I kept things simple today and finished up a small project that has been on my to-do list for years.
In order to paint the cabinet a few years ago, I had to forgo tape and paint right up to the tile. I always meant to come back and razor blade the paint off the tiles, but it never happened. It’s a little thing that bothered me often, but not enough to do anything about it. I doubt company ever saw it since it’s tucked into the corner, but I knew I couldn’t let this month end without finally crossing it off my list.
Much better. It took only a few minutes of my time, and the hardest part was trying to scrape off the paint from the previous homeowners. It seems they ran into the same problems with this tight corner. The old paint (who knows how old) made it impossible for me to get a perfect line, but it’s much better than it was. You would have to be up close, like I was for this picture, to see the jagged cut line.
Touching up the vanity was actually my second project of the day. The first one was to finish ironing all the white cotton curtains that hang in the living and dining rooms. (These, from IKEA.) When I took them down to paint on Day 17 and 18, I noticed the edges were dingy and had a mild amount of pet hair. Since they were down for at least two days, I decided to go ahead and launder them.
In my Martha Stewart Homekeeping Handbook, it says you should dust your curtains with the upholstery tool on your vacuum monthly and launder them yearly. I haven’t dusted them in recent memory, but I did launder them in February. We’ll see if I can keep up with the monthly dusting schedule. What I have learned this month is that taking care of your home the way you they say you should can be full time job. Scrubbing floors, washing baseboards, cleaning cabinets, dusting curtains…these are the items that get cut for lack of time in today’s hectic, overbooked world.
The handbook also states you should hang your curtains to dry and iron them while damp. Good call. I followed the care label and dried them in the dryer. I was left with the same enormous pile of wrinkled cotton I had in February. So, for the last couple of days and nights, I’ve ironed a curtain or two in front of HGTV. I ironed eight in total. I should have put in a movie, but all the ones I wanted to watch weren’t appropriate for Nicholas, who was at my feet playing with Hot Wheels. I suffered through many, many episodes of Property Virgins. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
A clean stack of curtains was worth the agony. I wasn’t meticulous about the wrinkles because I know from experience the best way to iron out a crease is with gravity. Once we hang the curtains, their weight will take care of the remaining wrinkles. We may not hang them until we finish the final bits of paint touch up in November, so far now my main job is to make sure the beagles keep their little paws to themselves.
New here? For the next 31 days Im living according to the famous William Morris quote. You can learn more about the project here.
Just wanted you to know that I am so inspired by your 31 days posts! I need to do the same thing. Keep up the good work. :)
Thank you, Beth! :)
Launder once a year?! Between two little boys with grubby hands and two dogs that think my white curtains are perfect for lounging against, I wash them at least once a month. I guess I could have curtains in another color, but I know what two boys and two dogs do to them.
Oh, I know! There is no way I could go with laundering them only once per year. I’m with you, too, in that I like to see the dirt.
Maybe you could hang the curtains on a hanger in the closet until they’re ready to go back up on the rods?
I don’t have enough hangers, or one or two that could support all that weight, but it’s a great idea. For now, the dogs have steered clear. I must be putting off vibes. :)
Gah, we still have a little goopy adhesive stuff around our kitchen sink from when we installed it 2+ yrs ago. I need to go find a razor blade…
I’ve meant to comment on this project for, oh…, 21 days, but keep forgetting! You’ve inspired me to get around to doing all those little household things I’ve been putting off too. So far so good. Except for when the guy I’m seeing stopped by, sat on my couch, and five minutes later asked “um, why do you have a list up on your computer with things like ‘clean the tops of kitchen cupboards?'” Totally not embarrassing. At all.
Haha! Awkward. :)
I am addicted to ready about your 31 days of ‘William Morris’. It’s very inspiring! I’ve been showing it to my husband and he has even said he has started making a things to do list. It’s now so hard to ignore those little things that need sorting out. I’m so amazed that you manage to do a different project every day. Well Done you!!
Thank you! :)
OK, you are SOOOO exhausting me. I am quite impressed. I can usually do one or two jobs a year, and I could never do it straight the way you are. Making me feel like quite a sloth, that is for sure. Maybe you’ll come tackle my hubbies piles and piles next. Laura
I hate ironing curtains, so you deserve a gold medal for that! I have just put new curtains in the kitchen and am donating the old ones, washing them first is no prob, but the ironing, well it could take me a while to get around to it…………………….