The importance of an itemized budget.

Once I had the condo keys in my hands, I made a list of what renovating I would like to do:
1. Redo floors (currently off-white 18” tiles).
2. Paint walls and cabinets throughout.
3. Scrape ceilings smooth (popcorn ceilings are sooo 1990).
4. Install crown molding in all rooms.
5. Install closet organizing system in walk-in closet (the main selling feature of the house for me!).
6. Install cedar planks in closet.
7. Build wooden structure to create privacy on my small patio.

With my wish list in hand, I wrote up a budget based on what funds I had available (in this case, both saved and borrowed). I did not make a line-item budget (detailing exactly how much money was available to spend on each project), and now I wish I had. I spent significantly more than I had budgeted (think twice as much), and I know if I had an itemized budget and had been more conscious of where I was spending my money, I would not have spent so much. So please learn from my mistake, and create an ITEMIZED BUDGET before you begin any home improvement project! And not only that, but please document every expense incurred during the renovation/decoration so that you can stay on budget from start to finish.

Have you ever blown your budget? What did you learn from the experience?

A Four Month Decorating Adventure

I bought my very first home in April 2010, but didn’t actually move in until 4 months later. The condo was in move-in condition, but I wanted to really make it my home. Over the next few blog entries, I will detail how I renovated and decorated my condo, including the research and preparation, what I did myself and what I hired out, as well as where I bought my supplies and furniture, and what I like about my approach and what I now wish I had done differently (it’s always more fun to learn from other’s mistakes!). I hope this information is helpful, and please feel free to reach out to me with questions or comments!

What things do you wish someone had told you before renovating or decorating your home?