2024 recap / 2025 goals

2024 recap / 2025 goals

• 12.28.2024

2024... my rate of progress on this house is directly related to my 1) financial comfort but also 2) my emotional state RE the rest of my life which includes health, parenting, my coparenting relationship, and dating. I was all over the place on those things in 2024 so I had some bursts of feeling good and having lots of creative energy for house projects, and some bursts of being distracted (good and bad). In general I'm feeling pretty close to "done" with this fixer upper, at least with the important stuff, but continuous improvement is my style and I'll probably always be refining. So, here are my top projects of the past year, and what's on the list for next year, assuming those two things go well. (:

Historic home project recap

My goals for 2024 were:

1. Finish the basement. Paint touch-ups, etc. I got about 25% of those done, but getting out all the right paint and finding a wall patch solution have been overwhelming so it's still not there. I did finish the laundry room.

2. New curtains in the living room. Done!! I am so happy with these. I decided not to go with patterned, trying for a little more clean and neutral but still warm (you know, Nancy Meyers-ey). I got these Belgian linen pinch pleat curtains in off-white but with a trim tape for a traditional and more polished look. They are SO much better than the saggy Target ones I had before. I did a few other updates at the same time but I'd say I'm still working on this room.

3. Change bedroom and hall overhead lights. I did both of those! Just some quick swaps. I absolutely recommend learning to change out light fixtures, so handy. (Bedroom sources including similar light fixtures here.)

4. Wallpaper something else. Done/done. I installed pretty patterned wallpapers in my guest room and basement stairwell. I think I might be close to saturation with wallpaper in this house. That makes 6 wallpapered spaces here!

5. Add interest to the kitchen. I was originally thinking I'd paint my cabinets, but that just sounds like way too much, and a white kitchen done well can be really lovely and classic. I added plates (looks like they need a blog post still) and finished/improved the breakfast nook at the end of the kitchen. I still have some kitchen changes on my list, though.

So, could have been worse. The biggest project of the year wasn't even on that list: I had the back patio and driveway redone with new concrete and changed up some walkways. It looks awesome and I'm very happy with it but there's still a lot of landscaping (and yard repair) to be done. I also bought a lot of new hydrangeas and a few other plants and added them to mostly the front of the house, so hopefully I can really tell a difference come spring/summer.

Almost-Finished Fixer Upper Goals 

While the house still isn't "done," I have never loved it more and have been so grateful and happy here lately. So I'm setting these goals not out of frustration and anxiety like I used to, but out of love. And I know I'll do them when I have the energy and it feels fun!

1. Yard. I think I want to spend some real money and have someone completely redo the grass in the backyard, side yard, and front yard. The patio project did a number on the back grass which was already not great (Jason and I tried to do it ourselves in 2020 and it was never flat or smooth), and I want to extend it closer to the fence and do a nice hedge back there. It's so ugly I hesitate to put on the Internet, but here.

And some of the grass I planted in the front just died. It's spotty too.

2. Continue to add warmth and charm to the kitchen. I'm not going to do anything major like change countertops, but I'm thinking about hardware, curtain under the sink, that kind of thing. I also really want to change the industrial wood and metal brackets to painted white. :)

3. Storage in the living room and dining room. This is on my mind currently with new toys from Christmas and the kids doing art projects this week while they're home, but I've also realized lately that the buffet/sideboard things I have in both rooms are too small and look sad and thrown together. I also want to replace the modern black console table I have by the front door.

4. I want new couches. Eeee. I don't know what they should look like yet, but I want a more elegant look for the living room and that means slightly more traditional upholstery.

5. I really should finish the basement. Paint touch-ups, mostly. It's weighing on me.

Of course I'll be doing tons of other little swaps and projects here and there as the seasons change and as the perfect antiques pop up on Facebook Marketplace (hopefully!). 

Follow along on Instagram for regular updates and little changes!

And if you want all the summaries... here are previous year posts:

• 2023 recap/2024 goals
• 2023 goals list
• 2022 recap
• 2022 goals list
• 2021 recap
• 2021 house goals list
• 2020 house project recap
• 2020 house project list
• 2019 project recap
• 2019 update one year in to owning this house
• 2019 house project goals
• 2018 project recap