Prevarication was finally abandoned and the dreaded task of painting the kitchen began. Without a doubt, it’s the worst room in the house to decorate as there is stuff absolutely everywhere, but it’s all well used and enjoyed so I’m unable to part with any of it.
There are glasses on units, ornaments on shelves and walls, and lots of paintings, lamps and plants. A minimalist this gal aint.
Given the kitchen is two rooms separated by a dividing arch, it’s effectively a lounge and a kitchen and is the most used room in the house. Nobody ever sits in the lounge when visiting, it’s always straight into the kitchen for a cup of tea while sitting around the breakfast bar.
It’s basically been a week of sheer hell. Given I also developed a heavy cold all that dust certainly didn’t help.
Littl’urchin stomped in one day and looked stunned when she saw the chaos. “Just look at all the mess” she said, rather breathlessly. Needless to say she played in the lounge.
The overspill is awful too, chairs etc drift into the hall and bathroom causing even more upheaval. This was particularly hard on poor daughter who was trying to decorate the hall at the time.
And moving larger items like the Welsh dresser and kitchen cabinet can be tricksy to say the least.
But oh, what joy when it’s finally completed!
And, all that disruption has seriously upset the mouse/mice as there’s been sight nor sound of them. I’ve also been able to check every speck of the kitchen looking for entry points and blocking them off with the dreaded wire wool, used far more carefully now.
Serenity reigns once again. Everything, absolutely everything, has been painted, cleaned and polished, and dust, cobwebs, grease and mould have been utterly obliterated!
My shoulder is throbbing, the old back is aching, but none of that matters as I now admire my shiny, brand new looking kitchen, all finished and just in time for my beautiful daughter’s birthday lunch today.
And Finally…
Now it’s only a matter of time before I get the paint out of my hair and nails, and off the dogs coats!
Hopefully I’ll catch up with you all soon. Until then, stay safe guys.
It is depressing while decorating, you never think it will end, especially in the kitchen. We lived on spaghetti and beans on toast for ten days! Yes, you do look at newly painted rooms and appreciate them. Your maintenance a couple of years ago sounded painful, it should last you a good while though. Lovely to see your blog back. Thanks Joy.xxx
Hello there you ! .. WOW !! it is spectacular when the job is finished because you think to yourself “I am never going to survive this upheaval !!” LOL
We had a lot of painting and new carpet done on both floors of our house a couple of years ago and I thought I would never survive it all .. we did a lot of decluttering to say the least.
But isn’t it amazing when it is done .. you keep looking at it to make sure it is REAL ? LOL
I haven’t posted anything yet on my blog this year but I am going to try this weekend since the April rain has finally come .. we were so DRY here .. the gardens were really suffering so that is a relief.
You should be smiling a lot now .. no mice and everything is squeaky clean and gorgeous !
Well done you !
Take care and stay safe 😉
Wow, bravo, the mini makeover looks fab. What is it about decorating that takes over the whole house!
Thanks Annemarie. It’s such a relief getting the kitchen out of the way, well worth it when it’s over! Yes, when decorating stuff migrates across the whole house, mince looked like a hoarders paradise while decorating. xxx
Congratulations……and I think we all need something to get us going….i.e. your daughter’s birthday lunch:). I need to do my (much smaller kitchen) but nevertheless equally as cluttered…and so you have given me the impetus to get going – soon.
Hope the lunch is a huge success and that a good time is had by one and all….xxxxx
Thanks Janet, yes we do need a push, it’s so easy to put things off indeterminately. Oh, good luck decorating your kitchen, it will be fantastic once it’s all done. We did have a lovely time celebrating daughters birthday.xxxx
I’m just in awe of your. I live in a much smaller space, and I’ve been involved in ‘decluttering’ for years, but there’s still a lot of ‘stuff’ here, and if I were to take on a project like yours, it would be just as daunting. It looks wonderful, and isn’t it nice to know that everything is clean and tidy? I’m in the middle of my semi-annual china washing, and while much of it can go through the dishwasher, there’s a lot that has to be done by hand, too. I always swear I’m going to make it an annual ritual, but I’m so pleased when its done, I keep to the schedule — at least for now!
My poor mind. I’m in awe of your dedication and endurance!
Thanks Linda. Decluttering is a permanent thing for sure. I try to look at things with fresh eyes every now and then to see what can go. I think we all have too much stuff! Yes, it’s marvellous when it’s all done. Oh, your annual china wash sounds like a big project too, I admire you for keeping on top of it! xxx
Wish I could say ‘finally….’ We have done other things but I dread the thought of the kitchen chaos that will descend when ‘finally’ I begin the process.The dogs coped with it rather well. I bet they thought it was a new game.
It was amusing that little one could see the difference between her messy mess and your big kitchen one! I wonder if she noticed it became un-messy again.
A big job behind you till the next time. Stay healthy and safe. xxxx
Thanks Menhir, good to know you have done other things, there is always a list isn’t there. I just go with the worst jobs first but still have lots of rooms that need decorating. Having three dogs always results in a shedload of dog hairs getting painted onto walls and skirts as they brush past them…sighs. I think Liitl’urc hin was truly shocked at all the mess! Strangely enough she didn’t comment when it was tidy again. Good luck getting your kitchen done, it will be worth the hassle. You stay safe and healthy too.xxx
Very nice work! We need to do the same in the living room – also the outside of the house.
Thanks Jason. Oh, good luck with the living room and outside, we need those doing too but they can wait!xxx
How nice that you’ve finished and the room looks so great. What a blessing to have such a big kitchen.
Amalia
xo
Thanks Amalia, it’s always great sorting a big room, it feels so fresh afterwards.xxx
Oh my. I cannot imagine the amount of work that has all been. I smiled at “minimalist this gal aint”. But look at what you’ve accomplished!!! And a thorough sussing out of every nook and cranny to ensure the mouse visitor doesn’t return. You’ve somehow made the “do everything at once” approach work. Bravo to all of you for that hard work!
And a birthday to celebrate as well. Best wishes to that dear girl of yours.
Thanks so much Anne, it would be a lot less work if I was a minimalist, believe it or not, lots of stuff did go! To date….touch wood, I’ve seen sight nor sound of the rodents! Long may that last. It was nice having daughter round on her birthday in such a spotless kitchen.xxxx
Painting any room of the house is a nightmare. I let one of our daughters paint her bedroom when she was a teenager, and she dropped a big bucket of yellow paint on the carpet. It cost more to replace the carpet than it would have to have someone come in and paint the room!
I love littl’urchin’s comment, they always know exactly what to say! The kitchen looks great, it is really worth it when it is all done. Wish me luck because we are going to paint our cabin which has a high ceiling.
Happy birthday to your daughter, my brothers and Paul all have birthdays this week, a busy birthday time.
Thanks Gerrie. It’s great getting that out of the way and good seeing freshly painted walls. Oh, your daughter spilling the paint must have had you weeping, added into the cost must have been the hassle of clearing her room to replace the carpet. Good luck with the cabin, high ceilings finish me off these days, hubs has to do them now. All those birthdays are going to cost you a pretty penny!xxx
Well done on the decorating.
Now you can relax and enjoy your daughters birthday.
Cheers 🙂
All the best Jan
Thanks Jan, it’s lovely once it’s all sorted. xxx
Oh, my, even more inviting than it was before! I love it. Looks like Buddy is pleased, too! It must feel magnificent to walk into the room! Good for you for getting it all finished so quickly. ♥️
Hope the birthday celebrations are merry and bright in your beautiful space!
Love to all!
Thanks Kitty, it certainly feels brighter and bigger and it’s wonderful having blocked out the mice, I haven’t seen sight nor sound of them since decorating. Daughter had a lovely day, as always, the sun came out for her. Love and hugs to you all.xxxx
Well done! We had ours done last week. Mercifully Steve the painter came and did it for us, and we were ready for him by clearing out and moving absolutely everything. We even moved the fridge out of its tight little space! And you’re right – what a relief and joy when it’s done and you can settle back in and enjoy it. Happy Easter xx
Thanks Gill. So pleased to hear you’ve had your kitchen done too, sounds pretty disruptive but marvellous now it’s over with. I always think rooms look bigger once decorated.xxx
I hate decorating at the best of times, it doesn’t matter how minimal you think the disruption will be, it always spills over into just about every other room in the house. It’s even worse when it’s a room you use all the time like the kitchen. When you see that newly painted room and the difference it makes though, it’s definitely worth the mess. Wishing your daughter a very happy birthday.
Oh yes, decorating is so disruptive and affects the whole house, but once done you forget the pain pretty quickly. It’s just great getting it over with. Thanks Jo.xxx
Oh well done! It is indeed the most disruptive of rooms to decorate but is wonderful when finished. Yours looks fantastic. The amount of grime always gets me – we have various racks on walls and ceiling and the general greasy deposit always horrifies me. Ours needs a repaint but I need a week of good weather as Hamish will have to be banished outside for the week – he’s less than helpful when it comes to decorating. Now you can sit back, have a cup of tea and admire all your work – enjoy! xx
Thanks Veggiemummy. Yes, the grease and grime is horrific but I suppose all kitchens are the same. Oh, good luck with your kitchen, I don’t envy you but it will be well worth the hassle. xxx