Home improvement project

Ever since we moved into our house in February 2005, I've been making a list of things I want to change/upgrade/update/fix/re-do/make better.  Either through our own decisions or as a response to Mother Nature or age-related breakdown, we've been marking things off the list over the past 6 years -- new garage door, new roof, painting, new canned lighting in the kitchen, etc.  We still have a long list of projects, but we're getting some done each year.

I've always wanted to re-figure the girls' bathroom because I never liked the design.  Their bathroom is divided into 2 separate areas -- the main area has the bathtub, toilet, and a vanity/sink...a typical full bathroom.  The other area is a very narrow walk-through area that has the linen cabinet on one side, and another vanity/sink on the other side.  So...from the hallway you walk through a door into the walk-through area, then through another doorway (I took the door off a few years ago) into the main bathroom area.  2 separate and different sinks in the same bathroom, but in separate "rooms" = really dumb idea.  And I realize this would make more sense if I had a picture or a drawing... 

One thing I've missed in this house is a hall/coat closet.  I have no place to hang coats and store scarves, mittens, luggage, and anything else that gets tossed into a hall closet.  So my poor youngest daughter shares her closet with the coats, scarves, mittens, luggage, and anything else that belongs in a hall closet.  Not ideal.  We've gotten away with it up until now, but I foresee a need for more closet space for her stuff as she gets older and accumulates more stuff.  So...my non-architect self had the idea to remove the vanity from the walk-through area of the bathroom and make it into a closet.  I mentioned this a couple years ago and the idea was shot down...but for some reason, it not only got resurrected recently, but it's now becoming reality.

The kiddos are spending a week with my parents to attend their church's Vacation Bible School this week, so what better time to re-work their bathroom when they're not around to "help" and "supervise".  Plus things removed from the bathroom are temporarily hanging out in their rooms.  We're currently on the 3rd night of work -- water supply capped off and water lines cut, vanity/sink removed, various holes patched, linen cabinet area demo'd (forgot to mention...we're replacing the crappy plywood linen cabinet with nicer-looking ClosetMaid wire shelving)...we've been busy!  Still have to install the vinyl floor "patch" where the vanity was, paint, buy and install the wire shelves, and move the light from the wall to the ceiling.  Our goal is to have all work completed by Saturday night, if not before, because kiddos are coming home Sunday.


So that's my week.  Making a big mess, cleaning up a big mess, getting another project crossed off the list.  And enjoying some nice solitary peace and quiet during the day.  That part is absolutely wonderful  :-)

And just so I mention something to do with nursing school -- school starts in less than 10 weeks.