It was a working through, hard graft kind of a weekend. A skip filling, house clearing, discovery making, furniture dumping, wallpaper stripping, steam cleaning, binbag filling, charity shop visiting, rubber glove and hard hat and old clothes wearing kind of a weekend..
But that's the kind I love!
The house we've been working on has had the same tenant for ten years. As he moved out at the end of October, we've taken the opportunity to give the place a big overhaul. No prospective new tenant wants someone else's ten year old stuff, so we ordered a skip and spent the weekend clearing and filling.
Secretly this is the part of my job I love the most. Better than choosing and rearranging all the new things. It's kind of creative and destructive all at once. I enjoy taking somewhere apart and putting it back together again. I get a little thrill out of discovering what has been left behind. Anything precious I work hard to reunite with its owner (I have a couple of good stories about doing that, remind me sometime); and after nearly twenty years in the business, I know now that I'll always find something quirky. This time it was an unopened case of a dozen cans of dog food. The tenant didn't have a dog. Also, one reasonably large yellow painting, which is seriously growing on me. I think I like it. I might have to take it home. I can't leave it here and I can't bear to get rid of it.
I have skipped a lot of wallpaper, a garden-ful of out of control ivy, two broken tv's and three mattresses. Next up is deciding whether to replace the bath; and then I get to paint and paper. If I can find our pasting table. Um, I think it's upstairs, at home, under a pile of un-albumed scrapbook layouts.
So this is Me on Monday
Still clearing, still in my old clothes. But dreaming of new kitchen doors and some fresh upholstery. I'll give you a Monday wave as I work!
Last week Becky, Helena, Theresa, Ladkyis, Kirsty, Mel, Ruth, Susanne, Deb, Fiona, Karen and Doris all "Mondayed". Drop in, give them a wave...
...and have a great week.
Blimey, you have been busy ... good luck!!
ReplyDeleteThat's just the kind of roll up your sleeves and get stuck in weekend i like too. There's nothing more motivating than taking it all a part and knowing you can put it all back in a better way. I always wish I'd been a properly developer! Have fun and I look forward to seeing the end result:)
ReplyDeletesomehow always easier to clean out someone else's stuff than sort my own, I find
ReplyDeleteWow what a busy weekend and I am impressed that you wear a hard hat to do it.
ReplyDeleteI am waving right back at you!!
Sounds like a lot of hard work, but the kind with a fun bit to look forward to. I agree with Helena, easier to get rid when it's not yours. I've had a roll your sleeves up and get stuck in day today, hence no Me on Monday post, but waving back all the same.
ReplyDeletesounds like you thrive on hard work!
ReplyDeleteSounds like lots of work but the creative aspect of something new and fresh is aways exciting! Have a great week.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great project to get to grips with. Be sure to share before and after photos.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like hard work to me.
ReplyDeleteA good clear out is always enlivening. Clearing someone else's junk is even better
ReplyDeleteSomething so satisfying with this part of renovating. It's that throwing into the skip I love.
ReplyDeleteI'm worn out just reading what you've been up to, it sounds like fun though!
ReplyDeleteI am the opposite I love to start a project but my enthusiasm often wanes midway!
ReplyDeleteFabulous! Hard work, good exercise & you get to sticky at other peeps collections of Stuff!!! I'm baaack....been away for 2 weeks, totally behind the '8' ball...but happy to be home:):) Thanks for all the lovely, quirky comments you've left!!!!
ReplyDeleteWow, I would love to know the story behind the dog food! I really enjoyed painting and redecorating our bathroom this summer, I can imagine a whole house is great fun if a little tiring!
ReplyDeleteLoving the color coordinated collage of photos and seeing you all decked out for construction! Or rather, deconstruction :)
ReplyDeleteWe've just finished two big projects---a redo of the living room and our bedroom. The latter involved scraping, patching, and filling cracks before it could be repainted. I really DON"T thrive on that kind of work, but fortunately, Tracy doesn't mind it. The choosing of new rugs, curtains, and pillows, however, is right up my alley. It sounds like you've got a much bigger project underway!
ReplyDeleteSounds like lots of hard work Sian! Good luck with the renovations and finding a new tenant. Our son has recently bought a flat and we have done similar, so I know what it's like!
ReplyDeleteWell, I can relate to a lot of what you are doing as we get son's new house ready. But I have to say I am intrigued and a little put off that renters would leave stuff behind for you to deal with. It sounds like you are making lemonade from those lemons though. We at least started with a pretty clean slate and are working mostly on deep cleaning and updating. But working on it mostly nights and weekends we are finding the process is dragging on much longer than we thought. So I wish you a speedy turnaround.
ReplyDeleteSometimes it amazes me what tenants leave behind. We have quite a collection of useful items rejected by former tenants. Glasses, coffee filter machine, saucepans...... Typical farmers we find a use for it!
ReplyDeleteNo Monday post from me this week ...am nursing a grotty cold...you really are a very busy lady! Xx
ReplyDeleteSounds like you're doing a good job there!
ReplyDeleteRe. The Bath: Not sure if you "need" a new one because it's lost its enamel, or because of damage, BUT IF it's because it has lots of nasty, grey sludgey stuff all over the bottom, try this first - it Works!
(leave it for at least a couple of hours, before you wipe it off - if it's really bad, you may need to repeat):
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/10203536631759523/
wow you have been busy. Meanwhile I sat on the sofa knitting, crocheting and watching tear-jerker Christmas films! If the renters of our house in Idaho ever look in the loft space they will find a couple of dining table chairs and a Snoopy/Woodstock/doghouse panel my husband made one Christmas. When we bought our very first home the previous owners trashed the inside, took a tree from the front garden, but left a very expensive (and very heavy) vice in the garage. It's amazing what people leave sometimes. When we moved here, we left a time capsule in our last place - and some paint!! Hope you get to the fun stuff soon.
ReplyDeleteHow did I not know you did this for a living? Dare I say it looks fun? And what treasure in finding that painting!
ReplyDeleteMy you have been busy! Thoroughly agree with Helena - it's so much easier going through other's stuff than your own. Good luck getting it all fixed back up and getting a nice new tenant.
ReplyDeleteYou wouldn't be surprised to hear that is the sort of weekend we like around here too. I like planning and sorting - good luck with it all!
ReplyDeleteThat's the kind of weekend that sounds FUN to me, too! I'm a little behind as I wave today & try to catch up on some blog reading! :) Hmm... a yellow painting sounds interesting!
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking an appearance on Britain's version of Home & Garden TV is in order. You rock!
ReplyDelete