Getting the Car in the Garage

As I think it is with most garages, 

mine was a mess and a car wouldn't fit in it.

Some of the items- like the windows and new toilet and sink-

are there until they can be put in their new homes.

Other stuff was just tossed in there

(mostly by me I admit)

because I didn't know where else to put them.

So because we were in for a big snow storm, 

Big E and I decided to tackle the mess.

We needed to get things moved and organized 

so my car could fit in the garage in the event

the snow emergency went into effect.

The stack of wood on the right in the photo below

needed to get moved to the loft storage area.

Some of the plywood we were saving for various future projects

(like chicken coop repair/expansion),

and some pieces were slated for the burn pile.

We also wanted to get the counter tops in place

for Big E's work space.

We salvaged the cabinets from the old upstairs kitchen,

and moved them into the garage.

They'll make nice storage for Big E's tools,

and a nice area for him to get working on the projects I have for him.

The cabinets were all hung already

with the help of our friendly neighborhood Eagle Scout.

We just needed to move all the floor cabinets into place

and attached the counter.

We also saved the old "kitchen table" from the downstairs kitchen.

It was just a cabinet with a counter top.

We decided to use this as a little potting table for me and my plants, 

and a place to store all my gardening stuff.

For now, we used cinder blocks to raise it high enough to use, 

but Big E will eventually build a platform so the counter tops will be level.

For now the plywood for the new bathroom subfloor

and the items needed for the new bathroom

need to be pushed to one side, so it looks more cluttered than it is.

The area for my car was cleared out, 

and just in time as it snowed about 15 inches 2 days later.

I'm looking forward to getting all the tools moved to the garage 

to free up some space in the attic.

I Love a Parade

Especially when it's a parade of old kitchen cabinets

making it's way out of the old upstairs kitchen and into the garage.

Finally.

Big E enlisted the help of a couple of friends, 

and they got the last big pieces of cabinetry out of the house

and into the garage workshop area.

So now, with the exception of a small cabinet Big E can carry himself

and the drawers for the bigger cabinets,

the upstairs kitchen is ready to be cleaned until it's time to rip out the walls.

Wall demo will be well down the road since the windows, Downstairs bathroom

and the dining room all need to happen first

(and in time for Thanksgiving).

A BIG thank you! to the fellas who helped us out!

Please, Give Him The Overtime

Two weeks ago, Big E was sent home early on a Friday

because he had already worked his 40 hours.

He got busy right away-

ripping the siding off the wall in the laundry room and removing the bathroom window.

While it was on the list of things that need to be done

eventually list,

they were not on the things that need to be done right now list.

Then he came home early last Friday.

You'll remember that there is an old boarded up window here in the garage

between the cabinets we put up.

Now you'll notice that, SURPRISE!

there's no board or siding blocking the sun from coming in.

That's because Big E decided that putting in the new window

(wasn't really a new window but one that was stored in the garage previously)

Of course, the window doesn't sit exactly the way that he thought, 

so there's some framing he needs to finish on the outside.

I'm hoping that a weekend camping trip preparation

will keep him busy this Friday in the event he comes home early again.

Putting up the Cabinets

Last night, Big E and I worked on the garage some more.

We adjusted the plans a little bit and made some room for gardening tool.

The empty space next to the cabinet below will eventually

have some shelves for me to store pots and trowels and what not.

A big thank you to our neighbor's son 

who came over and helped with the largest cabinet

(the one on the far left below).

I wouldn't have been able to hold it in place myself.

I'm anxious to get the tools moved out here from the laundry room

so I can get that finished.

So much to do, so little time.

The Garage

First, I apologize for the not so great photos,

but the garage is not well lit and it was dark.

Last night, Big E and I began working on organizing the garage.

Right now, it's a hodge podge of cabinets, replacement windows, scrap metal,

paneling from the house and various pieces of wood slated to go to the burn pile.

No room for my car,

or anything else for that matter.

Plus, I'm anxoius to get my laundry room cleaned up, 

and Big E's tools need a place to go live other than my laundry storage cabinet.

So, it was time to try to get things picked up.

Once again, we've managed to save and reuse items.

For his work shop area, 

Big E salvaged the cabinets from the former upstairs kitchen.

I'm quite pleased with how much we've been able to reuse so far.  

It saves money and it keeps the stuff out of the landfill-

win for everyone.

Anyway, we got the biggest (and heaviest) into position, got ready to screw it into place

and the drill battery died.

While annoying at first, 

it gave us a moment to rethink placement of cabinets and discuss where my gardening stuff is going.

So tonight we will move everything around and get the cabinets up 

and the tools out of my laundry room.

I'm hoping I get to claim some space for gardening items.

I might just have to forgo space for my car.

Weekend in the Office

This is our back room in the downstairs.

From day one, we planned to make this 

and office/den/guest room/playroom.

Sounds crazy.

My idea was to remove the closet doors, add a shelf

and make a built in desk top to create his and hers desk areas.

I've been dying to have a space to scrapbook again, 

and this should provide the storage I need to have all those supplies at hand.

And with some portable folding tables, 

I have the room to have some fellow scrapbookers come over and scrap together.

I'm anxious to get the office up and running.

It drives me nuts to not have an area to keep paperwork organized.

So, using the 2x4's from the former upstairs dividing wall, 

the boards from the upstairs kitchen pantry and the closet doors,

we'll be able to get both desk areas completed for little to no cost!

This, Ladies and Gentlemen, is how to keep stuff out of the landfill, 

figure out a good use for it if you can't recycle!

I can not even begin to express how excited I am about this space.

It's been about 2-3 years since I've been able to scrapbook.

And I like to be organized.

As far as changing the room itself, 

the husband and I have opted to leave the paneling as is for now.

The carpet isn't the greatest, but it's doable.

Plus the walls will be covered with our "collections":

the husband has a ton of Elvis photos and such, and I have a ton of ghost/paranormal items.

It'll be a hodge podge, but it's a good place for us to display our stuff

(and really, Elvis and the paranormal are more closely related than one might think- with him not quite dead and all)

And in other news, 

the replacement windows arrived.

I can't wait to get these in!

Right now they're taking up my parking space in the garage, 

so our other chore to finish is to get the cabinets up in the garage.

The husband saved the cabinets from the old upstairs kitchen to use to make himself a workshop.

Once the shelves are up, 

we can get things moved around so I can get back in the garage

(especially because we're expecting more ice and snow next week).

Hopefully everything will run smoothly, 

and next week I'll have some "after" photos.

Keep your fingers crossed!