2025 Recap — How Did I Do On My 2025 Master List Of Home Goals?
Well, we’ve reached the end of another year. It’s hard to believe that we’re already at the end of another year, but here we are. So how did I do on my list this year? Actually, I did pretty well! There have been a couple of years in the past where I got so off track on my list for that year that I ended the year with barely anything on my list crossed off.
But that didn’t happen in 2025. For the most part, I stayed focused on my 2025 Master List of Home Goals and got a whole lot of these items crossed off. Of course, I didn’t finish my list. I never do. As I’ve explained before, these lists are more like a buffet of items from which I can choose with the overall goal of the list being to keep me focused on the big picture. So let’s see how I did. I started off 2025 working on…
My Workshop:
At the beginning of this year, my workshop looked pretty plain. We had it built in the fall of 2024, and this is what it looked like after the shed company was finished.
It was fine, but it looked so plain. My goal was to take it from looking like a plain and drab box and making it look like a little cottage in our back yard.
To do that, I made and installed shutters, painted the
And after finishing those projects, the workshop now looks like this…
I’m not finished with the exterior yet. There were a few things on my list that I didn’t get to. I still want to…
- Do something to make the garage door look interesting,
- Build pergola above garage door,
- Mark off flower bed around the building and add mulch, and
- Add lighting.
So while I didn’t make it through the whole list for the workshop exterior, I got most of the big projects finished. And I accomplished my goal of turning the plain box of a shed into something that looks like a cute little cottage in our back yard.
Closet and Laundry Room:
The next project I worked on was the walk-in closet with the laundry room area. At the beginning of the year, I said that this was the project I was the most excited about because in my entire adult like, I had never had a large closet with adequate storage. I was also incredibly excited about having a proper laundry area and getting our washer and dryer out of the sunroom.
And now that the closet and laundry area are finished, and I’ve had a few months to live with them, I still feel the same way. Even though I’m definitely excited about getting our new bedroom completely finished, it still won’t compare to how much I love my new closet and laundry area.
At the beginning of the year, the room that I wanted to turn into a walk-in closet (i.e., our former guest bedroom) looked like this. It’s crazy looking back at these pictures and seeing the change this room underwent this year.
To turn this into a walk-in closet and laundry room, I did the following:
- Had new hardwood flooring installed and sanded,
- Stained and sealed the new hardwood floors (dark stain, round 1),
- Re-sanded the hardwood floors,
- Sealed the hardwood floors again (light and natural stain, round 2),
- Built cabinets to create a laundry area in the room,
- Built an entire room of cabinets with shelves and hanging bars for storage,
- Installed new lighting,
- Built a custom jewelry drawer with a glass top,
- Built a custom pull-out bar section for necklaces,
- Built an island,
- Installed wallpaper, and
- Made a flower chandelier.
I’ve done a lot of projects and room makeovers in the past that I’m very proud of, but I think this one might be my all-time favorite.
I still need to get all new photos of the whole room since I added the curtains after I did my big before and after post. But you can click here to see the whole room from every angle and all of the before and after pictures (without the curtains).
I still can’t believe that I have such an amazing closet. It really is a dream closet for me.
The Master Bedroom:
I got pretty close to finishing our bedroom, but I still have a few projects remaining. This room was previously our home gym, but when we had some pretty major flooring issues that required all new subfloor and hardwood flooring, I decided to turn it into our new bedroom. Some of the work had already been underway at the end of 2024, so at the beginning of this year, this is what the room looked like.
While the room isn’t finished, most of the big projects are finished. Here’s what I’ve done so far…
- Had new hardwood flooring installed,
- Refinished the floors twice, just like the closet,
- Had the front window replaced with a door,
- Repaired all of the walls,
- Installed wainscoting,
- Added crown molding,
- Hung grasscloth wallpaper,
- Hung sheers on the windows,
- Bought a nice recliner for the reading corner,
- Painted the dresser, and
- Finished one lamp makeover.
And here is the progress so far (minus the one finished lamp).
So while it’s not quite finished yet, I made a huge amount of headway on this room. It looks quite different from what I started with at the beginning of the year.
I still have a few things to finish up, such as…
- Finishing the second lamp makeover,
- Sewing pillows for the chair and bed,
- Closing up scuttle hole in ceiling (which I’m still considering having moved into the hallway storage closet),
- Making an upholstered headboard,
- Finishing the velvet curtains,
- Having the new artwork for the reading corner/breaker box cover matted and framed, and
- Building a new frame for the TV.
Foyer:
I used to call this area the hallway because it was a “public” area of our house, and accessible from this hallway were the guest bathroom and three bedrooms. But now that this whole area has been subsumed into one large master bedroom suite, I’m now calling it the bedroom suite foyer.
Here’s how this foyer looked at the beginning of the year…
It’s almost done, but I still have a few little projects to finish before it’s actually finished. Here’s what I’ve done so far.
- Had hardwood flooring installed and sanded,
- Finished the floor, resanded the floor, and re-finished it again (just like the other areas),
- Installed wainscoting,
- Installed crown molding,
- Hung grasscloth wallpaper,
- Painted the bathroom/storage room doors,
- Found and hung a full-length mirror (as an extension of the closet since I didn’t have room inside the closet for a mirror),
- Reupholstered and painted a bench,
- Sewed pillows for the bench,
- Bought and installed a new ceiling light, and
- Had the chapel picture matted and reframed.
And here’s what it looks like now…
While it’s not quite finished yet, it has come a long way since the beginning of the year.
I have a few more projects to finish up, like…
- Replacing the two water-damaged pieces of grasscloth wallpaper,
- Sanding and painting the spot on the ceiling where the junction box for the light was removed,
- Finish the storage closet doors and French doors (i.e., another coat of paint, add door knobs), and
- Move the router to another spot in the house.
There were some areas on my 2025 list that I didn’t get to. I had hoped to at least start on the inside of my workshop, but I didn’t even touch the inside at all. That will be a main project in 2026. I had also hoped to get to some landscaping and exterior projects on the house, but I just ran out of time on that as well. But that’s okay because there’s always next year!
So that’s it for me for 2025. I’m signing off for now, and I’ll be spending these next two weeks relaxing, working on some projects as I feel like it, spending time with Matt, reading, watching movies, and gearing up for the new year. I’ll meet y’all back here on Monday, January 5th, and we’ll pick up right where we left off. Enjoy your holidays!
Addicted 2 Decorating is where I share my DIY and decorating journey as I remodel and decorate the 1948 fixer upper that my husband, Matt, and I bought in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do physical work, so I do the majority of the work on the house by myself. You can learn more about me here.
watching you get things done just amazes me! I love watching your thought process, even more so when I see you redo things that have been “finished” and making a whole new look! Enjoy your time off til the New Year!
Love seeing your end of year check off. It’s so inspiring. I’ve tried to record my projects just for me and it helps me see how much work you put into sharing all that you do. Praying you take your well deserved rest and enjoy your holiday. Merry Christmas to you and yours! Unil next year!
Whew!!! You should be so proud of all you accomplished. Have a wonderful break, recharge those batteries and have a wonderful Christmas with Matt and your family!!!
I hope over the break, you get your bed moved in and sleep in there and finish the little things after. No more sleeping in your little tv area. Congrats on almost having a new Master. Happy Holidays to you and your family.
Kristi,
I think you have so much to be proud of and can’t wait to see what you do next!
Happy Holidays,
Nancy
Here’s to 2025! Congratulations!Everything is amazing, but I will say I was totally in love when you added the drapes in the closet. Those were the crème del-a crème!
You have accomplished so much this year and should be very proud of yourself. I hope you get lots of rest, enjoy spending time with Matt, and no projects to tackle… just fun stuff. Have a blessed Christmas and a Happy Healthy New Year. 🥰
Im simply amazed at all you got done! That closet was a long hard summer for you. 😁. I hope you get some rest and relaxation during your downtime. Enjoy Matt and your family while off for the holidays and I’ll see you Jan 5th. Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year!
You have had an amazingly productive year! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Congrats on all that you accomplished this year! I think my fave is the grass cloth….every time you post a pic, it stops me in my tracks! Enjoy your time off!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Merry Christmas to you and Matt. Enjoy your down time.
Looking forward to 2026 and more adventures!
Your progress this past year has been nothing short of incredible. I LOVE the curtains in your closet. The perfect final, beautiful touch. Thanks for letting us share your journey. You have no idea how inspirational you have been to me over the years I’ve followed you and the ideas you’ve generated that I’ve implemented in my own homes. Thank you. I hope your holidays are restful and happy. You, Matt, and the sweet critters have my best wishes.
2025 was a GREAT year…the closet/laundry are the BOMB! I love everything about it, and especially to have the laundry where the most laundry is…next to your bedroom and closet…! My favorite used to be the pantry…then the studio…now that closet! But of course I adore your master bath, and that sweet workshop. It’s been an awesome year to follow along…next year looks exciting too…! Enjoy the holidays with Matt, the family and friends, and fur-babies too. Enjoy the rest and taking time off from working so hard. Happy New Year!!!
Merry Christmas to you and Matt and happiness of new years! I pray good health and blessing beyond measure for you both. Take care and rest. I look forward to reading about your adventures in the new year! D
Kristi ~ you have lots to be proud of! Love the grass cloth, the foyer light, and the wedding chapel frame is spot on. It ties in with the trees surrounding the chapel, and the shapes of it match the bench and the pillow shapes. Enjoy your time with your loved ones, and see you next year.
Send me your address so I can send you these beads & things from my jewelry.
I think you did an extreme amount of work in 2025. I know 2026 will be a good year for you to get things finished up and then start on some new ones.
I have to go sew!
You’ve had a great year, Kristi. I’m in awe of your accomplishments.
I have torn my art room apart and hope to revamp it in the coming year. I don’t have the “organization gene”, it just doesn’t come naturally to me.
So I applaud your efforts and accomplishments in 2025.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 😀🎊🥳🎉🎈
HAPPY NEW YEAR! I now need to take a rest, as all you’ve done has exhausted me…I still am in awe of what, how much and all you seem to accomplish! Thank you for sharing all these years.
Happy Holidays🎄
I wanted to see if you considered putting the attic access in the storage room that has pull down stairs? Loved having the stairs as part of the access, just a thought.
I have now lived with two heat pump water heaters and I love them. My bill has gone down. The one thing I would have added would be a pipe to direct the cold air either beneath the house or into the attic. I had looked at many choices for water heaters and am very happy I went with the heat pump water heater.
Enjoy your break.
Great Job! Merry Christmas!