Planning My Outdoor Projects
I’ll be wrapping up the studio bathroom project this weekend. I have just a few minor projects left to do in there — paint touchups, installing the wall light fixture, installing the new faucet, hanging the artwork, installing the new toilet paper holder and hand towel ring, and cleaning the floor. The part that will actually take the bulk of my time this weekend is getting the surrounding areas (back entry and studio) cleaned up and putting away all of my tools and supplies. So, barring any unforeseen circumstances, I fully expect to have pictures of my newly finished studio bathroom for you on Monday.
And after that, I’ve decided that I’m definitely going to take a break from indoor projects and head outside for a while so that I can tackle some projects on the front of our house. I have so many little projects that have been on my list for so long now that they’ve become a running joke with my mom and me.
Almost every time she comes over, she mentions my fallen shutter on the front window, and I tell her, “You can’t rush projects like that. I still have a little more planning to do on that before I’ll be ready to tackle that project.” And we laugh, move on, and I forget about it until the next time she comes over. But that shutter has been down for way longer than I’d like to admit because it’s embarrassing that I’ve put it off this long.
I also need to finish painting the trim around that window. That has been left unfinished for…well…I don’t even know how long. I was out there painting it, trying my hardest to get it done before the sun went down, and my neighbor came over to chat with me. We chatted for a long time, and by the time she left, it was way too dark to paint, so I stopped. And I never went back and finished it. The next day, I was on to another project. So that’s also been left undone for an embarrassingly long time, and I’m sure my neighbors (and my mom) have probably given up hope that I’ll ever actually finish it.
I’d also like to tackle the skirting on the front porch, which is yet another project that I started and never finished. I used that lightweight stone veneer, and you’re supposed to paint it or use a protective coating if you’re going to use it outside. But, since I never finished it, I never got to the painting stage. And now a lot of it is brittle, cracked, and chipping off. So I need to take it off and start over again. But this time, I don’t want stone. I have a different look in mind altogether.
I’m also going to take this time to spruce up the front porch. I eventually want to replace all of the cedar porch boards and replace them with composite boards that don’t have to ever be stained again. But I don’t want to tackle any major projects like that right now. So for now, I’ll stick with the easier stuff. The front door needs a good cleaning and possibly a fresh coat of paint. The dryer vent needs to be painted so that it doesn’t stick out like sore thumb. The columns could use some repairs and a fresh coat of paint. And I’m still on the hunt for the perfect stain/sealer for the cedar porch. I’ve tried about three different brands of stain/sealer for wood porches, and I haven’t really been impressed with any of them. I also have some new, larger lights that I’d like to put up on either side of the front door so that I can use these smaller ones on my workshop.
I’d love to come up with a final plan for the area in front of our breakfast room windows. I have our landscape plan as a long term goal, so maybe I can get a part of that plan implemented right now. I’d love to find a water feature that I can put in that area. That area really needs some interest and some color.
And I really want to get rid of the white paint on the vertical trim on either side of my studio. Those were never supposed to be painted white. None of the vertical trim on our house is painted white because it looks way too busy, but when we had the house painted, the painters painted that trim white. I’ve hated it all this time, but I’ve never taken the time to repaint it. So that’s definitely on my list.
And then I’d like to tackle the new bedroom door. I still don’t have a solid plan for the steps/ramp for that door, but I’d like to come up with a plan and get that done. My studio door on the other side of the house still need steps as well. I put that project off for so long because it didn’t make any sense to build the steps when we didn’t even have a driveway there. But now that we have a driveway, I have no excuse to keep putting that off.
I’m not sure exactly how long I’ll spend on these outdoor projects. I just know that right now, these projects excite me and I feel anxious to get outside and get started. When I think about starting on a big indoor project, I feel nothing but dread. So I think this is just the break from big indoor projects that I need right now.
I think our house could be so cute, but these unfinished projects are probably the only thing people see when they drive past our house right now. I’d like that to change. I want our house to stand out as the cute house on the block, not the house with the fallen shutter, or the house with the unfinished porch skirting. So I’m pretty excited to get started on these projects and see just how much I can get done before I feel like I’m ready to head back inside and tackle the next big indoor project.
So if things go as planned, I’ll be finished with the studio bathroom this weekend, and then on Monday, I’ll be heading outside to start these outdoor projects on the front exterior of our house. I’m very excited about this detour and this break from indoor projects!
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.
Its a good time of year for outdoor projects in Texas, before it is unbearably hot. Your house is charming and freshening it up will make it even more appealing.
Thanking goodness you fou d your fuel♡♡♡
I support time off as long as you need and as often as you need but holy guacamole I miss you when you don’t post!
Happy to see you are going to embrace outside projects
And you have a lot to keep you busy. A ramp for Matt is definitely a priority. You never mentioned if you had the toilet issue in your remodeled bath taken care of.
Enjoy the fresh air a d sunshine
Hi, my question comes from the financial planning end of DIY’ing. I have been a reader for more than 8 years and when you had the workshop built over 18 months ago I don’t recall you relaying the total cost (not that its our business) but I wondered, since you still haven’t fit it out for any use, how you decide what to invest in and when. It seems that it must have been a fairly big expense and if its not used for this length of time, couldn’t you have put that money towards something else and bought/built the workshop at a time when you would actually be ready to use it? Thanks for any intel into the financial decision making as it relates to DIY projects.
I’m a fan of Cabot’s Australian Timber oil in Jarrah Brown. Follow directions! I usually roll it on, being careful to not do it thick or let it pool. Definitely go over it with a cloth especially where it seems like there’s too much. This is the only product that actually lasts more than a year despite claims from others. If you haven’t used many products before this may sink in and need more than one coat. My deck is 35 years old and must be super saturated by now! I use a gallon on my deck which is about 250 sq ft.
https://www.acehardware.com/departments/paint-and-supplies/stains-and-finishes/deck-and-siding-stains/1368786
YOU’RE HOUSE IS SOOO CUTE! Other than the shutter-(an easy fix) your neighbors likely don’t notice anything Take a deep breath girl. Namaste. Start your garden/landscape project in front of your breakfast nook. It’s a small very doable area and doesn’t have to be too ambitious as to cause you anxiety. Start small anything you do will look great and can always be added to later-that’s gardening. It doesn’t have to look like the architects drawing YET. You got this.
All great ideas for the outdoors. The change will do you good.
I notice there’s no gutter over the front of the workshop, do you think you should have one to prevent runoff from undermining the foundation?
As th the little recessed area, I had a dwarf Japanese Green disectum maple in my (Ohio) yard and loved it for 28 yrs. The fall color was spectacular too. I’m not sure how to send a photo to you but I’m sure you can find one on the internet. I think you overestimate how people see only the unfinished stuff on your house. Sure the shutter is probably #1 but other than that, I think it’s pretty darned cute.😉🥰
Excited to see what’s next!
I love outside of your house! The projects you mentioned will finish it off. Also, along with all those other little jobs, power washing the front walk would make it look new again to go better with all those tweaks you’ll be doing in the front. Everything is looking great. Keep up the good work!
Love the outside of your house! All those little projects you mentioned will really make it look finished. Also, power washing the front walk would make it look new again to go with your finished front. Love everything. Keep up the great work!
Hire a landscaper to landscape the front of your property. You need flowerbeds planted with colorful plants. Then all you have to do is maintain it. You should be able to work outside the whole month of April. It is going to be hot, but with your huge shade tree you should be fine. It is going to be in the 90s, but then the 80s the next week. Better get it done before it is in the 100s!
I’m looking forward in seeing your progress.
Being outside is good for one’s soul. Nature has a way of rejuvenating our spirits. Enjoy!
Enjoy working on these outdoor projects: a good mix of effort and reward ahead! One thing I noticed, but only because you provided porch closeups, is that you’ve got some untamed ropes hanging down to the left of the stairs. Are they for controlling blinds? If so, small cleats on the inside could help.
I’m excited to see some of the outside work too. I know it will be so nice for you as you come home, and see all the improvements coming up the driveway.
When looking for a water feature, make sure you choose something with a large reservoir. It doesn’t seem like a big deal to top it up with water occasionally, but especially in the TX heat you’ll lose water faster than you think! And it will start to feel reeeeeeal tedious to be adding water, what will feel like, constantly. I actually added my water feature into the drip irrigation for my garden beds so it gets some water regularly.