At the start of every year we like to sit down and discuss our project goals for the year ahead. It keeps us focused throughout the year and puts us on the same page with one another. If you missed our goals for 2020, you can read that post here.
In 2020, so much changed. Sikmon started working from home and it doesn’t seem like a return to work in an office environment is on the horizon any time soon in 2021. We found out we’re expecting again. So much change this year.
The needs of our home have shifted quite a bit over the last year to say the least and it’s forced us to re-evaluate and reinvent the space available to us to make our home function for us in ways its never had to before.
With all that said, our house goals for 2021 is heavily influenced by the need to turn spaces in our home into functional areas to meet the the needs of our new family dynamic going forward. Let’s jump right in and talk about what we hope to accomplish around the house in 2021:
CLOSET DESK
When work from home orders came mid-March we quickly set up a makeshift work space for Sikmon assuming it was a temporary situation. Almost a year later, there’s really no saying if or when he’ll ever return to the office and over the last 9 months it’s was made abundantly clear that he needs a larger space work surface in which to efficiently work (and hopefully not be so messy).
The only available space we have for a larger work area is an under utilized closet in the guest room. We will be adding a desk to the closet first thing in 2021 and I honestly can’t wait for the improved functionality – even if the space isn’t for me!
GUEST ROOM
In addition to the closet desk, the rest of the guest room will finally get some much needed attention too. Since we moved in nearly two years ago, the guest room has been a big blank slate – mostly where we store junk and keep the dog crate – but its time that this valuable space in our home functions more than it ever has been in the past. Not only does it need to function as an office (plans detailed above) but also as a room for my step-daughter when she stays with us occasionally.
After we finish up the closet desk, our next project will be the guest room – we’re even talking about tackling this project for the One Room Challenge which usually kicks off in March. Here’s hoping!
NURSERY NOOK
Once we wrap up the two projects above, we’ll need to quickly shift focus and work on a space for the new babe who is due early May! What probably would’ve been the nursery (the current guest room) is currently being used as a work from home space so once again, we have to reimagine what space we do have and make it work for the needs of our family.
We currently have a little nook in the master that has a small TV and a small dresser which is a great size for a crib. Emie slept in our room for over a year so this cozy little spot in our room will work for at least that long – hopefully by then Sikmon will be back to work and we can re-evaluate room utilization, if not, we may consider moving. In the meantime, we’ll relocate our dresser, possibly remove the TV, and utilize the closet on the left for
EXTERIOR
We weren’t able to knock out any of our big exterior plans last year (which included painting the exterior and installing a new cedar fence) mostly because of the pandemic / not wanting contractors in our home / but also because of budget too. Painting the exterior and replacing a fence is lots of $$ that last year didn’t warrant spending considering so many things were up in the air but our wishes to transform the outside our home still remain and after talking things over even further, Sikmon is convinced we can save money if we DIY the exterior paint job.
So this year we’re adding paint the exterior to our house goals for 2021. I think we can do it! Our home is relatively small, single story, and as long as we either rent or buy a paint sprayer, I have full confidence we can get this done sometime in the Spring / early Summer.
I did remind him that we’ll have a new little baby around the same time so my capacity to help will be extremely limited but he didn’t seem at all worried about knocking this out. I’m crossing all my fingers we can pull this off! As for the fence, well…getting that replaced would be nice but I’m not making any promises here.
As far as house goals go, those are the major ones we’ve discussed and agreed upon but if this year is anything like the last, who knows where the year will take us!
Do you have any house plans heading into this year? I’d love to hear in the comments below…