Updates and a few Sneak Peeks!

Well folks, things are wrapping up here at the Clark Castle.  Our renovation to-do list has been dwindling down to just a few more things, and then we'll be ready to sell.  Our realtor is chomping at the bit to list, and apparently it's a huge seller's market right now and our neighborhood is prime real estate, so when we list on May 1st, we'll be in the height of the season.  She doesn't think it'll be on the market two weeks.

It seems like everything is working out!  And I'm ready for it all to be done, you guys!  We've got a month to finish up the following list:

1. Finish landscaping front yard.  Replace dead peace lillies (that was try numero two after the snapdragons got a fungus and died) with new shrubs.  Weed like the dickens.  Mulch until you can't mulch no more.  I finally finished this on Sunday!  Whoo hoo!  Hopefully I will not have to do more than remulch when we list.
2. Landscape back yard - I basically just want to kill the fire ants and dig up the weeds in the already-created landscaping area around the tree in the backyard.  It's going to be a challenge which is why I have dodged it repeatedly, but this weekend I bought some established yellow hibiscus and hope to plant them next weekend, along with completing #4 and/or #6.
3. Get the horrible white McLazy paint job off the powder-room cabinets - Done! Pictures upcoming.
4. Test out the Rustoleum Cabinet Transformations Wood Finishing System on the powder room cabinets, to determine if it looks good enough to do everywhere else.
5. If 4 is a yes, apply Rustoleum to the bathroom cabinets (and maybe the kitchen cabinets, depending on how easy the former is).  If 4 is a no, figure something else out.
6. Strip the paint off the banister, sand the crap out of it, and repaint it so that it doesn't look like a 9 year-old painted it.  I've been stripping this for over a week (giving time in between for it to air out).  It got so gunky that I had to buy the paint stripper wash to get all of it off so I could see what's left, but that stuff needs massive ventilation so, yeah.  Learned that the hard way.  More on that story at 10.
7. Finish the white trim upstairs. This is mostly finished, but it needs one more coat.
8. Finish painting all the doors.  ALL THE DOORS.  Or at least all the ones upstairs, because they are the only ones left since all other 85 of them have already been painted.
9. Paint the laundry room cabinets
10. Paint the downstairs closets, which we can't really do until we complete items 1 and 2 from #10
11. Paint the garage, for the same reason
12. Sell everything we don't need, move everything out, and get it on the market!

That seems like a lot, but comparatively?  Not so much.

So, just a few sneak peeks at what's coming up!

 

Before Photos - Outdoors/Garage

So, after much request (already!), here are the current photos of the home, in its present condition.

You already saw the front, so we'll move on to the rest of the outside and garage photos!

Sad, neglected palm tree along the front walkway

The official entrance to the backyard from the front.  I think it needs a shrub or tree or something.

Back porch is covered, which is a plus!

Needs some landscaping, but a good base!

Um, the garage needs a good once-over with some paint.  And bonus, there's leftover paint right there!  Too bad that it's magenta and neon red...

Plenty of room for motorcycle and husband-tools!