I’m doing this post a little bit differently this year, in the fact I’m combining two posts into one. What we achieved over the last twelve months AND our goals for the next year ahead. It’ll come as no surprise that DIY has slowed down a lot since we now have a toddler running around. I’m very much aware of how fast time flies with little ones and therefore, DIY has taken quite the backseat and we spend more time as a family, enjoying days out.
However, despite the slow DIY – we have achieved a fair bit I think! Dylan goes to nursery once a week, so we’ve prioritised that time specifically for DIY and it’s surprising how much you can get done when you’re on a time limit and time is not so easy to come by!!
So here’s a list of our achievements from 2023:
Renovations & DIYs We Achieved in 2023
Living Room Renovation – 95% Complete!
We’ve made such a great effort with the living room renovation in 2023 and although it isn’t quite finished, it’s SO close! Over the last year, we’ve patched up the chimney with lime plaster and installed a lovely new Victorian-style tiled hearth. We’ve also added a plaster ceiling rose for a touch more period appeal in here and the biggest job of all – we’ve created two DIY alcove units with shelving above.
You might have spotted it in the photo above – but the 5% left to complete in here, are just the doors for the alcove units. Despite missing cupboard doors, the room now feels so much more homely!
Re-seeded the Lawn
In 2023, we removed the last of the concrete from the garden, which left a massive patch of dirt. As our grass was in quite poor condition, we decided to dig the whole area up and start afresh. We chose to use grass seed to keep costs down and although it’s far from perfect, it’s a whole lot better than it looked before! And with a small child and dog – let’s face it – a perfect lawn was never going to be on the cards anyway!
I love how much bigger the garden now looks since we’ve removed the concrete path and added more grass. And if you’re interested in seeing the full renovation of this space, check out our garden renovation here.
Built a Garden Dining Table
At the start of 2023, I was on the hunt for some storage in the garden to keep Dylan’s toys in. A trip to IKEA to purchase a couple of storage benches also lead me to some BARGAIN garden chairs. With two benches and four new chairs in tow, I decided it really was time to build a new table!
I took inspiration from our DIY Farmhouse Dining Table and essentially built the same thing, but this time with a simple chunky wood top. The table is much bigger than what we had before and we can now actually comfortably fit at the table and eat! I think it works really well in this space and I’m so pleased with how it turned out. I can’t wait for BBQ season to begin this year!
Completed Garden Beds at the Allotment
Over the past three years, we have slowly been adding new beds to our allotment. However, in 2023, we finally completed the project! We added two new beds to the front and the overall look of the plot has been significantly improved.
Started Spare Bedroom Renovation
Earlier in the year we moved from the ‘master bedroom’ into the attic bedroom so that we could begin work on this room. We’re now calling it a ‘spare bedroom’ as we’ll most likely permanently remain in the attic. So far, we’ve only really stripped the wallpaper, but we have much planned for 2024 which you can read about below!
DIY & Renovation Goals for 2024
Complete Spare Bedroom Renovation
We have ONE main goal this year and that’s to complete the spare bedroom renovation. We’re thinking of splitting the room into two to create two rooms. Sadly we wouldn’t be able to do a 50/50 split, so one room would be small and the other mid-sized, but I think the space would still work better as two rooms than one very large space. We’d need to knock through a new doorway to do this and then obviously add a wall and install all new electrics.
It’s a big job, so we’re really not planning many other DIYs for the year. Fingers crossed we get it done before the end of 2024!
Complete the Back Area of Allotment
One smaller job for 2024 is to finish our allotment plot. Last year we finished adding beds, but the back of our allotment still needs a bit of TLC. It really doesn’t need a huge amount of work, but covering the exposed landscaping fabric with bark is definitely on the to-do list, as well as building an espalier support for the pear tree we planted last year.
Otherwise, we’d just like to make the back of our plot a little nicer. The bones are there with the design, it’s just not quite finished aesthetically yet.
So that’s the plan for 2024! For real-time updates, do follow us on Instagram here. And I’ll be sure to update the blog as and when I can 🙂
Happy 2024!
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