We just said goodbye to 2017 and throughout this holiday season, I’ve been thinking about what I have accomplished as far as home improvement goes. Honestly, I felt like it hasn’t been much. But reflecting back throughout the year has convinced me that, yes, we actually did make some progress this year. Yay!!

How about you?

Home and garden progress from 2017

I hope you all take some time to review how far you have come in this past year, whether it’s in regard to continuing your education, finishing a Netflix series, or diy progress (like us).

If there was even the slightest movement forward, we can call it progress, right?

Here is some of the progress we made in 2017.

Improved use of space planning

We improved our use of space in 4 areas of the home, although they are mostly still in the process of being updated, the usage of space has improved.

Squeezing out storage space in our entry way stairwell.

A new bakers rack and storage baskets for the kitchen.

Re-purposing the purpose of 2 rooms.

The sun porch was our primary dining area, this is how we changed it out.

The living room was crammed with our dining buffet and china cabinet, this is the new layout.

The living room in not completely finish, yet, but here is a glimpse of how it’s coming along with the tv area.

Continued improvement in the garden

I started a seedling project, and even turned some of it into a kids project with my nieces. See this easy seedling marker idea for kids.

We dug out a flower bed last year, see some tips on how to dig one yourself.

I’ve discovered my new favorite garden planter idea: mixing flowers and herbs together in planter pots. I had such success with this, I highly recommend you try it this year.

The herbs look and grow so nicely with the flowers in the flower pots.  My flower pots were a little ragged, but I’ve got plans for new ones this year.

Other diy and crafts

DIY drip art – so fun and easy to do and a great idea for inexpensive art when you just don’t know what else to put on a certain wall.

DIY artwork using scrapbook paper a free online printable. Great for saving some cash and designing your own unique artwork.

Chalk painted dining chairs with a what I consider the easiest furniture clear coat I’ve ever used.

I didn’t end up using these chairs in my dining room, so I sold them on the Facebook Marketplace app in a matter of 2 hours. The lesson I learned was that there is still a market for painted furniture out there, but I’ll add that the pricing has to be a bit lower than new furniture pieces, in my opinion, at least.

What is on your list from 2017?

Write it down, read it yourself, and see if you actually feel a little better about what you accomplished.

I can say for myself that it made me think, “okay, maybe I am actually getting somewhere with this house.”

Thanks so much for reading along and here’s to a whole new list for 2018.

Happy New Year,

Amy