Hello 2020! Time for improvements and to say goodbye to clutter!
This post was started a few months ago… In spring, with the spring cleaning momentum and was intended to be published then, but it seems it is still sitting in my drafts. Oops, Sorry about that.
To make up for it here is two posts in one. Buckle in, it is an adventure.
First a little bit of background…Our house is a tiny, circa 1945, 89sqm box. When we moved in it had undergone a recent reno to ‘blank canvas’ it. White primer walls throughout, new plush pile beige carpet and terracotta tiles in the wet areas, other than that, the fittings are period and well worn. It is cluttered, small, dark and closed up in the winters and amazing all opened out to the yards in the summer.
As mentioned, this madness started at the end of winter and beginning of Spring (on daylights savings to be precise). With spring cleaning comes a ramped up effort to clean the dander and cobwebs of winter away and prepare for the incoming summer…. and of course a purge session, or 20. First thing we had to do was sort out the mini humans clothing (we had to drag at least 4 bags out of storage).
Kiddo was super pleased about the kid-centric-bomb-site in the lounge this morning….. She was so good and sorted out what she liked and what could go, even sorted out her toys and books…. sending the biggest share off into the op shop circulation. She calls it giving things she no longer needs to children who don’t have much. Which I love the most about our kidlet, she is the most genuine generous soul and has the purest selfless intentions.
And then I got distracted and made a lamp….
I made the lamp on the left out of a readymade light fitting, an op-shopped shade and a crappy old easel. The one on the right I also made out of found pieces, two lamp shades, vacuum cord and some other bits and bobs……… throughly safe!
Fast forward it is now December – We are now on summer holidays – a DIY staycation – and last week decided the bathroom was an eyesore, the vanity was old and shabby and not in a good way – it had to go. So we got on trademe (our local auction site) and won a modern second hand vanity with basin for $1. Then brought a fancy Italian tap for $15 from our local thrift shop and hubby installed them.
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A couple of days ago, we came up with ambitious plans for the Entry and Kitchen (to be actioned at a later stage) so in prep – knocked out a wall…….. just cause. Now light floods the hallway and the house just flows a bit better.
Then today we attacked the bottom of the yard, clearing wild ginger and foreign invasive weeds, hubby like a machine, did most of the work alongside the chickens seen in the left hand side nibbling at the skinks as they dart out from under the plum trees.
We also found treasure of sorts, no doubt left by the original owner as it all seems period with the house.
We found a stash of old bottles, a bathtub containing the remnants of an old tube amplifier radio (we think) and a coal range. Last week our neighbours (who are also cleaning and clearing found the original wash copper. Originally used for heating water and doing laundry. In common use in the 1930-40’s and right into the 1950-60’s in our area. It was found intact in a concrete casing with chimney port and fire box. Unfortunately, when the wash copper was moved it took off tumbling down the hill into the back of our garden shed, smashing the concrete casing. But we still have the copper wash bowl at least
Hubby has also dug up tea pots, more fire box doors and various bits and bobs, and even found a natural spring running through the middle of the grassy part of our backyard. No buried money though, we will keep looking just in case.
Tomorrow is another day. Super tired, need 10 naps.
Pepperbox Couture 