Five Remodeling Projects That Instantly Boost Curb AppealWhat to Renovate Initially When Improving an Older Home 76

Five Remodeling Projects That Instantly Boost Curb AppealWhat to Renovate Initially When Improving an Older Home 76

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It started small — a shelf. Or maybe not even a shelf — more like the feeling of one. My husband said we needed “a better place for the keys,” and instead of doing the obvious, I decided I'd create a solution. Wall-mounted. Minimalist. Stylish. Or whatever people call it when they're about to drill blindly.

I marked the spot next to the entry light, took one step back and thought, “Simple enough” Ten minutes later I was staring into the soul of the wall, wondering it looked like someone had stuffed an old sock next to the wiring. The shelf never happened. But somehow the situation escalated.

That's the thing about home improvement — it doesn't stick to the script. You start with one thing, and the next thing you know, your hallway looks like a crime scene. I just wanted a shelf. By the end of the week, I had new plasterboard.

There's no clear moment when it all flips. It just spins. You go to the store for one nail and come back with a tin of “soft almond” paint. That's how I ended up repainting a not even that bad wall because the guy at the store said, “People are doing sage now.”

Tools pile up. You buy that same trowel because you can't remember where the other ones went. Spoiler: they're all in the more info laundry, behind the stack of unopened mail.

It's messy. Not just physically. One night I stayed at a friend's place because the walls were drying. I also cried over a crooked towel hook. Real tears. Over a hook. I don't know what to tell you.

But you get through it. With sheer willpower. You learn things you'd rather not. Like how the hallway paint was hiding mold.

Eventually, though, things settle into place. Not perfect — nothing is. The tiles by the bin still look suspicious. But now, I step into that space and don't trip. That's progress.

The shelf? Never built it. We use a bowl now. Same one we always had, sitting on a slightly sticky sideboard. But the wall's patched. Mostly.

And that's renovation, isn't it? Not polished. But it's something real. With all its wonky lines and leftover screws.