This list doesn’t include intangible improvements, like updating all of our legal documents, scanning and filing all of Johnnie’s papers post-death and renewing our passports.
New Closet Hangers
Simply switching to velvet hangers saved us a ton of closet space. And you would not believe how fast our old hangers were claimed as a free give-away!
Organized Leashes
I found a cute dog display piece and installed it by the door. It’s perfect for organizing all of Glory’s leashes.
Refreshed Garden Bench
Mom & Dad gave us Grandpa & Grandma Alloway’s old garden bench. I don’t think it had been painted in more than a decade. When the weather was nice during the spring, I scoured it with a wire brush and gave it a fresh coat of bright white paint.
New Bedroom Fan
Our old fan gave out. Honestly, we were thrilled. It was the perfect excuse to bring our bedroom from the 1990s into the current century and not feel wasteful about it.
New Garage Lights
It’s so exciting to fumble around the garage in half-light said no one ever. We had an electrician friend install bright LEDs, bringing the sunshine into the garage (finally!). I also installed a separate LED over the garage freezer so I could see what I was digging for without a flashlight. And while we were at it, we took everything out of the garage and installed an organization system to keep things easier to find and less space-intensive.
Backyard Landscaping
In March 2021, we dug new landscape beds and redid our sprinklers in anticipation of installing a new landscape plan. Then Johnnie got sick, then everyone died and we didn’t do anything until March 2023. Working in the backyard and enjoying the changes has been a highlight of the year for us.
Windows and Patio Door
“We need to replace the patio door” escalated into “Let’s replace all of our windows and the patio door” over the course of one conversation. The project was totally worth it.
Fence
At precisely what point does a leaning fence and boards coming undone trigger a fence replacement? I don’t know for sure, but for us it was in August 2023.
HVAC
I wasn’t expecting a text message from Kelly saying “It’s time to replace the downstairs HVAC.” I really wasn’t expecting his response (“Today.”) when I asked him “When?” Another project that was totally worth it even though I did have to delete two apps from my phone, replacing them with one new one and resetting all of our house preferences.
