Michelle Smiles

Teaching my children to question authority, except mine.

I don’t do Spring Cleaning

April20

I actually don’t do much cleaning at all. Just enough that we don’t live in total filth. I don’t like to clean. I don’t even do it very well. I do the regular required things but the above and beyond spring cleaning stuff? Nope. Base boards only get scrubbed when they start looking like a different color than they were meant to be. Walls never get scrubbed – I just vacuum cobwebs when they become apparent. Windows get cleaned when I notice they exist (meaning dirty enough that they are slightly obscuring my view of the outside world). But I do occasionally make up for those short falls by doing other things. I’ve been tackling neglected projects this week.

It all started when we finally got our TV off the end table it had been perched on for the past 18 months. The DVR, Xbox, and DVD player were piled underneath. It was klassy. But when we moved the TV, we couldn’t decide what to put on the wall above the TV. None of our art worked. We looked at some wrought iron pieces and some metal scutlpure but none were It. We still haven’t found The Piece…but we will some day. For now, I found some mirrors at Ikea that will work as a place holder. BUT. But. They required a t-square, level, and math to hang. Steve didn’t get to it as fast as I wanted so I did it. And now they are driving me insane. The top left one is just a smidge too low. And the third one on the bottom won’t stay straight on its nail. All I do is stare at them. (And there will be some major spackle required when we take them down. I might have had to redo several. Or a lot.)

(I’m also currently in love with Instagram which was finally released for Android.)

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One my friends and board members for Small Comforts, Joy, organized a yard sale to benefit Small Comforts – we made $1000! So exciting! We will put some of it toward our IRS 501c3 application fees. The rest will likely go toward some initial printing costs and getting some bags going. The yard sale and a small shopping trip to Old Navy prompted me to start cleaning out our walk in closet which has been clogged with boxes since we moved in. Just when I was about to get them unpacked, we decided we were moving. Now that the move is off, we can finally start living here. So our closet is lovely! Just need to install a few more shelves on 1 wall for shoes and sweaters.

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I’ve hated our door since we moved in. The screen doors are ugly and don’t fit well. The front door was ok but the grid on the windows was never painted and had turned a funky yellowish color and the door was putty white. Just blah. We are in the process of ordering new storm doors for the front and back doors (goodbye tax return). And it is a process. You can buy a gun faster than a screen door. I picked out the door I wanted. It had bright, shiny, ugly brass hardware but the picture showed brushed nickel was available. The guy tells us that nickel hardware is a custom order and an extra $40. Custom? Really? For the only option that is slightly in fashion at this point? No one has wanted shiny brass since 1989. And the custom factor means they have to come our and measure for the door before they will order it – another $35. After they come out and measure, we have to return to the store to order the door and sign a contract. So because I don’t want my door to look like I ordered it in the 80’s, it will cost me another $75, require another trip to the store, and take an additional 2-3 weeks. Thanks Pella and Lowe’s. That makes me a happy customer (where is that damned sarcasm font when I need it?).

I decided new storm doors deserved a decent looking front door. I was going to paint it white but our house is rather blah outside – pale grey with white trim. I wanted the door to pop. I thought about red but everyone has a red door now. So I went deep purple. I still have to do another coast and touch up the white.

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Around Thanksgiving, the cold water faucet in my powder room started dripping. I knew what the problem was – a part that was impossible to track down for a cheap builder’s faucet. Another faucet did the same thing last year. That time, I called the handyman we use for repairs and he replaced it. He is fabulous but I try to have a list of things for him to do when he comes since he charges by the hour and the first hour is pretty steep. I decided we could do it ourselves. We bought a faucet and it sat in the closet. The drip became a stream and I had to turn the cold water off completely. Steve didn’t want anything to do with it so I finally decided it was up to me. I watched You Tube videos and read the directions in the box. I bought a basin wrench and new supply lines. I started the job. No one told me how much of plumbing is brute strength. I did the faucet without any real problem but the supply lines weren’t come loose for anything. Steve tried. Not budging. So old supply lines stayed and were connected to new faucet. It works. No leaks. I was ridiculously proud.

 

 

 

 

posted under House stuff
10 Comments to

“I don’t do Spring Cleaning”

  1. On April 20th, 2012 at 12:21 pm Cathy Says:

    love both the purple door and the mirrors. a friend of mine did the same thing on one wall of her living room with the ikea mirrors. when she got tired of them as is, she painted them black for a whole new look. and that one on the bottom that’s a tiny bit wonky? a little ball of fun-tack (that puttyish stuff you use to hang posters) will keep it in the right place. i always have some on hand for exactly that reason since you might have measured perfectly but one of your frame’s hangers was slightly off.

  2. On April 20th, 2012 at 12:32 pm Sonia in MO Says:

    Oh, wow…. I am in awe of your purple door – SO cool! Our front door is blah forest green – I hate it and have been wanting to change it for years but my creative gene has disappeared now that my brain is afflicted with “CRS” disease 🙂 🙂 You have inspired me to start thinking outside the builder’s standard box!

  3. On April 20th, 2012 at 2:02 pm jane Says:

    LOVE that TV cabinet! The mirrors would drive me crazy, too. Fun tack is definitely the way to go. And WAY TO GO on the plumbing repair! So proud you have a basin wrench. You are definitely on the way to professional Ms. Fix It status now!

  4. On April 20th, 2012 at 8:05 pm Martha Says:

    LOVE the purple door! I am so jealous, our house is circa 1960 with Baby blue trim on white alumninum siding so the door matches the blue trim. How I long for a door color to pop with. But what can I do with baby blue and white??

    I am in awe of your plumbing skillls..most I have ever done is change the ballcock on the toilet. But I know what you mean. I preened and bragged about that job!

  5. On April 22nd, 2012 at 4:48 pm heather Says:

    I love the purple door too! Our house is brick with dark red trim & door and I hate it! Someday…

    Love your comments on the spring cleaning too. I’m such a “surface” cleaner…and then from time to time, I realize how gross things like windows look (but it is really worth the time?).

  6. On April 22nd, 2012 at 7:29 pm Bobbi Says:

    HEY!!! I am a cleaner, but in no way shape or form can I do any of those things!! You go!! Great job!

    LOVE the door—-like something besides red too. It is good to be able to step outside the box!!

  7. On April 22nd, 2012 at 7:30 pm Bobbi Says:

    OH, and I really don’t scrub walls, just the dirty spots……that’s what a new paint job is for 🙂

    Windows……well that is totally Joe’s job. I streak them too much!

  8. On April 26th, 2012 at 2:23 pm Pattie Says:

    Love the door! Mirrors look great, too. Next time you are looking to invest in a fun tool….laser level. I love mine. It really makes projects like that easier to be able to do by yourself, since you don’t have to keep stepping back to see what it looks like.

  9. On April 27th, 2012 at 10:04 pm Minnie Says:

    I just got 2 Anderson doors from home depot. Both have to be the same per the HOA here. $740 bucks! So high. They’re just plain glass, not even security doors.

  10. On December 21st, 2018 at 2:19 am improvement projects Says:

    Carpenter T Shirt

    Michelle Smiles