Our Updated Epic To-Do List

One of the most frequent questions we get asked here on the blog is how we stay motivated and find the energy to keep tackling new projects and home improvements.

The honest answer is that we don’t and our recent lack of posting is a definite sign that everyone needs a break sometimes.

I’d love to be able to share a magic formula that always keeps us going like the bunnies in the Duracell ads but the truth is that we go through phases like everyone else. It’s probably the reason we’re also guilty of starting new projects before finishing old ones!

One thing that does help us stay on track is keeping lists.

Being able to tick boxes and look back at how far you’ve come is one of the best possible boosts you can get when you just can’t find the energy to get yet another project finished.

We shared our last list just after signing the contracts for our home (over 1,5 years ago now!) so it’s high time that we shared an updated to-do list!

Living Room – 10% (was 0%)

• Update Electrics, add more sockets, change socket covers
• Strip door & door frame
• Sand and repaint door & door frame
• Repair stained glass
• Update Radiator
• Rug
• Furniture
• Paint & decorate everywhere
• Sand & refinish parquet floor
• Curtains
• Overhaul windows

As you can see, we’ve not yet done much in the living room. Sanding the floors was obviously a huge job but so far there have been no other changes. We have bought paint though, so watch this space!

Dining Room – 15% (was 0%)

• Sand & refinish parquet floor
• Update Electrics, add more sockets, change socket covers
• Repair the stained glass door
• Add glass to the hallway door
• Paint & decorate
• Add panelling
• Strip door & door frames
• Sand and repaint door & door frames
• Add rug
• Repair balcony door
• Add more art
• Find a new dining table – we have a new temporary DIY dining table
• Add more lighting
• Update Radiators
• Overhaul windows

Similar to the living room there haven’t been a lot of changes here yet. If you saw our dining room mood board that we shared last week you’ll already know that we have a few updates coming here, soon, and first on the list is panelling the walls!

Balcony – 99% (was 0%)

• Paint balustrade
• Add plants
• Update electrics
• Sort floor
• Add furniture
• Strip, sand & refinish doors
• Add lighting

I have a feeling that this space will always only be 99% done. We try our best to keep all of our plants alive but, inevitably, the odd one doesn’t survive. I also know that we will keep adding to our ever growing plant collection until there’s no space to move! I love this space so much! It’s not huge (although it’s fairly large for Berlin) but it’s invaluable given the hot summers here!


Study – 45% (was 0%)  (we’re still planning on moving the kitchen here)

• Paint & decorate
  
• Sand & refinish parquet floor
• Add furniture
  
• Update electrics
  
• Update plumbing
  
• Install a kitchen
  
• Possibly widen or knock down the wall between the kitchen and dining room we’ve decided to keep it as it is, even if we do move the kitchen
  
• Add lighting
  
• Strip, sand & refinish doors

We’ve already added some more shelves and storage in the dining room (we’ll share what we did, soon) and we have some ideas on how we’d like to paint the room. Overall there’s not that much that needs doing in here other than some painting and decorating.

Guest Bedroom – 75% (was 0%)

• Update Electrics, add more sockets
• Strip door & door frame – started but nowhere near finished
• Sand and repaint door & door frame
• Update Radiator
• Find a rug
• Update furniture – kind of, but we’d still like a few more additions
• Paint & decorate
• Add panelling
• Sand & refinish floorboards
• Curtains & curtain rail
• Overhaul windows

The guest bedroom is easily the most finished room in our apartment. We’re still planning on opening an Airbnb so we have been prioritising this room (even if we’re the slowest DIYers ever!). The biggest thing left to do (other than finishing all of the projects we’ve started) is finding some affordable curtains. You can see a preview of our (almost finished) panelling here. Hopefully, we’ll be able to share the finished room very soon!

Hallway – 75% (was 0%)

• Restore front door – it’s kind of done but I still don’t like the colour!
• Update electrics
• Install tiled floor
• Add art
• Strip, sand & refinish doors
• Add lighting
• Paint & decorate

We gave our front door a makeover a couple of months ago and have added some lighting. We’ve also sanded the floor in the whole hallway but would like to eventually tile the first hallway with some lovely encaustic tiles. You can see our mood board for the hallway here.

Guest Bathroom- 0% (was 0%)

• Update Electrics, add more sockets, change socket covers
• Strip door & door frame
• Sand and repaint door & door frame
• Replace everything
• Paint & decorate everywhere

Yep, other than a good clean we’ve done absolutely nothing in here – yet!

Kitchen & Pantry (temporary makeover)– 100% (was 0%)

• Paint cabinets & makeover current kitchen
• Refinish shelves in the pantry
• Replace worktops
• Replace appliances
• Repair floor
• Strip, sand & refinish antique fridge

Woohoo! Our kitchen is complete! Well, at least for now. The ultimate plan is still to move it to the front of the apartment where I currently have my study. Obviously, that will be a huge undertaking and it’s not a priority at the moment especially as we’re so happy with our makeover which honestly makes our kitchen feel like new!

Bathroom – 0% (was 0%)

• Ultimately replace everything

The bathroom is fine at the moment. It’s not the most amazing space ever and we’d love to add a glass shower screen but it’ll have to do for now! Ultimately, we would like to rip it all out and start from scratch. Everything has been done cheaply and there are already a few signs of wear and tear.

Master Bedroom – 60% (was 0%)

• Sand & refinish parquet floor
• Update Electrics, add more sockets, change socket covers
• Strip door & door frame
• Paint & decorate everywhere
• Sand and repaint door & door frame
• Add a rug
• Add door to wardrobe
• Update lighting
• Update radiator
• Find curtains
• Knock down part of the wall & add door to walk-in wardrobe
• Overhaul windows

We’ll be sharing the reveal of our guest bedroom at the end of the week! It’s still not what most people would call completely finished and there are still changes we’d like to make like adding a door between the bedroom and then walk-in wardrobe.

Walk-In Wardrobe- 10% (was 0%)

• Update Electrics, add more sockets, change socket covers
• Strip door & door frame
• Sand and repaint door & door frame
• Update Radiator
• Built wardrobe
• Paint & decorate everywhere
• Sand & refinish parquet floor
• Curtains
• Add UV protector
• Add curtains or blinds
• Install a door to the bedroom
• Replace window

We have temporary freestanding clothes rails and have added some shelves in here but it’s admittedly usually a room that’s just full of junk! I like to think that the room will work better when we add a door leading to the bedroom and have some bespoke furniture but given the cost involved (We just got a quote for the door. Ups.) it might take us a while to get round to doing it!

As you can see, we are slowly starting to make some progress. Obviously, the kitchen makeover and epic floor sanding adventure (I’m not going to lie, it pushed me to my absolute limits) were huge projects that took us a big chunk of time to complete (and in the case of sanding the floor, to recover from) but we’ve managed to complete a lot of smaller things, too!

Next up on our list of must-do projects are giving the dinky guest bathroom a much-needed update/rip it all out and start from scratch, finishing the guest bedroom and giving our dining room a makeover. There’s so much more to come, so watch this space!