Kurrent and Komplete Kitchen

We have lived in our house for just over 6 years.  When we moved in, there was a lot of work to be done.  The entire house was covered in old, nasty wall-paper and stained carpet.  The first thing we did was assess what we could live with, what we had to get rid of right away, and what we could afford.  We got rid of all the wall-coverings and painted, then slowly worked on everything else.  Now it's six years later and we're still working on everything else.  But that's because we do what we can when we have not only the time, but also the money.  And we make everything else work until we can work on it.

The kitchen probably needed the most work.  We had to buy a refrigerator but the rest of the appliances were here.  They were functional, but nothing to look at, and nothing that had any bells or whistles.  The oven was black with a white top, the dishwasher was white, and we had bought a black fridge with the intention of going all black in the kitchen someday.  The appliances worked most of the time and, in the case of the stove, was original to the house when built in 1979.  The floor was old, worn linoleum that showed the perfect triangle path from sink to fridge to stove (and where the 4 chairs had been at the table for several years).



First thing we replaced?  The floor.  It was so old and scarred and just felt beyond dirty to me because it was also pitted.  Yuck.  Then we replaced the stove.  I got a beautiful flat cooktop and an oven that was considerably larger than the old one.  Not only that, but all the burners work on the new stove!  The next thing to be replaced was the dishwasher.  The old one didn't get our dishes clean and was horrendously loud.   In the meantime our microwave also died and was replaced with a nice, new and sleek model.  All that was left was the range hood.  The disgusting, grease-laden, impossible to get clean, white, loud and inefficient range hood. (and I don't know how many times I gouged my forehead on those sharp corners!)

And here's the new range hood, my new love...

Take a look at that beauty!  Not only does my kitchen now look consistent and current, but it's also quiet!  The old fan was so loud that I couldn't hear conversations at the kitchen table if I was cooking.  And the fan was so permanently gross and greasy that I had to always use it on high for it to be effective--and that's using the term mildly.  It did the bare minimum of sucking out the steam and stank from my cooking.  But this new one...oh it works so great and so quiet and looks so good.  And the filters can go in my dishwasher!!  How awesome is that?  My old filters I would soak in hot, soapy water for an hour and then scrub with an old toothbrush--all to get them as clean as possible which was about 25% clean.  Ugh.  So happy to see him gone!! 

See how much of a face-lift our kitchen has had?  We replaced the refrigerator, oven, dishwasher, microwave, floor, and 2 light fixtures (on the ceiling and above the sink).  We removed some wall-paper, painted, added vinyl wall lettering, and took the doors off the peninsula cupboards.  Now to finish removing the old wall-paper, get new counter-tops, put up a back-splash, replace the door/drawer pulls...

The girls planted sunflowers at Sunday school and are so excited they are growing! 

Tell me, how many of you have a fridge like mine?  I know they say that a clean fridge door can make the room seem bigger and cleaner, but I have 3 kids and do daycare.  I will not get rid of the ABC magnets that keep them occupied while I cook.  And my HUGE dry-erase calendar? I live and breathe by that thing.

Funny Money

One thing that I haven't shared about very much is the fact that the Full Man Grown has been laid off of work for a long time.  Like over a year and a half.  He is a carpenter and with the current economy, no one is building much of anything.  Businesses are waiting to see how things pan out and banks aren't loaning much money.   What does that say for the carpenters out there?  Trouble.

Full Man Grown had been working for a company for several years and making great money.  We don't have any credit cards and live within our means, but we were living near the top end of our means.  Even though we didn't have brand-new vehicles or the latest electronic devices, we did spend a lot of money eating out or going to events like concerts, plays, etc.  Then his company started laying off people.  At first it was just a few, then more and more.  They went from over 300 carpenters (it was a huge company) to 45 in less than six months.  Let me tell you, every Friday that he came home and hadn't been told not to come back, we breathed a huge sigh of relief.  Then his day came.  He was laid off one Friday and only two weeks later the company closed their doors.  Ouch.

We were scared of what was going to happen to our family.  Since I stay home and do daycare part-time, my income was hardly enough to support our family.  Full Man Grown's unemployment was decent, but not what we were used to and not guaranteed for a long period of time.  He was able to find various things to supplement, but it was hard.  Somehow, we made it.  At times, it was really hard and we were playing the "If I pay this now, this other one can wait up to a week before they charge us a late fee" game more often than I liked.  But somehow, we always had enough.  Things would look really dire, and we'd get a reimbursement check from our insurance company or someone else for an overpayment.  I knew without a doubt that God was watching over and providing for us.

Thankfully, FMG is back to work again with a new company.  But you know what?  We haven't gone back to our old habits.  I still act as though we're on the brink of our finances and buy only what we need, with just a small number of wants sprinkled in.  We pay our bills and put everything else into savings or apply them as an extra payment on other bills.  Never again will we put ourselves into the position we were in with his lay-off.  Here are some of the things we do:

1)  We don't have a credit card.  Unfortunately, we are still paying off an old credit card from when we were first married, FMG was working a low-pay job, I was finishing college and we had a newborn baby.  We had to rely on it more than we wanted but after I finished school and FMG became a journeyman carpenter, we closed the account.  It's almost paid off now, and we can't wait for that money to be freed up!

2) We spoke with our accountant to figure out what we should claim on FMG's taxes with his job.  If you file 0 dependents, the maximum amount of taxes will be taken out of your check each week.  The more you claim, the smaller your deducted taxes and more you'll take home with each check.  For our family and situation, she suggested a certain number to claim that should get us more in each paycheck but result in a small (think $1000 or so) refund each spring.  We decided that we wanted to get a bit larger refund but still not have it be outrageous, so we claimed just less than what she recommended.

3) We follow some of Dave Ramsey's basic rules and suggestions for cutting down on our debt and obligations.  The main one we use is paying the minimum payments on each bill, but applying as much extra as possible to the lowest total bill.  In our case, it was my student loan, which we paid off recently--before FMG was back to work full time.  Now we're applying what we were paying on that account each month to finish off that pesky credit card from several years ago.  When we're done with that, we will be debt free except for our mortgage, which we'll work on paying off in the same fashion.

4) We have a savings account that we automatically contribute to with each paycheck.  FMG gets paid on Wednesdays, so I have it set up to transfer money each Thursday to our savings.  Since it's automatic and right after each paycheck, I don't really notice the difference or that it's missing.  But if I need it, I can transfer back to the checking in a pinch.

5) We run all major--think over $50--purchases past each other before we make them, unless it's something like groceries and gas.  If it's a part for the vehicle, a new pair of shoes for each kid, or a replacement vacuum cleaner, it's ran past the other so we are both aware of where our money is going and when.  Plus, if you have to hash it out, sometimes you realize it's something you don't necessarily need, thus keeping spontaneous purchases to a minimum.

6) Anything above and beyond our normal weekly income is either put into savings, used for fun activities, or ear-marked and saved for a bigger purchase.  Last week I watched two of my daycare kids an extra day than normal.  That money went to eating out on Friday night because I just didn't feel like cooking.  FMG sometimes will get a small side-job here or there, and that money will go to savings.  One thing we're saving up for?  A new vent hood for my stove since the 30 year old one we have now is on it's last leg.  (I cannot wait, as it's the only appliance we haven't replaced in the kitchen but it's coming up very soon!)

7) We do not have car loans.  Now, in reading that, you may think that we drive old clunkers.  That's somewhat true, but not completely.  FMG commutes 1.5 hours to work each day and drives an old Honda Accord that gets 30+ mpg.  We paid cash for it after saving up the money.  We also own a Dodge Durango that is 12 years old.  We bought it when we were first married and it was a wonderful vehicle to us, giving us plenty of room for our growing family.  The loan has been long paid off but we continue to drive it when we need to.  It's no longer in the best shape and isn't our family vehicle anymore, but it still works for various needs or as an extra vehicle that will fit everyone in a pinch.  Our other vehicle is a newer Dodge truck with 4 doors and lots of bells and whistles.  This is our family vehicle and we paid for most of it with cash and the rest with a loan from a good family friend who owns his own business.  FMG has worked off the loan (which was about $5000) in just under a year.

8) I talked to our utilities and asked about discounts or ways to save on our bill.  We have satellite tv and receive lots of mailings from another company that advertised for lower prices.  I called our current company and told them I was thinking of switching and asked what they could do to keep me.  Their response?  They took $20 off each bill for the next 12 months with no contract obligation and no other changes to our service.  When the year is up in a few months, I'll revisit my options.  We bundled our phone services and internet to save over $30 a month. 

Now I know we aren't perfect and still have a long way to go when it comes to managing our finances.  But right now, things are going well and we're working towards our goals in a consistent, steady manner.  Hopefully some of this has inspired one of you to work on your finances and realize that while it does take some sacrifice and discipline, it's not impossible to get on top of your money while still having fun and living life, as well.

15 minutes is a looong time

Have you ever noticed how time is one of those "relative" things?  Five minutes spent doing your favorite activity seems to go by so quickly, but 5 minutes spent waiting for test results or the phone to ring seems like an eternity.  Ten minutes of snuggle time with your spouse or kids cannot last long enough, but 10 minutes being stuck in traffic seems to take hours.  Well, then what does 15 minutes of doing something you really don't like to do feel like?

A very looong time.  But what I've also realized in the last week is that it's also longer than you think.  Now when you read that back, I know it won't make sense but hopefully, I can help with that.  One goal that I haven't mentioned on here is that I plan on spending just 15 minutes each day in a room to tidy it up.  That 15 minutes will be uninterrupted and dedicated to just that room.  So if it's the kitchen, I will only stay in the kitchen and do only kitchen things like unloading the dishwasher, sweeping the floor, washing the table, cleaning the counter off, etc.  When you say "I'm only going to spend 15 minutes" it doesn't sound like very long.  But then when you spend that dedicated time limit, it seems like forever until the timer goes off and you get so much more accomplished than what you originally thought.  So does that help explain how it's both longer than you think and yet still forever?

I used to scoff at people who did this.  I have 3 children, I take care of other peoples' kids, I don't have 15 minutes to spend in one time chunk.  But you know what?  I do.  If I'm working on the kitchen, I set the kids at the table for snack or with coloring books.  If I'm doing another room, I wait until nap-time.  I make myself spend that 15 minutes, but then I do what I want during the rest of the nap--check FaceBook, blogs, e-mail, read my book.  It's a compromise.  And I hate to admit it (because it was originally my husband's idea) but it does work. 

So if you're looking for a way to find time to clean but not take forever, try this plan.  Fifteen minutes isn't a long time when you do it after the kids are in bed, or while they do their homework.  But that 15 minutes will do wonders around your house to help keep it looking presentable and neat between the big, deep cleanings.  Good luck!

*FYI My schedule is Monday: kitchen, Tuesday: family room, Wednesday: bathrooms, Thursday: kitchen, Friday: living room, Saturday or Sunday: kitchen.  I do a load of dishes every day and still do some daily tidying, but this is really helping me to keep things neater around the house.

Goals for the Home

I love The Nester and today, she's having a linky party about the various goals we have for our homes in 2011.  I wrote a post just the other day about goals I have for self-improvement.  But today, it's all about the house and the things that make it a home.

We bought our house 6 years ago and immediately set to work updating it from the original decor from when it was built.  In 1979.  There was wallpaper everywhere, orange shag carpet, worn linoleum and ghastly light fixtures.  We got a lot of comments about seeing the beauty under the beast, if you know what I mean.  In the past 6 years we've come a long way and in 2011 I hope to continue that progress by:

* Replacing the carpet in our family room.  Unfortunately this is not the orange shag, but it is a carpet in off-white that was stained beyond repair when we moved in.  At the time, we had a 4 year old, a newborn, 2 dogs and a cat.  Unfortunately, this carpet was going to stay for awhile.  Now, the time has come to get rid of it.  The family room is a long, narrow, rectangular room and I've convinced the Full Man Grown that it wouldn't cost an arm and a leg to replace it like he thinks.  Some time this year, the goal is to find the carpet that speaks to me (he won't agree to hardwood floors) and replace it. 

This is an old pic and most everything in this room has changed, but you get the idea.  Oh, and ignore the arrow, shall we?

* And while we have the family room carpet torn up, I'd also like to re-sheet the walls and tear out a full wall of built-ins.  So I guess you could combine the two and say Remodel the family room.  Like I mentioned above, the entire house was covered in wall-paper.  Well, when we removed the wall-paper from the family room it didn't always want to let go.  And sometimes it took chunks of drywall with the paper, or it left very old and crusty glue on the wall, or it just marked the wall from being on there for so long.  We were so impatient to just get in the house that we removed it all "good enough," painted over what was left and that was that.  As for the built-ins, the wall they cover is the very end of the long, skinny room.  It 100% dominates the area and makes for only one option in furniture and all other types of arranging.  I'm done with it.  Thankfully, the Full Man Grown is a very handy sort and will be able to do all that himself with a handful of friends.  I can. not. wait.

* Full Man Grown put flooring down 3 years ago to get rid of the horrendous linoleum in our kitchen and dining area.  We still don't have trim (such is the life of living with a carpenter--my projects are never done).  The goal this year is to finish and install the trim.

Anything else that gets accomplished is fantastical and above and beyond the call of duty!

New Year's Resolutions

I don't generally make New Year's resolutions.  Instead, I like to reflect back on the year that just ended and decide where I need some improvement.  And if I'm being honest, there are usually a lot of places where I could use a magic wand or 6.  I then take those areas and set goals for myself that I hope to accomplish in the new year.  Sometimes I meet these goals, sometimes I exceed these goals, and sometimes they fall to the wayside to be forgotten until the next year, when I realize I still haven't touched that certain aspect of my life but it still needs work.

This year, my goals are things that I truly hope are attainable, though at times I think they are complete pipe dreams.  In no particular order:

*I want to be more patient with my children.  Having 3 girls (one of them a pre-teen), there is a lot of drama in this house and some days, it's all I can do to not blow my top completely.  I am often looking back on my day, thinking "Did that really have to go down that way?" or "How could I have handled that better?"  I know it's something every parent deals with and I'm sure I'll be asking for advice and support to help me with this particular goal further down the road.

*I want to worry less, especially about finances and money.  A side goal to this would probably be I want to get a better handle on our finances.  Now, I'm not saying our money and spending is out of control, we're near bankruptcy, or anything like that.  But I am saying that we live paycheck to paycheck more often than I like, our bank balance is sometimes much too small and there have been times I've been in tears wondering how we'll pay the bills.  But it always works out, things always get paid, people always get fed, and we have many things that are for comfort--not necessity--that could still be cut out of the monthly budget if need be.  I'll be talking about the various aspects of this goal throughout the year as well.

*I want to be more efficient.  I tend to be somewhat like the "If you Give a Mouse a Cookie" books.  I don't think I'd go so far as to say I have ADD, but I am always so busy that I sometimes meet myself coming when I'm going.  I need to be better about planning my time, my tasks and my days so that I can accomplish things fully, instead of just part of the way before I start something else.

Those are my top 3 goals, though I have other smaller goals as well--like learning to sew and knit.  So how about you?  What are your goals for 2011?