Some Thoughts on Home Ownership

[prosodic]

If you're a new homeowner who is having issues with finding decent window treatments (I am having this problem in the kitchen right now...the windows really need custom shades, which we can't afford at the moment, and curtains just don't look right)...

these things are genius.

We ran out to Home Depot yesterday to get some, because I needed to finish the touch-up paint around the windows, which would involve taking down the current curtains (which will end up going into our bedroom)...I could put these up and stick them right to the window and they'll last us several months until we can find a more permanent solution.

Alas, Home Depot is fresh out. So I couldn't do the touch-up work on the windows. Must see if I can order these online...I would probably get them faster.

And then, once we're able, I'll go to JoAnn, which is right around the corner (across from Home Depot, actually) and get one of those kits to make my own custom no-sew window shades. I'm just afraid of screwing them up, because I am sorely lacking in the craftsy department. But I also want something in our house that I've done myself (besides the painting, I mean).

And I need to figure out how to remove some paint that found its way underneath the painters tape...we have spots on the ceilings and in the doorways. I just don't want to remove the original paint. Also, I found a few spots where we had dripped some on the carpet...probably as we were running into the bathroom to wash paint off our hands, etc.

Plus, we just noticed yesterday that the screen door is completely destroyed...we don't know if it's been like this and we just hadn't noticed, or if it was damaged either when the fridge was delivered or the movers came. Anyway, it needs replaced ASAP. Guess those Home Depot gift cards will come in handy sooner than we think.

Home ownership - yeah, not so fun thus far. We keep finding more and more problems with each passing day. But the house has good bones regardless and it has a lot of potential, and now it is our job to see that potential and make this the best house is can be. Neither of us know what we're doing, but we're learning as we go.

Comments

[just--a--girl.livejournal.com]

The last paragraph reminded me of us when we first moved into this home. It seemed like fun on all of the HGTV shows before moving into a home, but yeah, we learned quickly it wasn't anything like that for us, lol. We also felt the same way about the home after moving into it, finding more problems about it with each passing day. *sigh* We thought it'd be a great chance for us to learn more as we go once we started repairing little things here and there, but we quickly realized we need money for that, lol. So yeah, our experience was a little rushed & we probably should have waited until we were more ready financially, like you guys. But anyway, what I really wanted to say is that I'm enjoying reading all of your entries about the new home! :)

[prosodic.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you can relate. It's so much easier to rent and have someone else be responsible for fixing the problems, but you are putting money in their pocket. Why do that, when you can put sweat equity into the house and make the money yourself? I know it's worth it, but everything just seems so hard...even something that's supposed to be as simple as painting. All kinds of things have gone wrong with the painting. And we don't know if it's us, or other factors.