Life is a Project and so is New Home

 I wish I had posted more during my last DIY Home makeover, but this time I am determined to post more and share my adventures.  The good, the bad, the ugly of a move and home that needs some TLC.

I am keeping my fingers crossed that everything goes well on my house closing this Wednesday - please send positive energy my way.  For those that remember my last house it was a charming little brick cape cod in Arlington, VA built in 1939 with original hardwood floors and radiator heat.  My house in Gary, Indiana is a split level house that was built in 1968.  The home has great bones, but the carpets, kitchen, and bath might be original to the home, so lots of opportunities.

As I prepare to move I have created a moving checklist and am putting items together based on what I currently have on hand, what I think is in my U-Haul boxes, and what I know I will need immediately on moving in.  The house does has not appliances, so planning on using a makeshift kitchen setup the first few months.  In addition, the tiles in the only bathroom have been ripped up and I am going to have to put down some waterproof flooring right away so that the subfloor will not be destroyed.

To get the house ready, my first step will be some heavy duty cleaning.  I am trying to balance my budget with my love for everything shiny and pretty, so this is a bit of a balancing act for me. I am going to stop by Ollie's to pick up a carpet cleaner, because they have some great deals.  I am also splurging on pink steam cleaner it has the same vibe as the era of the house and great ratings.  Steam cleaning is how they clean Disney World to make it feel so fresh each day.  I realize I am just getting a small house, but I still dream big!

In addition, I am going to buy a heavy duty vacuum because my little stick vacuums are great for maintenance, but this house will need more power. I want a vacuum that will last and despite being on a budget, I am splurging on a rose gold Kenmore upright with bags.  I know a lot of people prefer canisters and that is what I use in my pink stick vacs, but I think that I would constantly be washing out the canister, so I am going with bags.

If you have not tried the Pink Stuff for cleaning, you have been missing out on some of the best cleaning products of all times. The Pink Stuff  is having a 20% off sale right now on a multi pack that includes the paste, bathroom foam, and multipurpose cleaner.  Even for normal cleaning this is a great product to have around the house.  I also picked up paper towels, disinfectant spray, dish soap, and other cleaning supplies from the Family Dollar and Dollar General. My sister is a super couponer and is teaching me to save.  Both stores have great discounts on a rotating basis. 

For all of this cleaning and scrubbing, I want to protect my hands as much as possible.  For heavy duty jobs, I have thick reusable gloves. For lighter jobs I have one time use disposable gloves, I have these on my subscribe and save and get a box every six months.  They are super useful for all kinds of tasks, especially food handling. In addition, I plan to use lots of hand cream to try to keep my hands from looking too terrible. 

I feel like I am ready for the closing on Wednesday and to start deep cleaning and prepping for my first project - getting the bathroom to the point where I can take a shower!  Keeping my fingers crossed that everything goes smoothly on Wednesday!