There have been so many points where I said the renovation on my condo was done. When I moved in, there were still a few things to do but pretty much everything was completed. Then when we worked on the fix-it list and discovered the floors had to be redone, getting the new floors felt like the end of the renovation. There were still a few things to get done after the floors, but that was the last really big thing that needed to be completed for the remodel. But now, I think I might actually be done with the renovation.
A few things happened in the past week. The contractor came back with a crew to finish the last few things on the list. These were all pretty minor things such as some paint touch-ups, repairing one broken tile that was in the kitchen, straightening a handle on a cabinet, and cleaning up some of the stuff they had left on my patio. These were all very quick and fast fixes, but they needed to be done so the project felt complete. And all of this work was able to be done in a single day, so it felt like it was done really fast.
The one thing that wasn’t done the same day as the rest of the work was getting the leftover stone from my kitchen counters. I now have that on my patio after it was brought over and we are looking at seeing if we can turn it into a coffee table for outside. But at least it’s off to the side of my patio and out of the way. But it was the last of the leftover materials that we were waiting on (I have the leftover paint and tiles in my storage space in my garage already).
I also finally got my curtains installed last week. This was separate from the contractor because I used a chain curtain/blinds store. I had picked out the curtains about a month ago and I knew the installation would take a few weeks. Fortunately, this was only for the back slider door because the rest of my windows have shutters. So I wasn’t lacking privacy in my place, but I wanted to have this done since I didn’t like having such a big open window that others could see into at night. This installation took longer than expected, but I was just working while they were doing it, so it wasn’t a big deal. And having curtains added really made the space look finished.
I still need to organize and get my new couch (and get rid of my old couch), but having curtains made a big difference. I didn’t know it would feel that big, but I think having something that feels homier and makes my place feel cozy is helping a lot. And I like that the sheers I picked don’t completely obscure the view so I can still see into my patio. Eventually, I’ll have furniture out there too, so that will be nice.
And the last step to the renovation was getting my place cleaned again. I had done this before I moved in, but since fixing the floors got this dusty, we asked the contractor to bring a cleaner in so I didn’t have to pay for another one. I am debating about setting up a monthly cleaning service (it feels like a splurge, but I think it would be worth it), but it was nice to not have to pay this time when the reason we needed the cleaning wasn’t something I was in control of. And of course, it was nice to have a super clean place, which is why I’m considering a regular cleaning service now.
My parents still want to see all the fixes and work before we officially say that the renovation is done and they will be back in LA this fall. So being officially done might have to wait until then, but I still consider the work done. There are no projects left that are not being done by me or by someone I might hire directly (such as building a murphy bed). The keys the contractor had to get inside were turned into me so they do not have access to my condo anymore. I’m making plans to change my locks, which I had to delay while the work was being done. And I’m buying new furniture and storage systems so I can finally get more things out of boxes. It really feels like it is done now.
And I’m so excited to see things coming together. When my new couch arrives, that will be a big change. I’m looking at getting a new tv and some nice display cabinets for my living room to fill out the space. There will be some things and projects that I have to wait on due to finances, but I’m taking steps to get them done. And every day, I’m feeling more and more like I am home and less like my old place is home. It’s been a process to get to this point, but I’m so glad it seems like everything paid off. And even if the renovation process took much longer than expected, I’m so happy with all the choices we made. Now, I think I can finally sit back and enjoy the home I have helped to create.
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