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30 Projects in 30 Days: The Finale

That’s a wrap, folks! The 2017, 30 Projects in 30 Days challenge is over. Here at BHH, it was mostly a success even though we did not get everything marked off the to-do list, and we had to work all the way into the 32nd day of September. How does that poem go?

Thirty-two days hath September…

Before I go more in-depth about our list, I am announcing the winner of the prize. If you recall, I promised a prize to one of our participants, chosen via random drawing. This year, our winner is Laura from the blog, Homespun By Laura. Congratulations! You have won a $20 gift card to Target.

Laura impressed me with her methodical and daily approach to this challenge. She was active on her blog, and she gave our hashtag, #30ProjectsIn30Days, a good workout on Instagram. She is one to follow.

Now, let’s take a closer look at how things shook out here at BHH. The items in bold and linked are 100% complete. Items in bold and italic are in progress, and everything in regular font did not happen at all.

30 Projects in 30 Days Master List

  1. Put window film on the basement window
  2. Scrape paint off the big window in the living room
  3. Put brass door latch on the door in the butler’s pantry
  4. Replace light switches and covers in the front hall.
  5. Put the doorknobs back on the doors in S’s room
  6. Put the trim back up in S’s room.
  7. Coat cabinet knob with rubber (Note: This project did not work.)
  8. Prime the ceiling in the breakfast nook
  9. Paint the downstairs door blue
  10. Clean off the porches
  11. Meal Plan
  12. Plant Perennials in the front flower bed
  13. Sew scented liners for my running shoes (prototype)
  14. Reinstall Screen Doors  
  15. Plan my One Room Challenge room!
  16. Replant the kitchen plants
  17. Paint door frame in the kitchen pantry
  18. Hang hook and art in the downstairs hall
  19. Paint the toe kick in the kitchen pantry
  20. Install and paint shoe moulding in the kitchen pantry
  21. Work on library windows 
  22. Caulk in the Kitchen
  23. Reinstall handrails on the front porch 
  24. Fix rot on the front porch pillar
  25. Get rid of the small trash pile on the driveway
  26. Clean out the laundry room
  27. Plant Black-eyed Susans
  28. Fix rot by the bi-fold doors – Defer until the upper roof project is done.
  29. Create an About Me widget and page on the blog
  30. Polyurethane the library table
  31. Repair bottom of the window and replace hardware on the window in the dining room

Project Photos

My list shifted throughout September. Some items that remain very important to me, such as sewing the bench cushions for the living room, were cut right away due to finances and time constraints. Looking back, I also realize that I scheduled too many two-adult projects, and Andy was not around as much as I planned. He traveled for work a lot during September.

A few tasks like #26 on my list, Clean out the laundry room, got added to the list at the last minute. I found evidence of a mouse not just passing through, but cavorting on a regular basis, in the laundry room, and I dropped everything to declutter and scrub the room from top to bottom.

Even with setbacks, we accomplished quite a bit.

It felt good to finally address the small patch of rot on the pillar of the front porch. Each time we find and repair little chinks in the armor of BHH, we feel greater peace of mind.

I probably feel the most satisfied by the toe kick and shoe moulding in the kitchen pantry. The original toe kick was gross. When we restored this room for our first One Room Challenge, the wood floor was still hidden by old vinyl. During the kitchen renovation, we refinished the hardwood floor, and I tossed out the old rotten shoe moulding. This unattractive mess was the aftermath.

First, I cleaned, primed and painted the toe kick.

Then, I cut, installed, and painted new shoe moulding. Cutting precise mitered corners has been challenging for me during past projects, but this time, I nailed it. (pun intended) Practice, does indeed, make perfect.

Speaking of the One Room Challenge, it starts up again this week. The featured designers post about their projects tomorrow, and the guest participants kick off the season on Thursday. Blake Hill House will be joining in again, and we cannot wait to share our project with you. It is going to be a good one.

Thank you to everyone who took the idea of 30 Projects in 30 Days and ran with it. Even though it was a small group this year, I hope everyone who joined in felt inspired and supported. I’m leaving the link-up open through Thursday of this week. Please feel free add any posts that pertain to the challenge.

I would love to hear your feedback about the challenge. Are you happy with your progress? What worked? What would you do differently next time?

 

16 Comments

  • Chad
    Posted October 3, 2017 at 11:24 am

    I put 2 really lame things down to round out my 30, but since I won’t be publishing the draft till tonight I’m tempted to sub in the 2 legit jobs planned for tonight. It was definitely good to get proactive about punchlist work even if I was still fixated on the stucco job.

    • Post Author
      Stacy
      Posted October 4, 2017 at 10:18 am

      Great work, Chad. Seriously, I am in awe of the stucco work you accomplished. I hope it feels great to get that off your list. Thank you for participating. I always enjoy reading your blog and your comments here.

      • Chad
        Posted October 4, 2017 at 11:51 am

        Yeah, I was expecting to spend a couple grand on stucco next year and now I don’t have to. Question is, when it comes time to do the rest of the back, do I take all that on myself again? At least for the next part I can skip the lath and building paper.

        • Post Author
          Stacy
          Posted October 6, 2017 at 7:12 am

          For a DIYer, is that really a question? 😀

  • Christine
    Posted October 3, 2017 at 11:54 am

    You accomplished so much! That’s fantastic! Last month, we crossed a few projects off our list, including the very last day of September, my father-in-law picked up one of our kitchen doors to replace a panel in it that currently houses a cat door (we have no cats — the huskies use it as a portal to check the weather in the morning). September always feels too busy in our work/home life to really accomplish a lot. I’m hoping for a more productive October and November.

    I’m looking forward to your One Room Challenge! I love following along on these. I did see an InstaStories from Susan at House of Brinson that kind of shocked me about the cost they incurred in their last ORC. I appreciate that your projects more fit the budget we have in our old house.

    • Post Author
      Stacy
      Posted October 4, 2017 at 10:25 am

      I love the visual of your huskies checking the weather. 🙂 They are such cute dogs. I am glad that you were able to get some projects marked off the list.

      I did not see Susan’s InstaStory, but they did pull out all the stops with their room. The decor was ornate, and I was in awe of that expensive wallpaper. It was quite a transformation.

      If you like budget-friendly room makeovers, just wait. LOL, Our ORC will absolutely be a frugal renovation/restoration project.

  • SH
    Posted October 3, 2017 at 12:44 pm

    Congratulations Laura, you were on fire! Stacy, the spirit of this challenge was the best: Aim for success, be encouraged and not pressured, and be flexible with your list, not hard-and-fast. I am so, so pleased with all those annoying items I completed–I see evidence in every room. I gained confidence and strength as the month wore on. I’m in for 30/30 in 2018!

    • Post Author
      Stacy
      Posted October 4, 2017 at 10:27 am

      Yes, Laura did great with this challenge!

      I am so happy that you are pleased with the challenge and your progress. That makes me very happy. I am thrilled that you intend to participate again next year. 🙂

  • Jenny
    Posted October 4, 2017 at 9:12 am

    Wow, 30 in 30 is impressive–kudos to all those who did it! Maybe next year my husband and I will have our butts in gear and can do the same (this year, our September project was keeping us and our 3-month old baby reasonably happy and reasonably clean haha).

    • Post Author
      Stacy
      Posted October 4, 2017 at 10:30 am

      Oh, Jenny. You had thirty additional projects per day with your new baby. <3 Congratulations! If you are ready to join the challenge next year, we will welcome you. For now, snuggle that baby. I am jealous! 🙂

  • CoCo
    Posted October 5, 2017 at 6:49 am

    Stacy, you are a DIY Super Woman! I’m so excited for your list and everything you were able to accomplish. I know how hard you work and how good it feels to be able to cross things off the to-do list. I’m really proud for all of you – it’s so impressive. Hugs, CoCo

    • Post Author
      Stacy
      Posted October 6, 2017 at 7:13 am

      Thank you, Coco! It does feel so good.

  • Ame Jo Hughes
    Posted October 5, 2017 at 12:32 pm

    You knocked out some great work for the challenge! I’m particularly impressed with that new shoe moulding and paint on the toe kick in the pantry. It makes such a huge difference visually.

    I plan on joining this challenge next September. I spent almost the entire month this year painting my friend’s house, many long days and nights, and had time for zilch outside of it. Next September, though, I plan on tackling a lot of little projects here that hopefully will be further up on the priority list by then.

    • Post Author
      Stacy
      Posted October 6, 2017 at 7:17 am

      I get such a kick out of the little details that no one will ever notice. I am not sure why.

      I am glad that you are joining in next year. Painting an entire house all at once is a huge job. It sounds draining. I hope you feel a great sense of accomplishment.

  • SH
    Posted October 7, 2017 at 12:44 pm

    Sooooo, has it been decided yet? Are there 37 days in September? I just completed another task, but it wasn’t on the original list. Trying to recapture that DIY high, I guess 😉

    • Post Author
      Stacy
      Posted October 7, 2017 at 12:45 pm

      Yes! There are thirty-seven days this year. ?

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