Building Our Home

My son decided to help me out one day in November.

I recently bought a new Linnmon/Alex desk from Ikea it was reasonably priced and just the right size for my room.

Today my son offered to build it for me I was going to do it but he was so keen I accepted his offer.  He gathered some tools and emptied the box realised he needed more tools and soldiered on.  He spent some time making sure he had all the parts and then started to build.

He started regaling me about how “in terms of practical woodwork Ikea stuff is really easy because it’s basically all dowel joints” and then he schooled me in terms about different styles of joints and introduced me to the mortise gauge.

He knows I am writing about him he is intrigued in who actually reads these blogs.

We were talking how his desk is much bigger than my desk then I pointed out that I built it for him – he was actually surprised by that but decided it is only fair that he build mine, he is so funny.

Oops he knocked over the screws and dowels, his face said it all he quietly picked it all back up and carried on what a trouper.

He really has got this thing down.  I am so proud of him especially considering that he has the family sigh down pat, he has been a little quieter and less it’s the end of the world.  I can see that he is getting a tremendous amount of satisfaction out his accomplishment today.  He has finished the carcass and is now working on the drawers they are coming together quickly.

It is a pleasure watching him wield the old hammer that I got from my dad when I moved out all those years ago, I imagine that he may take it with him when he leaves although I am not sure if I will be ready to part with it then.

Sharon xo

 

My Blog is Changing

9 years ago I started blogging about books and what I was reading along with some reviews. It then developed into a brain dump to keep me motivated and help with my mental health.

Over the last 9 years my subscribers have grown slowly I recently passed 50 followers then 70 a couple of weeks later and it keeps growing. I have discovered which types of blogs are received better and I was reminded that regular posting helps to expand your reach.

Having spoke with those closest to me I have decided to make some changes here in my blog. The book blog got lost over the years so it has moved and will go live early next year.

Over here I am going to stop doing my brain dumps and focus on more general content like lifestyle, travel and saving tips (my family are 😂 reading that one) I will also touch on other topics now and again.

So I will be changing the blog title and themes, basically doing a mini rebrand to go along with this change in direction.

It’s time to grow up.

Exciting times.

Catch you later

cmx

Continuing to be Productive

With University finished for the year, I have a bit more time on my hands. This is great as I have been chipping away at things for a couple of weeks and needed more time to get on with “it”.

So I have reimplemented the little and often approach to my housework again it does mean things are getting done much more efficiently now.

My bed arrived on Tuesday, it is like climbing a mountain it is so tall compared to my old bed and it’s a massive difference from the old mattress on the floor. My son is as suggesting I need a ladder to get in it 😂

So my current successes are:

• I have finally got all the boxes I have been collecting since September broken down and deposited in the tip.
• I am continuing to declutter my room and hallway.
• Working on the laundry backlog.
• Cleaned the bathroom.

Goals for Today, Thursday and Friday

• Work
• Laundry & ironing.
• Finish the hall, bedroom and living room.
• Another tip run.

The results are palpable, every time I look round the house it looks just that little bit better and I feel a little bit happier and more motivated every day.

Home Decor Plans

There are a couple of light fixtures which need replacing they will be done in the new year, I need a bannister installing and our coat hooks put up by the front door.

The blinds in our home are broken so I will be replacing them with voiles. I have it all priced up and in January I will start by doing our bedrooms.

I have the wooden blinds in my kitchen/diner and bathroom. Honestly, I am not sure what to do with them. The dining room blinds are drilled straight into the doors so I will probably keep them for now, or not, this one is difficult to decide on but not spending money is always a winner. The kitchen blind is broken and heavy but I don’t like the idea of a voile or nets in the kitchen so maybe a roller blind later next year. At the moment the bathroom blind is the only one still working so I will definitely keep that one for now.

The living room has what I describe as office blinds, I have put up with them since we moved in and I hate them so much they have to go. So in February I will be ordering the new voiles that will give me the privacy and look I want.

I think though apart from moving some furniture around I am going to leave it at that for now. There is no need for any new furniture and I think I will decorate in a year or two.

Catch you later

cmx

I Tried to be Productive it Backfired

So I got really productive today and moved my bedroom around so I could have my desk in front of the window.

I then spent time filling up my drawers so I could have everything to hand when I am getting ready or am working. Then set about spending some time doing some studying.

When I moved my desk to its new home I had to move my bed to make room for the chair. It wasn’t a problem to move it but when I went to tidy up afterwards I noticed the bed (it was already a bit wonky) was sagging badly to one side. I looked underneath it and discovered that the centre posts holding up the frame had dislodged completely.

My son came home from school inspected it and declared it a lost cause and promptly set about dismantling my bed for me.

He is 15 and a dab hand with the tools and he made short work of it. I am proud of how he just rolls up his sleeves and gets on with the work. He was also slightly motivated by a promise of getting the TV to himself so he could play Minecraft. I wish you could have seen his face whilst he was working on it, he was so happy. Have I mentioned before he built my desk!

I am left with all the stuff that was lurking under the bed in a big pile in the corner and this…

The mattress on the floor🤦🏼‍♀️ This is familiar … has this happened before?

Oh yeah look my pics from March 2014, just before I got this last bed I would like to keep a bed for more than 5 years.

It’s going to be a fun few weeks until I can get it replaced. At least, I can sleep safely until then.

So I accomplished something whilst simultaneously destroying something else … awesome!

I am not going to allow this mishap to demotivate me as I have so much to do after I finish my Essays.

I have to finish styling my desk, get my new mirror set up and then I have one more piece of furniture to build and a gallery wall to organise and it appears I am getting a new bed now. There are a few other small tweaks that I would like to do but not just now.

My brother and s-i-l came round to help with a tip run it was so satisfying seeing everything go including the broken bedframe. It has been a great motivator to get some more things done including sorting the corners of my room and putting everything in it’s place or in the bin.

A couple of days after my initial disaster I bought a new bed, it will arrive next week, it was one of those times when I was grateful for the Black Friday sales which I normally avoid because I got a quality bed at a fraction of the price.

Did I mention I loved sitting at my desk it is great studying at it and having the natural light coming in which is so important for doing my makeup and my mental health especially at this time of year?

Catch you later

cmx