Dear Brenda,
The remodel in our house is taking soooooo long and we’re not nearly finished.
It’s beginning to be depressing.
I’m reallly missing all the decor and color. And evvvverrrything is covered in dust!
How did you survive all the remodeling you’ve lived through?
Shelly Shambles
Shelly may not be real, but what she’s feeling certainly is when you’ve been in the middle of a remodel for what feels like forever.
If you’re in the middle of a remodeling project, whether it’s DIY or you have a contractor, there are some difficult moments. That’s truth right there y’all! Sometimes all you need is a little victory to give you the strength to dig in and keep on going.
We took possession of this house on Memorial Weekend. And we started demolition. We demo’d. And demo’d. And demo’d. There was a huge dumpster in our drive for months. And being self-employed cabinet re-finishers added to our time-line as well. Let me tell you one way that has helped me survive life with my fixer upper.
When April (of the next year) came, we still weren’t finished and I was in need of some color. I had empty flower pots that I hadn’t touched since our move. I cleaned them up, filled them with potting soil and went flower shopping.
I’ve learned to select flowers with a loose plan in mind. I have 2 giant pots that would be perfect for at the bottom of the steps leading to the front door. I like to put a variety of flowers and height in the large pots. This house is completely shaded with large trees so I need to use shade loving plants such as impatience and begonias. I also keep color in mind as I’m drooling over all of the choices at the market. I like to keep the color scheme simple so this year they’re all white and red. I also like to add some texture to the mix. This year I’m using Asparagus Fern for texture and filler.
Before I actually plant anything, I set all of the plants (in their little pots) on the soil to see how I like the “arrangement”. I like to put the tallest in the middle and anything that is short and/or vining along the outer edge. Then I step back to see how I like it. Do I have the colors where I want them? Are there any large holes that need filled?
You know the little tags that are in small plants will tell me to space things 12 inches apart (or something like that)? I do not pay any attention to this when filling my pots. I want my plants to really grow in together and create a mass. And for me, I have LOTS of squirrels who love to dig in my pots. So having the soil fully covered in a couple of months will help keep the pots “squirrel free”.
For my smaller pots, my plan is to fill them with one type of flower and one color.
And, did I mention squirrels??????
Yea, those little rodents love to dig, specially in my newly planted flower pots. I’ve discovered one thing that helps to discourage those forgetful little tree rats. Once I’m happy with my planting, I gather small twigs from the yard and stick them in the pots. I push a twig (pencil size is good) in all of the blank spaces in the pot. Once the plants are established and starting to fill in then the twigs are removed.
I’ve found that this one simple project will give me a mental lift for months. It’s the first thing I notice when I pull the car into the drive. And I smile.
The flower pots and front steps become a calming place where Eric and I can talk out a disagreement on an interior project. (And you KNOW that happens…..right? Anybody?)
The flower pots are just the thing to get me through the remodeling blues!
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