A New Year

I have a backlog of posts waiting to be written about lots of things we did (or didn't do, as is sometimes the case) last year, but nonetheless, I feel like the first post after the New Year should look forward towards the future. So with that in mind, I thought I'd write about some of our house-related goals for 2011, so I can look back next December and see how far we got.

1. Landscape/garden--we got by with the bare minimum over the last 16 months, just enough to keep our neighbors from getting mad. We also started reclaiming some land from the ivy in our back. But this spring, I'd like to start pruning plants and maybe moving shrubs. I'd also like an herb garden, if not an all-out veggie and fruit garden. I know that some things should have been prepared in the fall for this kind of goal, but bad timing never stopped me :)

2. Remodel the upstairs bathroom--we aren't sure yet if we want to do a small-scale remodel on our own (replace the vanity and lighting, repaint, etc) or a professional one (retile), but something has to be done. We hate it and it really comes down to what we can fit into our budget.

3. Improve our energy efficiency--2011 is the year that we will get an energy audit. And theoretically make some of the improvements suggested therein. I have no idea what they will entail but we will almost certainly have to better insulate our floors and outer walls.

4. Clean up, and possibly organize, the unfinished basement--spiderwebs and dust are not exactly ideal decor in a laundry room. I want to really scrub that place down and install some things to help make it easier to do the laundry. This goal also includes cleaning out the dryer hose, which sounds like a horribly onerous all-day task.

Those are the big things that come to mind. We'll of course also be working on smaller stuff as we go. So what are your goals for your house in 2011?