This morning was the start of the new me – the me that gets up at 6am, showers and moves the car out of the driveway at 7am. Let’s see how long this lasts!
But I’m battling a serious case of butterflies as the reality sinks in. I felt sick to the stomach this morning rather than super excited. Retro daddy has left for the week and I wish he was here.
One month of renovations, people coming and going the entire time, walls coming down, potential problems and my biggest fear that rats or mice are going to come running out of walls and up to my bedroom!
Don’t laugh, we had rats in our ceiling when we moved in and retro daddy announced on the weekend that he heard scratching!
Can you tell we’ve never done this before. Can you believe how much BROWN we’ve been living with!
We’ve always bought houses where the work was done for us but I know it’s worth it. I keep thinking of the final product.
I quickly grabbed my camera and took the last before shots in morning light. I can’t believe it’s all happening but I’m so glad we got all the packing done and have empty rooms in time.
Fingers crossed…………….
how exciting Corrie! Can’t wait to follow your reno’s
I was talking to my hubby about some changes I want to make to our house. He declared that I have to save my dreaming for our next house… That wont be for another 5 years so in the meantime I will just live vicariously through you, ok?
Where’s a photo of your actual kitchen? Very exciting and yes rats = terrifying!!
Those are some horrid little creatures!
renos are so exciting, great that you didn’t forget the before photos. It will be so exciting to see the end result. wishing you all the very best during this very busy time
take care
xx
Having just been through it (not to the extent as you but a remodeled kitchen in the end) it really can make you want to scream, cry and crawl into the fetal position, but when it’s all done it’s worth every tear and penny! Just try and enjoy the little things along the way and have plenty of patience, these things can usually end up taking way more time then planned. Best of luck, looking forward to following the process!!
Good luck! I’m sure it will be fabulous.
…and you always have your faithful blog readers to turn to if things do go a bit floppy (which they won’t).
No wonder you’ve got butterflies! I hate having tradespeople here… but a new kitchen is probably worth it. Are you planning to eat sushi for a month while the kitchen’s out of action?
How exciting! Just keep your eye on the prize and it’ll all be worth it.
Oh Corrie! I am so delighted (and nervous, too) for you. And yes, that is a *lot* of brown ☺. Woo hoo! J x
You will love the change but as you mentioned – you need to think of the final product!! I truly can’t believe you are going to live through it with four little children with hubby away -you are amazing!! We have just moved out for three mths to have new kitchen, bathroom, laundry and extension put on. We could have moved it all to the front of the house but with little tackers – I just couldn’t! All the very best. It will look absolutely wonderful and looking forward to seeing the progress. (we designed ours the other day – all white…hard working out how big benchtops we need etc). Susie
You rock Corrie – you can handle this. What’s dealing with a bunch of tradespeople when you have 4 children. And the mice/rats – isn’t that what you pay these tradepeople for – to handle everything… Besides no self-respectiong rodent will stay once the saws and hammers start making their homes uncomfortable. Hang in there.
I’m sure you will love how it looks when it is done. Are you living in the house while it is happening? I know how you feel about all the brown. We have just gotten rid of a hideously pink kitchen and now have beautiful white kitchen with stone bench tops and appliances that work! Although the kitchen place forgot our pantry doors and a whole set of drawer fronts that have had to be ordered twice since! Hoping we have them soon. Hope you have decided what flooring to go with. We are still debating, but know it will have to be some sort of floating floor. So excited for you. Jacinta
It’s going to be so amazing when it’s finished you’ll be wondering why you didn’t to it years ago! I’d be nervous too though, big changes are coming!!! But wonderful changes. So you can’t bake for a while. . . more excuse to hide upstairs and craft!!!!!! Good luck, can’t wait to see the progress xx
Feels like I am reliving our reno from feb to august this year, in your blog!! Our get up and move car was 6.30 too!!! Good luck, keep a very good diary with who’s coming on what day and dont double up your tradies too much otherwise they get grumpy at each other!!! Think of that gorgeous white and ceasar stone kitchen!! I’ve just looked back at some of your previous blogs with the ideas for your new kitchen – they are almost identical to my kitchen. Gorgeous. Enjoy.
Wow! It looks so different empty..a little sad really. I CAN’T believe how brown it is!!
Lucky you, I hope the tradespeople are great and don’t let you down. Rats in the walls just made my skin crawl – I also hope that there are none. My friend bought a house last year infested with rats, she thought a possum ran through the house and it was a rat, move in and move out same week. Poor thing but it all got resolved. You can read it on her blog for amusement or horror:
http://thetwowindmills.wordpress.com/2010/11/04/our-house/
Have you got floorplans you can post? I love the photos but it doesn’t help when you don’t know the house layout.
dxx
Good Luck Corrie — I know it will be beautiful when you’re finished!!!
Here’s hoping it all goes smoothly!
omg it was my 7th anniversary the week before yours and my new kitchen goes in next week! But we have had a whole house reno which has taken 6 months. I agree would love to see actual kitchen. My old one cannot be beaten for old age and crappyness though!
Greqat to see all the brown going. What were our parents thinking? Retro Daddy seems to have made the wise move to let you have your new kitchen but also to disappear for a while. Hehee. I’m sure you’ll do great. You might need to enlist the help of the little retros to help keep their Mummy sane. All the best. I will thoroughly enjoy every photo you post because it won’t be me and because I love to see things being done when I don’t have to do the doing. Don’t forget the amazing way that plaster dust can seep into everything. Cherrie
Good luck – cannot wait to see the finished product!
x Jen
Good luck with it all, Corrie. We need a mini-reno at our place but I have no idea where to begin. It’s all very daunting so hats off to you for getting on with it! x
Good luck Corrie! One month is a long time, where will you cook? Still, can’t wait for the after.
Good Luck Corrie!! It’ll look fantastic when it’s all finished. We bought a brand new house just 18mths ago and we’re still making changes now!! It just goes on and on to get the home of your dreams!!
GOOD LUCK!
It will be worth it. Like buying a new house, only not having to actually move and fork out a lot more cash.
Lovely, you will be fine. I can’t wait to see the progress! We are nearly at the end of our 3 year owner build……if I can do THAT, you can do anything xo
Oh I completely understand your nerves Corrie, it’s a massive change you’re about to take on. But I am certain it will all be worth it and you’ll be glad you took the big step. I take my hat off to you tackling this first week on your own. I’m sure there won’t be any rats, it was probably just a possum that Retrodaddy heard. Look forward to the next instalment :o) xo
I’m both nervous and excited for you! I can’t wait to go along with you on this journey. Thanks for including us!!
Oh Corrie you are writing posts such quickly lately that I just can’t keep up with reading, he he!
Anyway I’m gonna read two newest right now
I have a friend that is a contractor who specializes in kitchen remodels. I think he has his clients sign a paper that says that they realize that remodeling is very stressful, and can cause sickness, relationship problems, sleeplessness….
Good luck & hope it’s finished ON time & ON budget for you!