A Remodeling Update: In Which Ms. Bean “Helps” & Other Important Things

/ Ally Bean

It will come as no surprise to you, but it’s a mess around here.

Dining room with stuff from other rooms in it.

√  Nothing is where it’s supposed to be.  Rooms that aren’t being remodeled have been turned into storage spaces for the stuff from rooms that are being remodeled.

Then with no clothes dryer, we’re using portable wooden racks, wedged into bedroom corners, to dry our clothes and towels and unmentionables… that are getting covered in a layer of dust before they dry, courtesy of the construction all over the house.

√  Because the family room and the master suite are under construction, Zen-Den and I are living on the other side of the upstairs, each having taken up camp in a different guest bedroom.  At night we shout “good night” to each other like we’re the fricking Waltons: “Good night, Sue Mary Ellen… Good night, John-Boy.” 

Old microwave sitting on counter underneath spot where it fit, but new ones won’t.

√  I officially hate microwaves.  Did you know that the manufacturers change the sizes of microwaves fairly often?  This means that the one we had built into the kitchen cabinets 9 years ago is now a size that is no longer available.

So we have to redesign the cabinets to accommodate the newer deeper microwaves.  I cannot *mutter* enough about this development.

√  When the water is off for a few hours you immediately understand there’s one flush left in the toilet, right?  BUT what you might not remember is that there’ll be no water to wash your hands– and that you’ll need to have some hand wipes around.  IF you don’t have them around, then you’ll end up eating your lunch using a paper towel as you hold your sammie– then perhaps accidentally ingest some paper towel. 😖

Tools and such that are now on the floor hither and yon around the house.

√  And finally, how is that I helped?  Well, as if there’s not enough destruction around here, I added to it when I went to close the bathroom door and the handle fell off into my hand.

Just. Like. That. I’m stuck outside the bathroom, holding the formerly useful handle in my hand, looking forlornly at the screws now at my feet.  Screws that happen to be about the same color as the carpeting, allowing them to blend perfectly with the carpet fibers, causing Ms. Bean to become FRAZZLED.

And on that cheery note, I’ll wish y’all a happy weekend.  Catch up with you later, kids. 

52 thoughts on “A Remodeling Update: In Which Ms. Bean “Helps” & Other Important Things”

    • bobcabkings, all is well now. I just told our project manager what I’d done… and could he please fix what I’d broken… and he laughed. Then he fixed it with a smile. But I was so upset that I’d done what I’d done, considering…

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  2. Funny rant! Most of us hate the disorder that remoldeling brings, especially me. You found a way to inject order by writing an orderly post. Hope the illusion of control helps a little. LOL

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    • Kathryn, you are so right! I hadn’t thought about how by making a list I was exerting control over the situation. It’s a lovely illusion, I gotta tell ‘ya. I plan to cling to it over the weekend. Thanks for stopping by to comment.

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  3. Sigh. Retrofitting appliances is an all-too-familiar nightmare that I have lived through several times. My deepest sympathies on that one, which is beyond irritating and frustrating. And needlessly expensive.

    My dream is to be on vacation while all remodeling is done. Then I can walk into a Finished Product. That, however, comes with its own problems. What if parts are not done to my specifications along the way? What if something is Terribly Wrong, and now it is too late to fix it?

    Remodeling–no good way to do it.

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    • nance, it’s the “needlessly expensive” part of the microwave situation that got to me. At first I was all: what the frack is wrong with these manufacturers that they can’t make a standard size microwave? However no one had an answer to that question, so I shut up and conceded that retrofitting will have to do.

      While it’s stressful, I will admit that I’m pleased that I can oversee what’s going on here. In theory, leaving then returning for the big reveal would be exciting, but I dunno if I could do that. I need to feel that I’m on top of these project.

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    • Carrie, you said it, I am off balance. I knew that I would be, so at least it’s not a surprise. And things are progressing every day. I cope by saying my mantra: “It’ll be great… it’ll be great… it’ll be great.”

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  5. Oh no! Sorry, but I couldn’t help but laugh at your predicament. It’s so like Lucy! Sorry for all the frustrations you are going through. Just keep your eye on the prize!

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    • Beth, it was very much a Lucy Ricardo moment. But honestly, of all the dumb things to happen. I agree that I have to keep my eye on the prize. Which will be wonderful. Thanks for the encouragement.

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  6. This is the worst part. I did a huge addition on a house once, adding both a new kitchen and master bed/bath. Yep, those are the rooms we lived in. It took 6 months. I was fortunate and had a beach house I could stay at that was only an hour away but I always worried that the contractor would do something wrong (or different from what I wanted). It drove the cats nuts too. At that point that cats I had went outside. I remember one sitting on the curb across the street looking at the house and crying. I wanted to sit next to her and cry too. Ultimately it was a wonderful addition. I hear you on the microwave. I have an “under the cabinet” one (attached to the upper cabinet and not on the counter). I don’t know if they still make them. There was only one manufacturer when we put it in.

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    • Kate, I hate to complain too much about this remodel. We chose to do this of our own freewill and I know I’ll like the results, but OH MY THE MESS! I cannot imagine how our old cats would have behaved during all of this, but I know that I’m beginning to get sort of crazy with the dust everywhere and the stuff everywhere.

      There is one microwave still available that would fit into the space, BUT it’s so small & underpowered that, for the price, it’d be a waste of space. So something new this way will come. For a price.

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  7. Ha ha! Sorry had to laugh re loo door coming off! Know how many times I’ve locked myself into bathrooms? A few too many. Forget about balance while this is going on-adaptability is the name of the game. Out of the chaos comes order – you’re doing great long may it continue (not toooo long) 😀

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    • Susan, the door handle thing wasn’t a big deal exactly, it was the timing of it– and the feeling of utter helplessness in the face of it. You need to write a post chronicling all your adventures on the wrong side of the bathroom door.

      Wise words about focusing on adapting, not balancing. That is the key. Thanks for sharing them.

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  10. I can relate to this post so much. Our major remodel was completed years ago but every time I enter a friend’s home that is being worked on, I get cold sweats. The good news is that it will be over eventually and you’ll get to enjoy your masterpiece.

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    • Janis, I’m hanging in there, but there’s a weird stress to all of this. People and dust are everywhere, while normal stuff is nowhere it should be. I’m putting this in perspective, a bit of inconvenience now for a lot of convenience later. 👍

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  11. Ally, you crack me up. Thanks for sharing your fun world with us! Having just redone our bathroom, I can totally relate! I didn’t pull the handle off the bathroom door but I did walk on our freshly painted front porch in my slippers, causing the need for a repaint job…and new slippers 🙂 Have a great weekend!

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    • Janet, I felt like a kid after I broke the door handle. I mean, like we need more home problems around here? Will try not to walk on any painted surfaces. I like my slippers too much to risk losing them! Happy weekend to you, too.

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  12. Ugh. Good tip: If you know when the water will be turned off, fill the sinks with water in advance for hand washing. We have some experience in that arena. You don’t want to just keep the old microwave to save yourself all that trouble? Yes, I’ve tasted my share of paper towel too. Not pleasant!

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    • Betsy, saving water in the sink or in a tea kettle didn’t occur to me until it was too late. Next time I’ll plan ahead.

      The old microwave is busted, broken, kaput. So we have to get a new one which is going to have to go somewhere. I’m cool with it sitting on the counter, but everyone else [husband included] wants it built in again. I’m sure it’ll work out ok, but it makes me grumpy to think about it.

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      • Sorry to make you think about it more. You may want to remind the others that once this new one breaks, there’s a good chance its replacement will have the same issue and you’ll be having this problem all over again. Then again, you’ve probably already tried that. I think that spot looks perfect for cookbooks. Maybe vases. Either way, best of luck to you with that. :/

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  13. I am having flashbacks to my kitchen remodel, which I had the brilliant idea to do while I was home on maternity leave. I thought – well I’ll be home, might as well do it then so I could let in the various contractors, etc. I forgot a certain newborn wouldn’t be nearly as cooperative with the scheduling.

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    • Oh Allie, that sounds like such a good plan in theory! I can only imagine how that worked out for you. At least it’s just me here waiting for people to appear, things to happen.

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  14. STAY. STRONG. BEAN. Remember these are “First World issues.” Nice to have a roof over our heads. Once they stop drilling holes into it 🙂

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  15. I love your positive, can-do attitude…even in the face of renovations and ‘disorder’ all around.
    You are officially a better person than me!

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    • Donna, you flatter me, but I think that I’m not a better person than you are– I’m a crazier person than you are. What have I got myself into this time?! 😲

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  16. It is a mess, but it’s your mess, and with good reason 🙂
    I am frustrated FOR you on the microwave issue. We still don’t have a microwave, and I still don’t miss it. I do believe the girls do, though.
    Where we live, the water mains are old and explosive, so I have learned to keep gallons of water. But in a pinch, remember vinegar is fine to wash with.

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  17. Please Note: I’ve corrected my mistake in this post about the name of John-Boy Walton’s sister. Her name was MARY ELLEN. I suddenly realized that I had her name wrong this morning, so I fixed it. SUE ELLEN was JR’s wife on the TV show Dallas. Please forgive me for not knowing my 70s/80s TV characters as well as I should.

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    • Tara, this will all be worth it in the end. A safer bathroom with storage is good for us, good for resale. And as for the mess, I’m sure I’ll forget about it quickly… if for no other reason than I’m soon to be entering my dotage.

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    • Margaret, I’m putting up with this mess now because I know it’ll be great later. Or at least that’s what I keep telling myself. I consider myself to be in limbo, which is ok as long as it doesn’t drag on too long. I’m not obsessive about tidiness, but if you are– then this would be hell for you.

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  21. Yep, definitely an I Love Lucy moment.
    All that dust is maddening – you cannot escape, but perfect time to read “The Seven Pillars of Wisdom” by T.E. Lawrence – the desert dust setting – and somewhere in there there’s bound to be some wisdom about remodeling – countries, houses – messy all the same?
    Please don’t trip on the tools….something I really worry about this time around
    All the noise/mess will be worth it!

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    • philmouse, good idea about a book to read! I could pretend I’m in the desert, my ego subdued by my lack of control over the mess, my spirit giving rise to wisdom. Sure, that could happen.

      Hadn’t thought of the possibility of tripping over tools, but you are right. They’re in corners and along edges, but that doesn’t mean the Lucy Ricardo in me couldn’t find a way to trip over them.

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