museumworker's quest to consign mortgage to history!

Lula-Hula

Hello,

hope your medical situation is easily sorted without the need for strict diet regime, although with time, you probably would get used to a new menu.

I dont envy your weekend plans at all

museumworker

Thanks for the tips tyo, I will look up those places later when I get a chance! And i don't envy my own weekend plans lula-hula! Yesterday OH were fantasising about when we have nothing to do to the house! We spent a shed load of money - the remaining £1,100 on carpet and £417 in IKEA, plus £35 delivery :eek:! But we had it in savings, thats what it is there for. The deep clean of the bedroom is nearly finished, it looks so much better even though I haven't really been able to declutter properly.

Had a good evening last night, lots of good chat and a bit too much wine , I did say I would give up booze but I am letting my hair down until I start this diet. Both OH and I have woken up this morning feeling like we have colds, so not sure how productive we will be! Delivery of wardrobes is between 8 and 12, which we're pleased with as we need them to be built before we can get on with the rest of the house.

Today I will:
* do [STRIKE]2[/STRIKE] 1 x washloads
* put sofa cover back on sofa
* wash remaining sofa cover
* [STRIKE]hoover under bed[/STRIKE]
* [STRIKE]dust dressing table[/STRIKE]
* [STRIKE]email back freecycle people[/STRIKE]
* [STRIKE]empty case from last week [/STRIKE]
* [STRIKE]put clean clothes away[/STRIKE]
* [STRIKE]help build wardrobes[/STRIKE]
* clear office, dust and hoover
* move desk from bedroom back into office
* move ebay stuff from bedroom into wardrobes
* sort through books in office
* [STRIKE]hoover and mop under sofas in living room[/STRIKE]
* [STRIKE]bang rug in living room[/STRIKE]
* clear dining table
* move boxes from dining room into new wardrobes
* mop dining room floor
* friend over for dinner

Better start with getting dressed!

museumworker

Very pleased with the amount of progress on the house we made - living room and bedroom deep cleaned, sofa covers (mostly) laundered, house carpeted, new bed ready for guests, all new windows glossed and walls around them repainted, new wardrobes purchased and installed, curtains hung, reading lights put in the wall over new bed, lampshades purchased and put in hall, two hoovers freecycled, 90 books given to charity, 20 more ready for selling on Amazon, jewellery decluttered... the house looks so much better. Lots more to do, but we are heading in the right direction.

Busy day at work, not much time to do much MFW stuff. I did however call the valuator and confirm the visit on Thursday after work . Glad I did as I think the guy I was dealing with is a muppet, someone else ended up taking over and booking it for me.

After work I came home and started on the office - moved all boxes to spare/craft room and have totally filled the new wardrobes, and the floor :rotfl: so more decluttering clearly needed! Half sorted the shelves in the office - 40 books decluttered, and the rest taken off shelves and dusted. Another half to go. Is freeing up space to put the books we were storing on the floor on a shelf now .

ETA: best bit was the curtains. I had some extremely colourful and flowery vintage ones I loved that I bought second hand for £5 6 years ago. I've never lived anywhere with windows that they fit - and now they are just right for the loft bedroom. Spent £10 on a rail, and now have decluttered pair of curtains from under bed onto the wall .

museumworker

Had a lovely evening round at long lost friend's house last night. Have known her for over 10 years, out of touch for last 6 years so lots to catch up on! Her and OH are such an inspiration - they took a year out about 5 years ago and decided they wanted to be able to live abroad and not work. Roll on 5 years, they now own 3 buy to lets, have just sold their flat for a fortune, and can afford to live in their abroad home without working with their new DS . They have worked their socks off for it, and been very astute about their purchases. I just think it is incredible, a real eye opener.

Am exhausted today though as didn't get home til midnight, and did drink a bit too much wine on an empty stomach . Early night tonight for me I think! Want to be a bit more collected for the valuation tomorrow :j.

Am chipping away at surveys etc but feeling a bit despondent. Seeing so much going out of the savings, even when planned, is a little demoralising. OH wants us to start saving for the car once this is over, which will mean only a small OP between now and when we get it. We will get the lump sum back as an interest free loan from his employers, but only once we have bought the car. We can then stick it on the mortgage, but I want to get it down now!

katsu

museumworker wrote: »

katsu - is your husband managing his diabetes now just through diet? Food is a very powerful thing.

Unfortunately not MW. We'd love that to be the case, but diabetes is progressive so even the people who can control it through diet eventually need meds. In his case however his diabetes was already at the stage of needing meds when he was first diagnosed and it has worsened every time the GP does a check-up.

That said he would definitely be loads worse if we didn't eat sensibly, so we do our best

macgirl

Hi MW
It must make you feel a bit despondent to see the savings dwindling - but your home sounds so lovely and at least it is all paid for, it will be worth every penny for the happiness it will bring. You *will* get the mortgage down because you are so focused!

Perhaps you could think about posting your pics on Living Etc forum - See My Home, they pay for the winning house. Worth a shot?
Hope the new diet is working out ok and having a positive effect on your migraines.

museumworker

Sorry to hear that katsu, but it does sound like you are doing everything you can to stop it getting any worse.

Thanks macgirl, I am guilty of wanting it all - having just paid in cash for my loft extension, I now want to have my mortgage decreasing before my very eyes! I like the Living Etc forum idea- I think it isn't furnished that well at the minute so that might put people off.

A bit of a fright after picking DD up at school. One of the mums, who works for the council, when I told her I was getting a valuation today said I'd have to put up my council tax :eek:. I'd never heard of this before, I thought it was the value of the house in 1991. She thought it was the value of the house if it was the size it was now in 1991. Had half an hour walk home with my head spinning! Quick search online has put my fears to bed - it is only when we sell the house that the next owners may have an increase in council tax. Info is here if anyone is interested:
http://www.voa.gov.uk/council_tax/increases.htm

Valuator has been :j, will hopefully know tonight or tomorrow the verdict. I have everything crossed - a valuation of £291K or above will mean everything is in place to switch our mortgage .

A friend has contacted me to see if we would consider letting the loft to her, I would definitely but need to check with OH. At the moment we like the luxury of the space, but we could probably ask about £400pm for the double room with ensuite including bills and it would be a good deal for London. And that would really help us build up our financial reserves/start attacking that mortgage! She would really fit around our family life too, so should be an easy let. Plus I'd get to see her more!

rlc22

museumworker wrote: »

Valuator has been :j, will hopefully know tonight or tomorrow the verdict. I have everything crossed - a valuation of £291K or above will mean everything is in place to switch our mortgage .

I've got my fingers crossed! Did they give you any indication of whether they agreed with your value?

museumworker

No indication at all!

rlc22

museumworker wrote: »

No indication at all!

Doh! They could have been more helpful... Hopefully you won't have to wait too long to find out though.

The thing I was a bit disappointed with was that we never received a copy of the report. Obviously the valuation was fine as we got the mortgage, but I'm nosy and I want to know what the surveyor thought!