a coat of paint does wonders

This is the second chapter in our Bungalow journey -  continuing on from "We Accidentally Bought a Bungalow."

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After acquiring this amazing historic bungalow in 2010, the first challenge was coming up with a manageable game plan.

​Sometimes it's just so hard to wait for your long-term vision to begin to take form.  And we knew we were going to be here on weekends and taking our time with the first chapter of our life in this historic cottage. 

​So, we decided that in order to enjoy our time here for the next 8 or 9 years (until we could be here full-time and properly renovate), we would only tackle a list of must-do projects.  

This is what we do. Michael offloading supplies for the new deck.

Must-Do List

Now, you would think that that list would be an abbreviated short-ish list.  That was the idea for sure. 

But now that we look back it's truly amazing what we've accomplished.  

​Bit by bit, on a budget while still living and working in Phoenix.  Virtually 90% of it turned out to be DIY, and not just because we knew we could control the costs more that way.

Creativity
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We had a vision of what it would take to make it livable for the short-term, but we also felt strongly that this was going to be an expression of our creativity and personalities. 

​And that's kinda hard to accomplish with contractors executing for you.  

This is what we do. Crafting a home.

Flexibility
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The process requires tweaks and consideration as you go along - allowing for better flavors of your original idea, or the unforeseen snafu. ​​

It takes a while to get acquainted with a new house and property.  This can make it tricky to come up with the perfect layout and updates on day one.  Where does the shade fall in late summer?  What's the best flow for traffic through your home - given how you live and your style?  Where's the best soil and conditions for your kitchen garden?  

While it's tempting to just get to the end-point as quickly as possible, there's an advantage to taking it in measured steps - if you can stand it.  

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