The 1 Year Plan

Okay, so we're not going to talk about the game last night. That was a disaster. What was not a disaster was Happy Hour at Bar Louie before the game. I do love me some Bar Louie.

I'm going to apologize in advance for the horrible text to picture ratio in this post. No pictures today. =( I'll throw tons of photos your way tomorrow to make up, promise! =)

The past couple of days, Sketchy and I have been making lists of all the items we want to add/change in the house. Everyone tells you when you buy a house, "you're always fixing something or pouring money into the house. Your job's never done." I'm beginning to understand the part about always wanting to upgrade or add/change something but I find these things to be fun! Yes they're costly, but it's spending on things that make you happy! As such, we've decided that creating a real plan will:

1. allow us to feel structured with goals and deadlines in our attempt to get the house in tip-top shape

2. spread out the happiness in a way that we can continue to be happy every month by adding one big thing

3. actually save some money by not doing everything at once! 

3 is difficult for me because I'm the type of person that just wants to get it all done at once! However, I see the value in spreading out the joy and elongating the new homeowner feeling! 

Having said that, we're creating a 1 Year Plan to have all of our big wishlist items taken care of by the end of the year. We're going to do a little more earlier in the year just to get the house to a good level by engagement party/religious ceremony time (probably sometime in May). 

Here's our first draft of our 1 Year Plan: 

(which I'll keep in a separate tab to keep track of our progress and successes)

January: 

- Purchase another set of furniture (living room set)

- Purchase some sort of wine cabinet/sofa table for our Nalini&Sketchy Shrine

- Purchase a mancave TV up to Sketchy's standards

- Finish fencing backyard

- Purchase path lights for front walkway
- Blinds on all windows

- Fix-up entryway 

     - IKEA shoe cabinet

     - IKEA hat rack

     - DIY welcome chalkboard memo frame and key/jacket hooks

February:

- Purchase a dining room set
- Build pots/pans pull-out shelving units in cabinets

- Purchase bedframe and DIY headboard in master bedroom

- Build a bar for mancave

- DIY bar counter top (encased bottle caps VT logo)
- DIY chalkboard menu frame thing in Kitchen

- Purchase entertainment center for mancave

- Dryer vent/Dryer electrical outlet

- Have Superbowl/Housewarming Party

March:
- Shelving racks in utility room/workbench/tool area 
- Shelving and organizing units above washer/dryer

- Nicer bathroom mirrors (ORB framed mirrors)

- All english ivy gone from backyard 

- Have all frames and art hung around the house
- Vanity [[maybe]]

April:

- Purchase and install french doors
- Get office completely situated -- maybe some sort of Hutch for the desk

May: 

- Purchase and install Fireplace

June:

- Purchase grill! =)
- Figure out a patio/firepit situation
- Bring completed cornhole boards home

July:
- Paint mancave
- Accent wall in living area

August:
- Purchase multiple TVs to be mounted in Mancave (football season!!)
- Build up barware

September: 
- Extend master closet into joining room's closet to make awesome master closet!

October:
- Purchase pumpkins from pumpkin patch for stoop!
- Create Doghouse in storage space under stairs
- Deck

November: 
- Change out cabinet doors for glass cabinet doors or add peninsula/bar in kitchen (make more open)
- Change out all kitchen cabinet fixtures
- Deck

December: 
- Purchase real Christmas Tree
- Purchase Christmas lawn decorations and lights!
- Deck & Tent-y Gazebo for deck

My hope is that the home stuff is all done by the end of 2013. In 2014 I'd love to focus on enjoying our home and traveling as married folks! =))

Are there items that we have overlooked or maybe suggestions for better months (because of weather or sales or anything really) to tackle certain items on the list?