Lessons Learned on Home Renovation

1. Never accept the job done while tired and fed up with workers at home. Take time to carefully inspect everything. Discovering poor job a week after is not fun.
2. Murphy will drop by after you take a sigh of relief. Guaranteed!
3. Something(s) will definitely get broken/stop working/get scratched no matter what.
4. Stop thinking about more renovation.
5. NEVER EVER DO A MAJOR RENOVATION while you have all your belongings at home. Put everything in storage for a month and then do whatever needs to be done.
6. SAVE all the money you need for the job and then some and then some more.

I loaned money to a friend...

I know it may not be a wise move to loan money to friends but this friend of mine is no such person. I trust her with my life so, that is how trustworthy she is. When I was buying my apartment she insisted to help me out since she did not want me to get a big loan from the bank. I told her exactly how long it would take me to pay it back and she had agreed to it.

Luckily, that year I had a nice bonus and I paid her back earlier than I had promised her.

She recently bought her own place and I immediately offered her money in case she needed it. Initially she had declined but after finding out quite a number of things that had to be redone, she told me she might need the money after all.

I am happy that I could reciprocate.

The Theme for 2014

After spending so much money this year the Theme for 2014 is obviously "SAVING" for me.

I was hoping to visit the US for a couple of weeks in 2014 but, before I reach a certain amount of savings, I will not permit myself to do that:)

The part-time work world is very fluctuating and although I thought I had been doing rather well, I just realised that, I could have done much much better. So, starting on October 1st, I am tightening the belt and re-start tracking my spending.

Home renovation is addictive. Now, I can think of 10 things to replace or renovate which I really shouldn't. Here is what is allowed between now and the New Year's:

A new trash can for the new bathroom (want but cheap) 30 TL
New Curtain Rods (need) 200 TL
New Curtains (want)
New Curtains for the kitchen (need) 80 TL
New water glasses I fell in love with at IKEA (want) (They are cheap, I'm getting them!) 40 TL DONE!
New Light fixtures for the bedrooms (one is a need, the other a want) 150 TL DONE! 90 TL ACTUAL
Miscellaneous 200 TL

The budget: 700 TL

That is all that I am allowing myself to spend till the end of this year. Hopefully by then, the renovation fairy will leave.

I promise never to fret over insignificant things...

I have been complaining about how my apartment is a mess, how I want it back, how I am looking forward to having it cleaned and settling back in...

Well, I just found out that a High School friend of mine just lost her life leaving behind a beautiful daughter and a loving husband at the age of 46 due to a car accident...I did not know her very well but I knew her. Such a slap in the face...

God bless her and may she rest in peace... I am so sorry...

Day 1 - Paint!

The contractor and his two workers are in. It took them a good hour to gather and cover everything. They just started repairing the damaged walls and painting the ceilings. I just cannot wait this to be over!

I am sitting in a director's chair with my ultrabook on my lap, writing this. I will also be trying to squeeze in some work today.

I keep reminding myself that, the apartment was neglected for a loooooong time and it was about time I did this. Once it is over, I am sure I will love it.

Besides, there has been and will be so many changes such as the whole bathroom, upholstery of everything in the family room and the color of the walls that, the apartment will look like new. It will be worth it. Right?

Want my home back!

The bathroom renovation is done and it is time for the paint job. Tomorrow the contractor is coming in and he estimates he will be done in two days. On Sunday my dear cleaning lady promised to come and help me. God bless her! She is taking care of her baby granddaughetr during the week so, she wouldn't be able to come during the week and I will be travelling next week anyway.

The apartment is a mess. Everything is in a place where it doesn't belong.

I had the last two heaters taken down today. I had replaced the others so, now the remaining two will also be replaced after the paint business.

I now need to go and purchase some papers to use as curtains since I am going to take down all of the curtains early tomorrow. I keep moving stuff to the closed balcony which has been painted early this year.

I am drained both physically and financially. I will be over the budget by about 1000 TL in general. The bathroom project was under budget by 400 TL but other things keep popping up here and there. For instance, I forgot about the carpets that need to be cleaned. It is not a lot of money but stuff add up quickly. I just called the cleaner to arrange for a pick up today.

I am so looking forward to have the paint done and have the home put back together. There are some minor expenses I am planning but, I will not be doing anything major.

I went to see the upholstery guy the other day. I must say he did a terrific job. He is keeping my love seat, TV Chair and dinner chairs until I get the apartment cleaned. That was one of the unplanned expenses but I think, it will be worth it.

My apartment was not presentable for a very long time and all these repairs have become necessities.

I am planning to re-do the entrance, the kitchen and the balcony tiles in 2015. I may end up changing the flooring in other parts of the apartment too because the floors are squeaky. The contractor I had hired when I bought the apartment did a clumsy job. Anyway, that is too far off and I will make a good budget and save all the money required before I pull the trigger on those.

Writing about all this made me tired so off I go to relax!

Chios Island - SAKIZ ADASI

I was traveling for work last week and I went to Chios for the weekend thinking that I would have to spend this week in Izmir again but, my plans had to be changed but I went to CChios anyway since I had already booked the place.

It is a beautiful island but I wouldn't go there on a weekend ever again. I think, going on a Monday morning and coming back on Friday would be ideal. Since it is only a 40 minute ferry ride away too many of my country folk go there to spend the weekend and they drive up the hotel prices and snatch all the reasonably priced rental cars.

I had a nice and relaxing time, visited some historical places, swam at two different beaches, had nice food and generally enjoyed my time there.

Bathroom Renovation is done!

Out celebrating...

Day Umpteeen- Home Renovation Part: I AM FED UP!

I am returning home tonight. My bathroom has a working but wobbly toilet (it hasn't been secured yet), a wobbly sink (not secured yet either) and a working washing machine. Can't take a shower yet and can't put back all the stuff in there since the bathroom furniture hasn't been installed yet.

I want my bathroom fully functioning by the end of tomorrow. The contractor has so far done a good but a slow job so he probably got yelled at by some other customer waiting in line and therefore decided not to come and work on my bathroom while I am away. So, I just called him to tell that I am expecting the work to be done by tomorrow evening.

What remains to be done:
Installation of the shower and the shower cabin
Installation of the mirror cabinet and other cabinets
Installation of the lamps I bought

The sink cabinet has been installed but it has problems so that must be fixed.

All this could have been finished last week but, the contractor lost three days last week claiming that he was sick. I wish him well if he were really sick but it sounded more like taking advantage of the long weekend due to Victory Day in Turkey. I hope, I am wrong.