2012 Home Improvement Resolutions Begun!

This is what Ryan and I have been tackling since I've gotten over the stomach flu: 

Eeeeek!!!!

This is our closet.  Or rather, was. See all those massive holes in the walls where Ryan sledgehammered out the decaying old shelves?  That dismal single-bulb light?  That icky chartruese color the closet had once been?  Well, this is that same closet now:

Lovely, no?  Ever since installing a garbage disposal for my parents over Christmas, Ryan has really been into doing electrical work himself.  This is a long closet, and the light just didn't reach very well to the end.  I was okay with not messing with the light fixture, but the dark end was my side of the closet, so Ryan really wanted it to be bright for me.  Now I have more light in my closet than at my sewing table, and Ryan is exceedingly proud of himself! He installed a switch where the old pull-cord fixture was and hung the track light along the sloping ceiling.

The wire shelves provide a lot more storage than we had. They were a bear to install, however, due to multiple trips to Lowes being needed to get all the pieces that match the right system. Why there are three apparently identical closet systems, all made by the same company, the pieces of which are not at all interchangeable, is one of the great unsolved mysteries of the universe. They were also somewhat expensive. Rubbermaid is sneaky. The shelves are really cheap, but the brackets you have to use to hold them up and all the other sundry pieces/parts are ridiculous.  But by the time you realize the grand total you've already got your shelving cut and are stuck with it.

 Finally, it was necessary to get the three levels of hanging rails along the sloped ceiling to line up precisely so that the shelves would attach, a process that had to be done by trial and error and error and error because not even methodical Ryan could get measurements that exact on our uneven walls.  God bless Anthony's godparents for watching him all day Saturday while we did that.  I am not a patient person, ever.  And I'm pregnant, with all the hormonality that implies.  And we've got even bigger projects coming up.  HGTV take note, you've got a big opportunity for reality TV here!  But we did it. One more look at the finished product:

We were prompted to tackle the closet because of the baby on the way.  This tiny person has prompted a chain reaction of necessary projects so she (I think) can claim the nursery for herself.  This was just the first step, kind of like the little old lady who swallowed a fly.

We had to
1) Redo this closet so
2) We can fit everything inside it so we can
3) Turn the other closet into an "office" so
4) Anthony can claim the office/guest room/random storage for his bedroom so
5) The baby can take the nursery

And the baby naps alone, the baby naps alone, high-ho the dairy-o, the baby naps alone.

So these are our home improvement goals for 2012, at least the part of 2012 before the baby is born!  I'm not really expecting much beyond that, since we'll be wanting to be doing more outdoor things then.  Plus of course having a newborn.  The office-closet is another big electrical project for Ryan, since there is no outlet there for the computer and the wire will have to be run a good distance.  Also another light fixture, but perhaps this one will be easier.  I have the "big kid" room--where the Montessori magic happens--mostly planned, and it requires much sewing which I'd better get going.  I'll share updates as we complete things.

Anthony really is getting to be a big kid!  He got a haircut finally, which makes him look so much older.  Also no more highchair, eating soup with a spoon, and drinking from a regular cup!