Many of you already know that one of my major to-do list tasks this year is giving our condo a bit of a facelift. We’re not going deep into a remodel – but we’re doing lots of surface things like fixtures and refurbishing cabinets along with my studio update. We had done SO much to update things the first few years that we were here that we grew a bit tired of the process. Lets just say it involved getting rid of lots of lime green shag carpeting, astroturf on the balcony, and foil wallpaper in every room.
Something that I started doing from the very early years of our home makeovers was to keep “a little black binder”. This is a one stop spot that I keep anything related to the decor of our home. When I know that I’m going to be doing any shopping for home decor/remodel/updating I grab the binder and slip it into my bag. It’s a simple binder that fits 8″x5″ index cards, and holds all of my paint samples and even a small piece of our flooring.
What to keep in your “little black binder” for home remodeling:
~ paint samples: Any time I purchase paint for our home, I grab an extra paint chip sample card. When I get home, I slip the unused sample into my binder with a note on which finish I chose.
~ room/closet measurements: Now, don’t get me wrong. I didn’t sit down and map out every room in our condo all at once. It happened over time. As I was working on things for each room, I’d map out a simple sketch with measurements for whichever project we were currently tackling. I include a small blueprint type diagram along with the measurements to keep things really clear.
~ flooring samples: I know this is only possible if you’ve already updated the flooring, but once you have, it’s pretty invaluable. One day while the contractor you’re working with is working, just snag a really small piece (mine is literally a 1.5″x3″ piece of the porcelain tile that we had installed. Just big enough to check a paint sample against.
~ window diagrams and measurements: We have floor to ceiling, wall to wall sliding glass doors in our main living area. This is totally awesome. But also a challenge for window treatments. Having not only the measurements, but a sketched diagram made it easier for me to picture how things would look before I got them home, so the few minutes it took to sketch things out and measure was totally worth it.
Here’s a peek at the latest. I’ve refinished and updated the hardware on the cabinet – now all that needs to happen is order the new countertop/sink and fixture to be installed. Yay for progress. Our other weekend project was installing a new working closet shelf for our boys’ room.
Susanne says
That’s a great idea. And I am proof that it is a good one. I used an informal notebook when we remodeled, but I didn’t write down all the paint colors in the various rooms. Since I was emailing my painter, I could go back and find them and include them — because it is time for a touch-up now a couples years after. Good luck with the remodel – it can be lots of fun and the end result is always worth it.