Update: The basement

Ah, the basement -- the project I once thought would take me a couple of weeks is stretching out to almost a year. But now, there is progress. First, the before:

Inspection day, May 2010 (!!!)

And here we are today...

June 2012

Always a kitteh (he sort of follows me around like a dog)

Section by section ...

Look at my super-neat and clean laundry space!

Woody absolutely loves his rugs

Blackout curtains for all four windows

Runners from Crate and Barrel

Getting closer to finishing ...

Fun corkboards (also Crate and Barrel) for above the laundry table

Kitchen overflow (anything I don't use often -- keeping it dust-free)

Shelving

Benny checks out the kitchen unit

Who, me?

Basement, continued

(Sorry the video is sideways.)

Today, Rich and I got to work on undoing Irene's work in the basement.

While we were at it, I figured I'd go buy a sledgehammer and get rid of the utility sink; the township's second bulk pickup of the year is coming up, so I figured $27 for a sledgehammer was better than the $300 1-800-GOT JUNK estimated. (They did tell me to just get a sledgehammer and a couple of friends, and that it just wasn't worth it for me to pay them to take out the sink.)

Rich: I don't know what's different about a sledgehammer from a hammer, but that sledge tore through the sink in five minutes.

(To me, that can be answered by sheer physics, but it was pretty impressive. And fun.)

After the sledgehammering:

After we took out all the concrete and rotted wood:

The bare-looking spots in the white paint are where I peeled off the Drylok that was pushed up by the water.

And before I forget, this is how it looked after the 1-800-GOT JUNK guys came back in August:

(I really can't recommend all of their guys enough.

And they were cheerfully game for a photo when I told them I blog about the house.)

Open for sleepovers

I'm quite proud of myself for how the second bedroom -- now complete! -- came out. But I couldn't have done it without the genius and generosity of Leeza, who had the idea to paint the floor in the first place. It looks great.

A little before and after:

On inspection day, May

After carpet removal, September

Floor painted, just before polyurethane coat

Post-poly, pre-trim painting

At last: a real second bedroom.

Old and new.

Rich's childhood dresser, Leeza's IKEA bed, Etsy paintings and mirror, Macy's bedding, 

Target container, Overstock guest towel set and curtain sheers

We've got a lot more books somewhere ...

Woody's favorite thing: fresh linens.

The porch, and the second bedroom, Part Two

Before ...

At inspection

In July (and basically through November)

And after:

Here's the porch -- cleaned up at last. It's a really cute space, and someday, we'll replace the windows, paint, get new blinds and curtains (because now? Ew), and tile the floor. Until then, we're keeping it simple.

Woody, hanging out on his favorite chair.

Upstairs, the alcove is cleaned up, and a litter box is behind a screen. Benny couldn't help but be curious.

And while we haven't painted our bedroom yet, I figured I'd put up the curtains and get some books in their proper spot to make it cozier in the meantime.

And the progress on the second bedroom is, to be modest, amazing. Not that it would take much (getting up that pet-stained carpet was huge), but still, I'm thrilled.

Bed pieces are just waiting for a mattress.