Just doing my job...
I am really enjoying my holiday. This week I have taken off every one of my commitments; no where to g, no one to see, just a chance to DO stuff in the house. I know I work what is laughingly called 'part time', but it really stops me getting things done. I miss whole days just pootling, or taking a sickie from supply to paint or decorate a room. Now I must really store up my plans to do during holidays, and I have done precious little over the last couple of years.
This year I want to get a lot done. I've started this week with the boys' room. It hasn't been decorated for 13 years, and they aren't the little children they were then, so a more adult approach to the room seems sensible.
Above is the before shot; blue walls and piles of everything. Don't get excited, the after doesn't look a lot different. I gave the lads the choice of colours, and they said they liked the colour it was, and why did I have to paint it at all? Duh.
Part way through. It's actually a darker shade than the one before, which is good, because it makes the white woodwork look better!
I paint using a brush, I prefer the coverage and the brush marks don't wind me up. I started on Wednesday at 10 am, and had the room 3/4 covered by the evening. (time is slow in their room because I had to keep stopping, moving furniture, cleaning and clearing clutter!)
Thursday another 3 hours of painting, separated by a run out to Dunelm Mill for more mature bedding (they had Thunderbirds, Star Wars and Doctor Who. Nuff said)
The run out was to allow the first coat to dry. I came in and started the second coat (and the second pot of paint) only to realise.... the paint was silk and not matt. Whoops.
So tomorrow (Friday) I shall drive off to B&Q for another pot of Sarong Blue paint in MATT finish and repaint the wall I had painted over before realising that it was shining, not because it was wet but because it was... well... shiny.
And the bedding is good. Silver fitted sheets and a Skandi duvet cover that has grey and yellow triangles. I have plans for establishing a proper housework schedule so that the washing, cleaning and tidying needed to run my house can be done by all of us, not just You-Know-Who. Taking time off to decorate has shown me that I need to make others capable of cooking and washing (definitely washing; I haven't touched it and the pile rises up the wall!) and I want to upgrade my bedroom next week, I can't risk nobody washing for two weeks running!
The boys room isn't finished yet. I'll be painting one last time, and then moving them in with shelves, books and clothes. Look out over the weekend, I will try and post a finished Ta Da!!!
This year I want to get a lot done. I've started this week with the boys' room. It hasn't been decorated for 13 years, and they aren't the little children they were then, so a more adult approach to the room seems sensible.
Part way through. It's actually a darker shade than the one before, which is good, because it makes the white woodwork look better!
I paint using a brush, I prefer the coverage and the brush marks don't wind me up. I started on Wednesday at 10 am, and had the room 3/4 covered by the evening. (time is slow in their room because I had to keep stopping, moving furniture, cleaning and clearing clutter!)
Thursday another 3 hours of painting, separated by a run out to Dunelm Mill for more mature bedding (they had Thunderbirds, Star Wars and Doctor Who. Nuff said)
The run out was to allow the first coat to dry. I came in and started the second coat (and the second pot of paint) only to realise.... the paint was silk and not matt. Whoops.
So tomorrow (Friday) I shall drive off to B&Q for another pot of Sarong Blue paint in MATT finish and repaint the wall I had painted over before realising that it was shining, not because it was wet but because it was... well... shiny.
And the bedding is good. Silver fitted sheets and a Skandi duvet cover that has grey and yellow triangles. I have plans for establishing a proper housework schedule so that the washing, cleaning and tidying needed to run my house can be done by all of us, not just You-Know-Who. Taking time off to decorate has shown me that I need to make others capable of cooking and washing (definitely washing; I haven't touched it and the pile rises up the wall!) and I want to upgrade my bedroom next week, I can't risk nobody washing for two weeks running!
The boys room isn't finished yet. I'll be painting one last time, and then moving them in with shelves, books and clothes. Look out over the weekend, I will try and post a finished Ta Da!!!
Great minds think alike - I have that duvet set! Do you want to come and re-decorate here please :-)
ReplyDeleteDo you feed me or pay me? I'm good with either!
DeleteThat shade of blue is gorgeous... and it looks great with the new quilts. I'm glad that you are enjoying your holiday. Jx
ReplyDeleteTardis blue, that's what it should be called. The lads like it.
DeleteLike the new duvet covers! I hope that you can get all that you want to done and that you can also encourage a little bit of housekeeping participation from the other members of the household! xx
ReplyDeleteI'm reading The Art Of Homemaking by Alison of Brocante Home, still waiting on the new download but already beginning to lay down systems and plans for us all to do. Decorating forces them to be independent because I have to get stuff done in a day or two, so somebody has to step up to cook or clean or tidy.
DeleteI know what you mean about part-time being anything but - the only thing part-time about my teaching job is the salary! I too use the holidays to catch up with household tasks. At Easter we did my dauther's room and over the summer I want to revamp the kitchen. So I've been doing lots of research into curtain fabrics etc. There's a lot of decluttering to do too - can hardly get into the garage. Hope you enjoy the rest of your holiday.
ReplyDeleteI don't have a garage I have a room of doom. It needs clearing, but October is smiling at me happily, and I am still contemplating further work in the house before September. Hall? Stairs? Kitchen repaint? Don't know, possibly all three!
DeleteI am just about to start a full time job after being 'part time' for 15 years... I expect all will be the same. Teaching your children how to do the laundry is the best thing ever. My teenager does his own now sometimes. When it suits him :-) but it is getting better. I do really love the dark blue of your boys bedroom. It is a proper man cave colour, isn't it? I hope you get your own bedroom done, too.
ReplyDeleteThis week; I have a good feeling about my bedroom! I really want to make it into my little haven of peace and tranquility!
DeleteHope the decorating went well over the weekend. I look forward to the big reveal!
ReplyDeleteLisa x
Lisa, it's a room belonging to two teenage boys; do you really ever think it will be decent enough for a room reveal at any time after, say, two days of full time use? No, neither do I!
DeleteGlad to see it's not just me who's spending the holidays doing DIY! It makes me feel so much better as I'm getting a bit fed up with it now so we can give each other moral support. The dark blue is lovely. My sons are still using their primary school bedding I'm afraid - son no. 4 has dinosaurs on his and son no. 3 has hot air balloons! I think that they've become so used to it that they don't even ask for new ones. Anyway, isn't Star Wars bedding what every man/boy wants? Judy.
ReplyDeleteWe changed up to Star Wars from Thomas the Tank Engine and the old bedding isn't going anywhere apart from the airing cupboard for the inevitable winter vomiting bug season, but it's nice to have some adult bedding on for them.
DeleteThere's something very satisfying about seeing a painted wall, isn't there? Our house is in need of a lick of paint in more than one room, but I'm busily ignoring it all at the moment - the satisfaction will have to wait! xx
ReplyDeleteThere is very little nicer than standing in a clean, freshly painted room before you move back in.
DeleteAnd then you realise all the junk has to go back in, because you actually need most of it to live!