First step is going to be scrubbing the walls. I'm starting in the living room, since we're ripping out carpet later today and this is where the carpet is.

So far, two or three scrubs with pinesol and hot water seems most effective. (I did a test patch with diluted vinegar too but it wasn't appreciably better, and if I'm going to be drenched in one of these things I want it NOT to be the vinegar)

As always, supply runs to Menards are fraught with risk. One of these days I'm going to fail my will save and come home with a $30 "Complete Guide to Backyard Beekeeping"

Have scrubbed about the half the walls in the living room.

owwwwwww

Why did none of the adults in my life say "we love you liz but maybe this is a bigger project than you've realized"

"we love you liz but you format documents for a living and this is going to be Work"

"we love you but liz you have the endurance and muscle definition of expired spaghetti"

why did my mother let me do this to myself???

(I'll be fine I just have to be dramatic about it first)

for some reason I heard all the complaining in your essaim voice

... now that you've pointed it out,, I've reread the complaints in her voice and you aren't wrong

Entire western wall of living room is scrubbed!

(Scrubbed x2, technically not sure if it will need a 3rd)

North and South walls of the living room are both ~90% done. This place still smells like smoke but I'm optimistic about removing the carpet.

The carpet definitely holds a L O T of scent.

Living room is pretty much done, along with a few other miscellaneous walls, and we're removing the carpet next weekend.

Dining room mostly scrubbed. Carpet removal is in-progress.

Can confirm there's hardwood under all that carpet! (That was the theory, but it's nice to know)

Oh, that's gonna be so nice!

👍

Carpets are GONE, most of the upstairs walls are SCRUBBED, and I am applying painters tape to any surface that looks at me funny. This weekend will hopefully begin The Era of Paint.

Wow, that's a ton of progress!

Today was just a second coat on the red wall, since it needed one.

(Tomorrow is probably second coat of the orange)

this trim will definitely need a second coat of black but I'm liking it so far

i

I hate painting ceilings

(The hallway needs work but I promise it looks much better in person than in the photo)

I think I've gotten more primer on myself than on the house at this point, but the library is in-progress.

pretty!

Yet more library progress

I also changed the dining room ceiling. Much better now.

It turns out the bathtub leaks copiously into the basement, so meeting someone this morning for consultation on getting it fixed/replaced.

...tubs are expensive

I have managed, somehow, to get paint up my nose

(Dropped a bucket, some liquid splashed up and across my face. Barely avoided getting any in my eye)

(I am disgruntled and covered in Sunbeam Yellow, but otherwise fine)

oh no! argh, getting anything up your nose is so annoying! and often painful.

Bedroom is primed and has a first layer of green on the walls. Still need to finish priming the inside of the closet - taking a while because fumes in an enclosed space.

I got a bit experimental with the bedroom walls.

Dining room now has black windowsill, which looks a lot better.

Time to start priming the bathroom. (Which has a bizarre rubbery paint that the primer does NOT want to stick to)

Bathroom is mostly primed, bedroom closet is painted. Almost ready to start priming the kitchen, too. Things are really starting to come together!

I've also started packing boxes and moving them into the garage.

Ripping up the carpet on basement stairs. The underside of it is. Super gross. But I've got good gloves and a righteous cause, so back into the breach go I.

Not pictured: The previous owner's deep and passionate love of their staplegun

I still have some painting to do and a bunch of boxes in the garage to unpack later, but I'm "officially" moved in! (My cat is here and I have a place to sleep)

Aster does NOT want to explore the new home

Attempts at painting the bathroom ended up a little more "Emerald City dive bar" than I was going for...

(I have a few ideas on how to fix it, but right now the priority is just getting paint over the primer so I can actually use the shower)

Bathroom ceiling has now been painted (excess pale yellow that I rejected for the dining room). The green is still pretty bad, but now it's ugly in a mundane kind of way, instead of a mid-20s existential crisis liminal space kind of bad.

(But Liz, are you sure that isn't just the impact of looking at it during the day instead of at night? No, it's definitely the ceiling being yellow now)

Took a break, but being moved in doesn't mean I'm done. Today I did a second coat of green and yellow in the bathroom.

(Honestly, the green is growing on me. It matches my shower curtain, and I think with black trim and some other bits of decor to break it up, it could be pretty nice)

Now I'm both sweaty AND precluded from showering until the paint is dry