Spring Cleaning

We moved into Castle Grayskull in May of 2012.  By the time the first spring cleaning rolled around, I have no idea what happened.  Maybe we were too busy with a 3 month old.  Maybe we didn't care.  Maybe the house was clean; after all, it had only been a year.  This time, though, it had been two years, and we cared.  In fact, we cared so much, it became more of a makeover than a cleaning.  We didn't remodel anything, because that would be an "extreme makeover."  And you know what?  It's great to look your best, but ultimately, it's what's on the inside that counts.

So here's the grand list of our home improvements from Spring, 2014.  It's doubtful this is of any interest to anybody, but putting it down makes me feel like we accomplished something.  They say, "If you don't write it down, it never happened."  Actually, I don't really get the meaning of that quote, and I'd even go so far as to say I disagree with it.

Organization:

We made a cleaning schedule and put the chores into our calendar.  That didn't really create less or more housecleaning, but nobody has to keep track of that stuff anymore, and nothing sits around accumulating layers of dirtiness.  Like window shutters.
We also reorganized the closets and pantry, and got new baskets for the keys, wallets, glasses, and mail.

Cleaning:

In addition to normal cleaning, we went after those hard to reach spots, like the outside windows, behind and under the oven, and under the fridge.  Those spots are the worst.

Safety:

We childproofed the cabinets with magnetic locks.  The new bathroom trash cans are covered, and there's a new weight rack in the gym holding up all those dumbbells.  Thanks only to George, we finally tuned up the Ford Focus so that "it's no longer a death trap."

Outside:

The back patio is finally furnished.  There's a picnic table, windchime, soft LEDs lining the upper rim, and our very first grill.  We also installed some solar powered path lighting in the front, put in a new doormat, and we're in the process of removing the many unwanted plants that came with the house.

Decor:

There's a new rug under the Volkert and two new puzzles for our wall collection.  Coming at the end of the month is a quilt we commissioned from a friend, made out of Drakeson's receiving blankets.

Detail:

We replaced all the white plastic outlet covers with satin nickel.  Now they match our door handles, towel racks, tp holders, hinges, and faucets.  There are new pillows for the guest room and new towels for the guest bath.

Furnishing:

We replaced the shoe holder with one that matches the rest of our furniture, bought thicker mattresses for the daybed in the guest room, and got Drakeson his very first bed.  And yes, it totally has a fort and a slide.

Can You Find 7 Dragons?