2020 Projects in Review
2020 has been, well, a year. I won't waste your time bemoaning the reasons why we all know it sucked, but for me and Santi it meant unexpected loss, a postponed wedding, and a full year without seeing my family. In many ways it has felt like a year wasted - just treading water until life can return to normal. I have felt anxious about the time lost and my lack of productivity more times than I can count. But 2020 wasn't all bad. In fact, if sitting in your house day in and day out for 10 months does anything, it motivates you to tackle all those little projects you've been avoiding. So without further ado, here is every project or major house purchase I tackled in 2020.
January
Installed trim around the dishwasher (finally!)
Powerwashed and repainted the skirting in the front of the house
February
Demoed the kitchen backsplash
Installed new countertops (hired out)
Installed new sink and drain
Hung IKEA shelves in the kitchen
April
Bought a new trash can
Built a slatted bench for the porch
Installed the kitchen backsplash
May
Had kitchen doorways replaced with arches
Dyed curtains for the dining room
Added legs to dining room bar
June
Tore out and rebuilt the flower bed around our pecan tree
Scraped and recaulked all the airstream windows
Purchased and hung a mirror for the dining room
Bought a new rug for the dining room
Arranged and hung a gallery wall in the dining room
July
Replaced weatherstripping on the airstream door
Started building the little free pantry (still need to finish this one!)
Bought a new stove
August
Santi built and installed his corner desk
Replaced blinds in the kitchen and guest room with wooden roman shades
October
Rewired our mounted tv to hide all the wires in the wall
September
Purchased a plant shelf for the bedroom
November
Tore out the linoleum and refinished the original hardwood floors in the kitchen (hired out)
Bought a king bed
Started building a new headboard (planning on a January finish)
December
Installed a new pendant light in the kitchen
Bought a new dresser for the bedroom and moved out our two old ones
Renovated driveway (to be finished very soon!)
I don't think at midnight all of the tragedy of 2020 will magically disappear. But my hope for 2021 is that I'll continue to find a way to channel the anxiety and sadness that the year brought into tangible changes that make my space feel more and more like home.