Project Mortgage Neutral Begins

ajmoney

I went window shopping in !k£a and N£xt today for inspiration and to check what I want to buy as the house gets decorated. I came home quite buoyant but then started measuring up in my dining room for the furniture I had decided on, onl to realise that it probably isn't going to work in the way I had hoped. This has really got me down as I was starting to enjoy having the house made into my home. I will have a look at some other options online tomorrow and see what can be done.

Working_Mum

Don't be disheartened ajmoney - challenges like this can often lead to much better solutions! Pinterest and Houz have some great inspiration - I found thinking long and hard about what I wanted the area to do and how I wanted it to feel before I bought anything has meant I have wonderful spaces which feel really special in my home. 
You will get there I am sure 
((WM))

ajmoney

I have been back at work for a couple of days after a nice break from it. I listened to a podcast while I was off where they talked about the amount of projects people take on in the workplace and the idea that you should only have one priority one at a time. You can have a list of things you may be working on but there will be a pecking order. The idea is that if someone asks you to take something on you can 

a) say yes but I can't get to it straight away. This may be ok as they just want someone else to take the burden on and you can get back to them as you complete it etc or

b) say yes but it will mean that x will need to be postponed.

I think the idea is they know you will do it but realise you can't do everything. I tried this earlier in the week when I was given some people to mentor who struggle with different things. This is not a new thing but I had a few removed who didn't cause me any issues at all and replaced with a couple who do. While I am happy to support anyone, I don't always feel it should fall to me so said I was happy to have one, but could someone else help the other. I explained that later in the year I might not have the capacity with my different roles to support in the same way and I wanted to protect myself so I can support those I already need to without a dip in what I am able to provide. Unfortunately not everyone saw it that way so I have kept the two new individuals and instead was able to ask for a switch of a couple of others that will help my workload. The idea that apparently one won't actually be any extra work for me as the management team will deal with any issues. I will see how things go but if it does create any extra stress for me I will definitely speak up. i feel I am doing so much better with saying no or at least not accepting everything I want to do and prioritising. Let's see if it can continue after the first week back!

It feels like chaos in the house as my main living area is out of action with the decorating. Luckily I did a bit of sorting on Monday and made some space in my small spare room so I can relax, eat and work and don't need to be confined to my bedroom like a teenager. At times I am unsure what to do with myself in the evening as I can't just relax on the sofa with the tv for background noise but I have taken to doing a few puzzles and reading in bed quite early on. I have been on my phone too but as the light fades I have switched the light off and relaxed and gone to sleep earlier. This will not be sustainable as I opted not to do any of my hobbies in the evening this week and next week I don't have the option to do this but I figure if I prioritise sleep etc now it might help over those days. I would like to use the time this evening for a bit for sorting in my room but will finish everything early again as I am away for the next couple of days with less time for relaxation.

Money wise I don't have much to say. Not looking forward to the financial review at the end of the month though, I am not optimistic about ym S&S account with the crazy going on in the world.

ajmoney

I am unsure how I feel today.

Yesterday I found out that someone I used to spend a lot of time together passed away. We had lost regular contact ages ago, I guess because of life but it has hit our wider unti quite hard especially as it is just after the second anniversary of someone else passing too. Both are former colleagues. Yesterday's was 43 and the one the other year was 42 so still with so much of their lives ahead of them. As I was talking to someone about this yesterday, I found out about another who has been ill and for whatever reason I hadn't heard sooner. They are around 46 and hopefully will make a full recovery.

One of the things I promised myself two years ago was that I would ensure I live life to the full and don't wait for the perfect time or watch my life pass by. I revisited this thought during and after my holiday and am determined to make sure I don't go back on this.

I didn't have time to process anything yesterday as I was so busy so I am trying to give myself the time this evening.

ajmoney

I had an online call to join and watch this evening so I decided to take the time to give myself a manicure and pedicure. Something silly and simple but I don't spend much time on myself and my nails really needed it.

I have seen some ads for some hair stuff that might work for the frizz bomb aka my hair. I had some money left over this month so decided to buy a starter kit to try it out and see if it works. I am putting a lot of effort into physio exercises and getting my joints fitter and stronger so I am trying to make an effort to give some care to me too. This normally comes last

Watty1

Sorry to hear about the deaths.  It is so sobering.

ajmoney

Bank holiday...what to do...

Decorator is here for a bit this morning. Phase one of the project should be complete by the end of the week. Plasterer is booked in for 4 weeks time to do the ceilings in the next 3 areas. Before this I want to finish my initial sort/declutter in those rooms (so very nearly there) and strip the wallpaper in those rooms. Decorator has said he will do it for me so I will probably take him up on that so he doesn't have to do extra after me. I also need to take out a built in wardrobe. It seems a bit wasteful as I intend to have another put in after but it doesn't work for me so I pln to get one with more usable storage. Decorator has asked if the plasterer could lightly skim the walls too to make everything a little easier so I need to find out hw much he will charge for that but ideally need to see if they throw up any issues once stripped.

So plan for today:

Food shopping

Take some return items to drop off centre (I believe they are open today as they are in a corner shop)

Work through a couple of the sorting jobs

Spend some time online deciding colours etc for the other rooms

Find something fun to do too!

The next phase will be the most disruptive as it takes out my bedroom. Unsure where everything is going to be stored yet, potentially one of the rooms that has just been decorated. I was originally going to carpet after phase one but it makes sense to wait until the decorating has been done now as hopefully it will only be a couple of months away. I am excited to start setting everywhere up afterwards.

Only the kitchen and bathroom to do after all this and there is no rush for those. Maybe some time next year for the kitchen.

ajmoney

I had a financial review of my S&S ISA this morning as a couple of funds were no longer working for me, we also had a talk about all my finances as part of it. It was good to talk through my plans and I am comfortable that at the moment I am doing the right thing. He suggested that I might want to pay more into my S&S ISA than my cash one until I explained that the balance will shift in the summer when I remortgage as with higher interest rates the balance will probably switch to overpaying rather than saving. He didn't seem surprised that I am already aware of the rate I am likely to get and the monthly payment associated with it.

First part of the decorating has been done and I am so happy with the result. 4 weeks until the plastering and in that time he will come and get the work done that is required for the plasterer to come in. There are plans to help me sort other parts of the house too. It is really exciting making my house my home.

I thought about it at the end of last year when I hit mortgage neutral but I think the time has come for a new diary on here that reflects where I am. Let's face it, my mortgage neutral journey is no longer beginning! Watch this space...

ajmoney

Wallpaper stripping and prep for the next rooms is starting on Monday (I wish there was still the blue eek emoji). It means I need to do a lot in the next 36 hours so I am ready as I am away over the weekend. I have warned that I might not be out of my room by Monday but the prep is probably going to take a week so I have a couple of extra days if needed. My friend can help me move furniture about which is handy. I don't fancy being out of my room for over a month so I am going to suggest I am back in there once the prep has been done and move out again ready for the plastering. I guess the fitted wardrobe will need to be put in before the decorating but need to check. Whatever happens, I would like to get into my room with it finished as soon as possible. That sanctuary is the only thing that has kept me sane so far.

I am going to try and box everything up that I am unlikely to use from all the rooms during this time and store it in the garage (currently quite full with furniture etc) so I have less to move around the plasterer and decorator in the house.

ajmoney

Base rate cut today   the question is, will it go down again by the time I remortgage? I can't remember what I did last time I remortgaged, whether I went into the bank to organise a meeting or not. I need to head to the high street tomorrow anyway so will pop in and ask if I can arrange something as I don't want to leave it too late to organise.

I haven't done any sorting yet today although I have just popped out to buy a clothes rail so I can set myself up in the other room. I am procrastinating but will start after my cup of tea, honest!