How to Prepare for a Home Makeover Without the StressWhat to Focus On Initially When Updating an Aging Home 29

How to Prepare for a Home Makeover Without the StressWhat to Focus On Initially When Updating an Aging Home 29

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Not too long ago, I stood in the passage and realized I had grown to loathe it. Not in a dramatic kind of way. More like when you outgrow something slowly. Like a stale jacket, or a shirt that starts smelling weird no matter how often it's washed.

It was claustrophobic, and there was this awkward spot where the paint peeled like dry pastry. Just a wall. But somehow it felt like it was part of the issue. Of what? No idea. Everything, maybe.

I didn't set out to renovate. I planned to patch that spot. Maybe clean the skirting. Then I removed a bit of trim, and underneath… well. Swirly beige. Looked like it belonged in a van. The kind of wallpaper that makes you step back.

And that's how they get you. You fix one spot, and the house gives in like it was waiting.

Next thing I knew, I was Googling things I'd never cared about. Caulking guns. I developed obsessions for undercoat brands. I joined forums like it was a sport. Still don't know why one caulking gun's $12 and another's $48, but I'll fight you over which is better.

But this wasn't just about fixing things. It was about admitting something felt wrong, and that I was done adjusting. I used to sidestep a creaky floorboard by the bathroom even after I fixed it. Muscle memory is stubborn like that.

Some days went well. Some didn't. I once installed a light switch upside down and didn't notice for weeks. Only realized it when my sister flipped it and asked why “off” turned the light *on*.

But that's how it goes. You fumble, and then suddenly the space feels… yours. Not perfect. Not staged. But not borrowed anymore. That wall? Still narrow. And the paint line by the stairs? Wobbly. here But it's earned.

It's not about trend boards. It's about saying no to living with what grates. If you mess up, just repaint it. That's what I do. Or at least that's what I tell guests.