greent's mfw journey

edinburgher

Glad to see you're managing to get a bit more greent, but get up to speed gradually! I was on the bus with no headphones last night and every second person was hacking their guts up :eek:

If you were to redo the kitchen on a shoestring budget, what would you do? Ours is a bit dated and I was think skim of plaster, repaint, cheap but fresh flooring and new cupboard fronts? Need to save up, so not going to happen any time soon!

MeandO

Just found your diary Greent, you've achieved so much in so little time. I shall be subscribing for some much-needed inspiration and motivation!

Hope you're feeling better now, go easy on yourself. xx

michelle09

Looks like you're doing well, I'm still surprised they could do that with the utilities in the first place.

The joys of a new kitchen (and the financial pain) but glad it's going well. Do you have an end date sorted?

atypicalblonde

Re-reading your diary has inspired me to be listing on eBay again, so thank you for that. I hope you are fully recovered very soon x

brizzledfw

Just checking in..that flu sounds horrendous. Hope youre properly better now. Take it easy.

Kitchen sounds loads of fun and well done on your savings for it. Hope the new BTL tenant is better than the last lot too..hate it when people are so discourteous at best and downright thieving at worst in trying to make you pay for their damage, utility costs and disorganisation. Maybe bill them for your time in sorting it all out too??!

x

greent

Thank you, everyone 3 weeks and 2 days now - and I'm actually starting to feel better. I still have a cough - which is worse in the cold/ wet, but I can walk upstairs without stopping and almost being sick and my head actually feels clearer The end is in sight - although no Zumba/ c25k etc until I feel better and can manage to walk and talk at the same time

In other news: - we have plastered walls in our kitchen and most of the new flooring down (will finish when kitchen is in) :T The kitchen is beautiful - we went to the workshop on Friday and saw it It (and the fitter ) are arriving on Monday morning The new range was delivered this morning - but is sadly the wrong one (1100 when it should be 1000) and I didn't realise until after couriers had left so will need to contact customer services on Monday when they open - am hoping they can sort out a swap swiftly, as having no cooker is not fun!! I do, however, still have a working washing machine - so that's a Good Thing!

Elsewhere in the house - plumber is coming Monday to fit the shower in our bathroom - spent £200 on tiles just for the shower enclosure today! He is also changing some radiators around the house, so that'll be some jobs finally ticked off :T

BTL - new tenant moves in this coming Thurs. Have had whole place repainted and cleaning is booked for Tues, carpet clean for Weds. Will buy some flowers and leave them for her (previous tenants handily left the vase I bought for their flowers behind in a cupboard ) Once she is in I can start the process of claiming costs against the deposit with the deposit holding scheme.

I know it's only the start of Feb, but I am already looking forward to March! - by then the kitchen will be basically done (finishing touches will be left, no doubt) and I should hopefully be back to decent health. We will also have paid for everything and know exactly where we are money wise (both us and BTL) - some figures are estimates at the mo. Plus it's my birthday in March :D:D

newgirly

Glad you are feeling a bit better now, have a good Sunday

Courgette

We're also having our kitchen redone so I feel your pain.

It will be worth it in the end (I need to keep reminding myself this too!)

Karmacat

Astonishiing that you had all that going on/in planning when you were so ill. I'm really glad you're feeling a bit better, but obvs still a way to go.

greent

thewalrussaid wrote: »

Get well soon!

As a lurker I just wanted to add that I really enjoy reading your diary, you always seem so organised and consistent at getting stuff done plus you have a lovely family life.

Thanks for this walrus Lovely to see you back on mfw - I remember your diary )

edinburgher wrote: »

Glad to see you're managing to get a bit more greent, but get up to speed gradually! I was on the bus with no headphones last night and every second person was hacking their guts up :eek:

If you were to redo the kitchen on a shoestring budget, what would you do? Ours is a bit dated and I was think skim of plaster, repaint, cheap but fresh flooring and new cupboard fronts? Need to save up, so not going to happen any time soon!

Ha! Shoestring budget and kitchen haven't gone hand in hand here, sadly! However, when I've done a 'tart up' before, walls looking good are a big thing (skim if necessary)and definitely fresh paint. If there are tiles on the walls then the grout refreshing stuff works brilliantly so it's all sparkling white. Clean (and easy to keep clean) flooring - vinyl in a sympathetic design (poss fake wood/ fake slate tiles - whatever works with your kitchen and worktops) New cupboard fronts can be expensive, depending on how big your kitchen is. I'd think whether this is actually necessary. If wooden doors, can they be sanded? (A good paint job is expensive)
Oooh - windows - I don't actually have any blinds etc at kitchen windows - nothing to get dirty and lets more light in. If you do, it needs to be unfussy (imo).
Tbh - a kitchen also benefits from streamlining - get things away so the sides look uncluttered and there's lots of prep area. (I actually have a lot on our worktops - microwave, toaster (on a tray), kettle, tea/ coffee/ sugar/ hot choc jars, kitchenaid, coffee machine, knives, large utensil jar, kitchen roll - but we have a 5m run of worktop in one direction and then more when it turns the corner, so there's still plenty of room)

MeandO wrote: »

Just found your diary Greent, you've achieved so much in so little time. I shall be subscribing for some much-needed inspiration and motivation!

Hope you're feeling better now, go easy on yourself. xx

Thanks MeandO - not sure how inspiring and motivating I'm feeling right now - but thank you! x