feel free to follow my adventures on Instagram and/or Facebook to see the progress firsthand!