I first read Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman during one of the hardest seasons of my life. I was a mom of four, recently back to work, burnt out, and in therapy trying to figure out how to stop running myself into the ground. My therapist recommended it and I am so glad she … More My takeaways from ‘Meditations for Mortals’ by Oliver Burkeman
This week saw a lot of progress. The boxes finally started coming together for the built-ins and the mud room was really taking shape. Daniel and I were determined to get things done and were working well as a team – he would measure twice and cut once on the table saw and I would … More Derailed by the Derecho – SPRING 2022 ORC WEEK 7
Every time I’ve done a One Room Challenge I’ve felt like things were moving along much slower than I anticipated. This one has been no exception. This week was busy with other activities and visits to and from friends now that the weather has jumped straight to mid-summer temperatures in Ottawa. We only just made … More Building Boxes – SPRING 2022 ORC WEEK 6
This week saw some new developments and challenges. I had given them a little thought and minimal research but when I mentioned them to Daniel he sprang to action. Floors When we demolished the wall between the closet and pantry it left a hole in the linoleum floor. I knew we would have to do … More Floors and Crown – SPRING 2022 ORC WEEK 5
Here we are – halfway through the One Room Challenge timeline but barely started the work! I shared in my stories on Instagram and Facebook that I’ve been trying to make fitness a priority lately. So in addition to taking care of four children, trying to keep the house in order and reno mess contained, … More Slow and Steady – SPRING 2022 ORC WEEK 4
This ORC is quickly approaching the halfway point and I’m not nearly as far along as I’d hoped to be. We did the demo in Week 2 in a couple of hours while the grandparents had the kiddos. I took care of getting the debris outside in an orderly fashion and Daniel got everything structurally … More Demo, Ducts and Design – SPRING 2022 ORC WEEK 3
I know, I’m late with this update. Unfortunately other things have taken priority lately but I’m still very much committed to this ORC and determined to see this project through to the end. We did do demo in Week 2 but I’ll have more on that later. For this entry I just wanted to note … More How to Prep for a Big Project – SPRING 2022 ORC WEEK 2
Hey-o! If you’re new here, my name is Lydia; I’m a freckled, ginger, mum of 4, slowly but surely making my house a home one DIY at a time. I’m currently on maternity leave so, naturally, I have nothing to do. Kidding! My children, ages 6, 4, 2 and 8 months old, certainly keep me … More Let’s Make a Mudroom – SPRING 2022 ORC WEEK 1
Can you believe it?! The Living Room Budget Room Refresh for the Spring 2021 One Room Challenge™ is officially done! It took just over 8 weeks from start to finish. Many DIYs were done, deals were found, problems were solved, and now we have a beautiful and welcoming living room to enjoy! Here’s a little reminder of … More LIVING ROOM REVEAL – SPRING 2021 ORC WEEK 8
Another week of the One Room Challenge come and gone. Last week the beautiful weather kept me distracted from my project list. This week it was our 7 year wedding anniversary! That combined with a big job move took most of my attention. Somehow I still managed to make a little progress in the living … More Keep Holding On – SPRING 2021 ORC WEEK 7
The Dappled Willow 