Lesson 1: Reno Timelines are Silly. Lesson 2: Actually, They're Useless.
Note to self: don’t remodel even the tiniest room with any expectation of being finished in time for your party.
Each year we host a NYE Party at our home. It is one of my favorite things to do. Music, dancing, alcohol, food, games, people I love, etc. Well, this year we started remodeling our bathroom during Christmas break. I had been planning this remodel for MONTHS. Literally, since about June. So, I was so ready. I knew exactly what we were doing, how it would go, every.single.step.
Except I didn’t.
I’ve watched HGTV and have seen my parents do remodeling. I thought, “Oh, I know what I am in for. I am prepared. It will be finished and gorgeous for the NYE Party.”
HA HA HA!!!!
Before: Not bad, right? Actually, pretty cute. I didn't hate it at all. But that vanity had mold and was falling apart from a leak under the sink (read, many many leaks), the wall had a pipe leak in it for who knows how long, there were ugly-jagged holes in the tile for plumbing access, you get the idea. We needed to check for mold in the wall and I wanted it to be even cuter!
Oh, how wrong I was. We ran into different issues every step of the way, just small details I hadn’t calculated into the timeline-like drying times and surprises. We were removing multiple layers of wallpaper and paint from one wall. Upon moving to the next wall, we discovered (through destroying the sheetrock) that there was no wallpaper to remove on these walls, it was paint and the layer of texture on the walls. So, only one wall had that wallpaper...are.you.kidding.
We’ve now destroyed two separate walls (we tag teamed the two walls after the first), we just decide to re-sheetrock the entire bathroom. We also had to rip off the trim on the door to fit the sheetrock for our one big wall, that means adding new trim... (it’s a tight squeeze in that bathroom and that extra inch made it slide into place easy!)
This adds steps, like floating the seams. Well, did you know that mud for floating sheetrock seams needs about a day (I gave it about 8-10 hours because I am bad) to dry before applying the next coat AND it needs at least three coats. Oh, and then the paint on top needs a few hours between coats to dry and nothing can touch the walls for about 3 days.
I did, I knew ALL of that. But, I forgot. Of course! So, now my 5 day project turned into two weeks. Months of planning, and that stuff that I knew AND HAVE DONE slipped my mind. Cool.
Needless to say, Saturday, NYE Party day, comes and hours before the party I am doing finishing touches, the walls need another coat of paint, the trim hasn’t been painted, the vanity we built has to be rebuilt (design failure-ya live, ya learn), the toilet isn’t sealed yet, and my house looks like a construction zone. LIke, shit is everywhere y’all! I was about to have a panic attack. For real, not kidding.
And then, magical little fairies, named Stephen, Michelle, Kelsey, and Marianne (and my wonderful husband) appeared. They cleaned my house while I attempted to help. But really, I was in an exhausted, frantic, panicked daze. I almost had 3 panic attacks. Like, I was shaking, my ears stopped hearing, my eyes filled with tears, I couldn’t breathe, and my face got hot.
Honestly, I felt like a failure. I had this plan in my mind and after so.many.failures throughout the project, I was just over it and miserable.
So, after holding off about 3 panic attacks, I basically decided I was over it. I did not care anymore about anything. I poured myself some straight whiskey to sip, left my family and friends in charge of my house, showered, put on a red thong, tight leather pants, a cropped sparkly top, and said eff it. 'Tonight I am going to do whatever the hell I want in my home and give none of the cares.' And I did. I had the time of my life with my best friends and family all night. We danced, laughed, played games, and had none of the drama. It was one of the best nights of my life, even with an unfinished bathroom.
The most valuable thing I learned (relearned really. We have to relearn things sometimes.), the people you love matter more than appearances. They loved me and it was amazing because the people I loved were filling up my home. When I chose to let go of my pride, I had more fun than I thought I would.
We still aren’t finished and have made more mistakes. But I am almost finished. I really am!....Except I still have to sand, fill in holes, prime, and paint the vanity...
But, when it is finished, I will be sharing it all over social media because ya girl will be proud! Next up, the kitchen!
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