by Hope
I knew my plan would be met with some criticism. And that’s okay. But there are a few points that I thought might be worth clarifying….
- I have run the numbers every which way. All the time taking into consideration all I want to do with and for the kids over the next two years. With a firm commitment, tightening the belt and a few extra projects every year, I can do it.
- Paying off my mortgage is important for my peace of mind. I’ve been through 13 years of housing insecurity and several years of job insecurity. Getting to the point where I could literally work a fast food job and pay my daily bills would be amazing and is my ultimate goal! (But I will consider the recommendation of a money market account as I am completely ignorant as far as that goes.)
- Barn doors are my style…and my kids like them too. We’ve never been a family that needed locks on our doors and in many cases, with foster kids, it was discouraged for safety reasons. Closing the door offers plenty of privacy. Just like personal finance is personal, so is house design, I suppose.
- My financial outlook/plan for September remains unchanged. I have DIY supplies galore around here from all the work we’ve been doing. This weekend I plan to paint the window trim in the living room and hang 3 sets of new blinds (thanks, Habitat for Humanity thrift store) and complete the kitchen remodel, well mostly.
My DIY kitchen is almost done
I love, love, love my new dishwasher. It is the perfect size for my little household now. I even have a disposal now! Feel like I’m back in the modern world after YEARS without what I consider typical conveniences.
He installed my disposal, dishwasher, waterline to the refrigerator, countertops and even the new light over my sink. I am SO GRATEFUL!
After months of pricing countertops and reviewing materials and maintenance, I am thrilled with my super economic butcher block countertops. (This is before they were cut, connected and conditioned.)
My DIY kitchen (at least for the most part) is on the cusp of being complete. As I mentioned, I negotiated a really great rate for the finishing touches I needed help with, ie plumbing and electrical work.
Before anyone comments, Gymnast designed this kitchen. I love the style and open shelves. (I realize from my last post about my kitchen that this is a poor person’s kitchen, but I love it.) Gymnast and I are going to finish out the area under the sink and around the dishwasher this weekend.
I’ve still got to install the backsplash. This will have to wait until I have several free days in a row. I anticipate it will take about 3 days. I have the tile and spacers, although I still need to purchase the compound, grout and find a tile cutting tool to rent or borrow.
Hope is a creative, solutions-focused business manager helping clients grow their business and work more efficiently by leveraging expertise in project management, digital marketing, & tech solutions. She’s recently become an empty nester as her 5 foster/adoptive kids have spread their wings. She lives with her 5 dogs in a small town in NE Georgia and prefers the mountains to the beaches any day. She struggles with the travel bug and is doing her best to help each of her kids as their finish schooling and become independent (but it’s hard!) She has run her own consulting company for almost twenty years! Hope began sharing her journey with the BAD community in the Spring of 2015 and feels like she has finally in a place to really focus on making wise financial decisions.
I love your butcher block counter tops! We’ve installed them in two of our houses now and they are they only kind of counter tops I like. I know they might not be everyone’s choice but like you said-house design is personal 🙂 We also did something similar with our kitchen in regards to cabinets (or lack there of) We built our own open shelving and only have a couple cabinets. Both because it was cheaper and because the kitchen is small and shelves make the room feel bigger. Good luck with your house renovations!
Thank you and YES! I knew I couldn’t be the only that likes this style…
Well, I know I’m not based on the Farmhouse style Facebook group where I get a bunch of DIY tips and inspiration.
Tough love here. Kitchens and bathrooms are what sell a house and improve the value of your home. I know you love the kitchen, but from a financial perspective, this design appears to have wasted whatever money you’ve spent on it. When you do eventually need to sell, you will have to put in a more traditional kitchen. In your small town, a buyer who either wants that kitchen or the hassle of putting in a new one is a unicorn, and they will pay you for this house accordingly.
I can certainly respect that opinion. And I knew that going in.
But I am willing to take my chances with our rustic, farmhouse kitchen and I love it and that everytime I am in there I think of the creative work Gymnast put into it.
I really like the flooring you picked out!
Thank you, I do too! Using the same “hardwood” look tile in both bathrooms and the kitchen cut down on delivery costs and I love the feel of tile and durability especially with my dogs.
The rest of the house is the original thin board pine floors. They are in mediocre condition so refinishing them will be something I tackle AFTER I’m debt free. My parents never refinished their floors while they lived there (in their last older home), always waited until they were moving and I understand why, but always thought it kind of sad. Refinished hardwoods and new windows will be a gift to myself AFTER I’m debt free so a couple of years down the road.