No longer in use

MeandO

The lady interested in the shelves came to collect them today so I'm £8 up and a little more de-cluttered.

This morning I have painted two breakfast bar stools which were left here by the previous owners - not before scrubbing them clean first the other day. The sprayable chalk paint was a recommendation from my lovely Dad who had used some on a project. It was only £3.99 from Aldi, so for less than £4, I've got myself some new comfy IKEA stools which would have cost me £90 if I'd gone and bought them in IKEA. I've listed my previous bar stools on FB for £40 and someone has asked to buy them and wants to collect them today so that's another £40 in the renovation pot.

I've had my new updated water bill today for £30 a month too, so that's some £'s saved.

I've decided to put DS back into swimming lessons too as he is still not confident in the water, so a £34.50 spend today for the next 4 weeks. Well worth it though.

£15 cash from my purse has gone on a birthday present today, £10 on a gift for DS's friend yesterday too. It's a birthday-heavy month this month and next, mostly OH's family, so we'll split the cost on those.

I've chased another two tradesmen today who are due to do some work for me, but trying to get a date from any of them is like getting blood out of a stone!

MeandO

I collected £10 on Saturday from a couple of items finally picked up from a fb sale - a little more money in my purse and a little bit less ‘stuff’ in the house. I’ve had lovely doorstep chats with a couple of people who have collected stuff over the past week too which has been nice.

I paid £50 from last week’s fb sales into my bank account on Friday which will go into the renovation pot. The drains are being excavated tomorrow and the plasterer is starting work on skimming the ceilings and walls, so I will have to part with a large sum of cash this week. 😩

Yesterday OH helped me put up the new blinds which arrived last week and a light fitting in the playroom. The blinds have made such a difference to the house, it’s much nicer. I’ve advertised the old blinds for free on fb and a few people are interested, although the first taker didn’t show up for them. 🙄 

Putting the blinds up turned into a bit of a nightmare tbh. It was difficult drilling into these solid old walls, and when we went to put the blind up in DS’s room it didn’t fit - it was way too big. It was my fault, I’d measured it wrong, how, I don’t know as I triple checked it, but it was wrong and I was gutted as they weren’t cheap. I wasn’t prepared to give up and waste money though and I set to and cut the blind down with a saw and cut the slats with garden shears which worked extremely well! I put that blind up myself as OH had gone by then as he had work to do and it turned out to be the largest and most difficult one of all of them. I am aching today and have bruises from the struggle, but I’m pleased I got it done, eventually.
I’ve taken the curtains down that were left here and put them in the charity box. A curtain pole I took down can be re-used in DS’s room as it’s much nicer than the one that’s currently in there, but will do this after his bedroom ceiling has been skimmed, hopefully this week!
I’m so excited that the plastering is finally going to happen, it will make a huge difference to the house and then I can arrange for our new carpets and flooring to be laid. 🤩

Today I wallpapered the two alcoves in the playroom using wallpaper and paste we already had, so no additional cost. I just need to paint the chimney breast and around the picture rail in that room and then it is done, apart from the new carpet going down. I have paint I can use so will hopefully get that finished before the weekend. I haven’t spent a Penny renovating that room as everything I’ve used I already had, so I’m really pleased with that!

Honeysucklelou2

Well done, you are inspirational with your DIY victories! So glad that each task is improving the house and making it more your home.

MeandO

Thank you HSL2 x

Well today was D day - drains day - and to cut a long story short, it was the worst case scenario of their quote and I’m not going to get much change out of £1500. At least I know it’s been done though and hopefully I can tick that well and truly off the list.
I’m really impressed with the company who are doing the work, they are a very small team but have been exceptional and I can’t fault them. The two guys I’ve dealt with have been really polite and lovely to talk to as well, with one talking me through his Thai curry and soup recipes he loves to cook. I was surprised, as he looked like the last person on earth that would love to cook, but he became so animated when talking about his dishes, he obviously loves it. I will be trying one of his soups very soon!
It got me thinking today about how many lovely people I’ve had the pleasure of meeting and chatting with lately. From the removal men a month ago, to fb buyers, parcel delivery folk, new neighbours and various tradesmen, I really have met some nice people lately and had some lovely conversations. I feel very lucky. 

Talking of fb, the blinds I advertised for free were collected so that’s more things saved from landfill and have proved useful to someone else. The lady also said yes please to the. bathroom blind which will come down in a month or so when the bathroom is renovated, so I have kept her details. 

I advertised another item today left here by the previous owners and there has been several people interested, so hopefully that goes by the end of the week and I will make £20 there. I’ll take it as £20 towards THEIR drainage bill they left me with...! 

One of my items has sold on eBay for around £20 after fees and postage, so that’s a little more added to the pot. I really hope the other two items sell as they will make around £100  and will clear a big space as one item is quite bulky. 

I also need to return two books I bought for DS which arrived today as I didn’t realise he had already read them at his Dad’s, so that’s £7.33 refunded to the card. 

I’ve withdrawn £2000 from the premium bonds account today as I will have to pay the drainage bill and probably also the plasterer’s bill this week. The plasterer is owed £900, so both combined will come to over £2K, but I have some money sitting in my bank account to cover that, I just didn’t want to completely drain my account and that is what the money is allocated for anyway. It’s a shame that £2k didn’t even stay in the premium bonds account a month though!

Mrs_Money_Penny

Glad things are starting to come together for the house. It’s nice to hear you positive about your move after the dreadful start. It will be lovely when it’s all finished. It certainly helps our moods having nice conversations with people. We have all missed this the last year in lock down. Take care xx

Drawingaline

I never even thought about offering the blinds I took down for free to people! Although tbf they were all wonky. However I will take down some more in the next year so may think about offering them for free.

MeandO

Thank you Mrs_Money_Penny x 
Drawingaline - lots of people actually responded about them, I was surprised, so definitely worth doing. x

MeandO

The drains ended up costing me nearly £1800, so last week was an expensive one. This week will be too as the plasterer needs paying £900 - they're here today working and the mess is just . I never knew how much mess plastering makes. It will look nice when it's done and I've painted it after it's dried so that's what I'm trying to remember...

I have sold a few things on FB and ebay making around £100 and clearing a bit more space, so that's a positive.

I Stripped vinyl floor tiles off a wall last week (yes, my bedroom wall was covered in vinyl flooring thanks to the previous owners), scraped all the glue they'd generously spread everywhere and wallpapered it with paper we had left over from doing the bedroom in my last house and also OH's bedroom in his house. We originally bought the wallpaper in the clearance section in a DIY store for around £2 a roll, so it's done us well! Another room decorated for free, apart from the tub of wallpaper paste I picked up in home bargains for £4 odd.

My Dad had his op last week and is not doing so well at the moment, so I'm feeling quite down tbh and am struggling with enthusiasm for much. My Mum is also not so good. It's such a worry. We're supposed to be going to stay with them this week, but I'm not sure if it will be too much for them having DS there. I also don't want DS to see them so poorly, it will really upset him. I think I'll have to see what the situation is by midweek.

MeandO

The plastering was completed yesterday and it currently looks like we live in a cave as the walls and ceilings are all dark brown with the plaster drying, but it will be such an improvement once it's dry and painted. It's nice to have a day with no workmen in today, it was getting to me a bit.

I posted the ebay sale yesterday and picked up two tins of white paint for £8/5L on offer in Asda whilst I was out. I also had my 2nd vaccination and am feeling ok so far.

I've paid £200 off the credit card this morning - I put most of the bathroom fittings and fixtures on there last week, more for protection than anything else. It's interest free, but will be paid off by the end of the month anyway, there's around £115 left on there but I want to keep as much in the premium bonds for the month's draw as possible! Once the monthly draw has taken place (and I'm a millionaire  ) I will transfer what is needed back to my bank account to pay for all the work that's happening soon.

I've chased my last local authority at the old house for my council tax refund. It's only £13.38 but I still haven't received it and have chased them once already.
I've amended my address on various points cards and car related documents today, just DS's ISA to do now but I have to go into the branch to do that. 

One load of washing is on my currently-rather-precarious-temporary washing line and I am going to risk trying to put another load on it shortly. I am working near the doors so I can run outside and save it if it tips over! I can't wait until things are a bit easier.

Aspiration

Sounds like brilliant progress!! Know what you mean about needing a break. When we got an en-suite done a few years ago I couldn’t believe the mess and disruption and the workmen were pretty considerate! 

You’re doing really well @MeandO and it really feels like this is becoming your house that you’ll love living in!