A few weeks ago, an invitation landed in my inbox – a chance to join a festive Christmas House Tour with a wonderful group of fellow bloggers. At the time, several weeks seemed like an ample stretch, enough time to tackle a mountain of tasks. I wasn’t entirely delusional for thinking this commitment would serve as a powerful deadline, a catalyst to finally conquer some of the five hundred million gazillion projects perpetually on my plate. Perhaps, at the very least, it would push me to complete the Jack and Jill bathroom. But as deadlines often do, this day arrived much faster than anticipated. The date marked on the calendar, the promise of transforming my house into a beautiful, fairy-tale castle, was suddenly here.
Welcome to My 2017 Authentic Holiday Home Tour: A Glimpse into the Clean Corners
With that candid introduction, I am thrilled to welcome you to what I affectionately call my 2017 “Only Clean Places in My House Tour!” Forget the picture-perfect, pristine showcases you might expect; this tour is a celebration of progress, a nod to reality, and an honest look at the joy found amidst the ongoing journey of making a house a home, especially during the bustling holiday season.
Navigating the Renovation Rollercoaster and Embracing the Holiday Spirit
To be perfectly honest, the past few weeks have been incredibly overwhelming. This house, a sprawling 6000 sq/ft canvas, is truly A LOT. I seem to perpetually juggle just the right amount of “too many” projects simultaneously. That delicate balance of stress and chaos usually fuels my motivation, pushing me forward. However, the unexpected sewer saga struck, proving to be the ultimate tipping point. When toilet water decides to cascade into your basement, it demands immediate attention. This unforeseen catastrophe forced me to add a substantial amount of additional work across four extra rooms to an already packed and “pushing the limit” workload.
I found myself in a deep funk for weeks, attempting to work but constantly frustrated by minor setbacks – like the inability to find a crucial tool when I needed it most. There was even a day I might have completely broken down. It took Wes, bless his heart, to gently remind me that it’s okay to take a break. After all, it’s almost Christmas. So, in the spirit of self-care and holiday cheer, I actually put a halt on all five hundred million gazillion of my unfinished projects. Instead, I indulged in some much-needed Christmas shopping, meticulously wrapped all my presents, completed a challenging 1000-piece puzzle, and thoroughly enjoyed at least five classic Christmas movies.
Adding to the triumph, Penny and Madison, my amazing helpers, pitched in to get the front rooms of the house sparkling clean and beautifully decorated for Christmas. This collective effort was a massive win, transforming spaces that were once symbols of ongoing work into havens of holiday warmth.
The Living Room: From Chaos to Cozy Christmas Vibes
Just last week, our living room proudly featured a cabinet carcass serving as a rather unconventional coffee table. Not anymore! During one of my recent, more successful shopping excursions, I was irresistibly drawn to something sparkly and ended up purchasing a real, genuine coffee table. The transformation is remarkable; our living room now feels 100% more inviting without that bare plywood frame dominating the space. While I don’t envision this particular coffee table as a permanent fixture – it will likely be returned after Christmas – it’s serving its purpose beautifully for the holiday season. My long-term plan, whenever I find some spare time, involves building a gorgeous tufted ottoman to truly complete the space. And yes, my enduring disdain for that giant corner fireplace remains; I eagerly anticipate the day I can bash it out and relocate it entirely – a project reserved for “WAY down the road,” after every single current unfinished endeavor is finally completed.
As Penny and I meticulously cleaned and tidied, we couldn’t resist adding an extra layer of holiday cheer to the room. We “fiddled” with the decor so extensively that Madison, our resident straight-talker, couldn’t even discern what we had changed! She even insisted that our initial setup was superior, but honestly, that girl is simply CRAY when it comes to decor opinions!
Our magnificent Christmas tree truly embodies the spirit of the season for me. Madison, initially hesitant because we waited so long to put it up, now absolutely adores it, especially now that it’s fully adorned with lights and ornaments. Its festive glow fills the room with warmth, making all the effort worthwhile.
The Dining Room: A Work in Progress, A Feast for the Eyes
The dining room, despite still awaiting crown molding and baseboards – future projects, naturally – boasts a ceiling that I absolutely adore! Penny and I undertook a major clear-out, meticulously removing all the accumulated “crap” from the room and clearing every bit of junk off the table. The result is a beautifully transformed space, now ready for holiday gatherings. Wes was genuinely thrilled to come home and discover that we once again had a dedicated place to eat, even if our default setting is still the couch, enjoying dinner while watching TV. The aesthetic improvement alone brings immense joy.
For the table settings, I’m utilizing the charming glass reindeer ornaments Madison gave me last Christmas. They look absolutely adorable nestled beside the larger “mommy and daddy” reindeers, creating a whimsical and cohesive holiday theme. It’s these small, personal touches that truly make a space feel festive and loved.
Our dining room chandelier has also been “released” from its temporary, elevated prison. When this room regrettably morphed into an auxiliary storage space for all our renovation junk, I hoisted the chandelier higher to prevent Madison and Wes from repeatedly bumping their heads. During the recent clearing-out process, Madison managed to hit her head at least three times! By the third collision, she dramatically swore she would smash it with a baseball bat if I didn’t raise it further. Thankfully, it’s now restored to its rightful, elegant position, allowing us to see our food (and avoid head injuries) once more!
Penny and I also managed to maneuver the massive white mirror into the dining room. While it might not be its ultimate, perfect resting place, its sheer weight and bulk mean I have absolutely no intention of moving it again anytime soon. It has enjoyed a rather nomadic existence, migrating from our bedroom, then downstairs, then into the hallway… Suffice to say, this “bad boy” is staying put for the foreseeable future. Sometimes, convenience triumphs over perfection in a busy home!
The Guest Room: A Rare Oasis of Completion
Against all odds, the guest room is actually, truly, completely finished! This room, along with Madison’s bedroom, stands as one of the only two fully completed spaces in our entire house. Alas, I cannot show you Madison’s bedroom because, despite being “done,” it is currently in a state of glorious, teenage mess!
We poured a considerable amount of time and effort into perfecting the guest room. Every piece of decor was rearranged, tweaked, and sometimes even replaced at least once. Madison, ever the drama queen, declared it “agony” to watch the meticulous process, but the results speak for themselves.
For the Christmas season, I couldn’t resist adding a couple of quirky, festive touches to the guest room. Our resident skull now proudly sports a miniature white wool hat on its head, with a charming stocking dangling from its horn. I earnestly searched for a traditional red Santa hat amongst our extensive costume collection, but surprisingly, we didn’t have one! This unexpected combination, however, adds a unique and memorable holiday spirit to the room.
Yes, the pillows are a little crooked, but at this point, I honestly don’t even care. A room in our house is finally *done*! That monumental achievement allows me to overlook a couple of misaligned pillows. Kind of. I mean, I’ll probably go back and fix them later, but right now, I’m in the middle of a house tour, and the spirit of celebration overrides minor imperfections.
On the hooks adjacent to the ingenious built-in curved desk, we’ve hung another festive stocking and a string of classic sleigh bells! The holiday cheer is undeniably present in every corner. As a delightful side note, Julie and I discovered the charming cow painting at TJMaxx and simply had to bring it home. It perfectly complements the room’s rustic yet elegant theme, and we’ve truly grown to love our little bovine friend.
Back in the Main Living Area: Entryway and the Transformed Library
This is our entryway table. You might not fully grasp the arduous struggle I’ve endured trying to find the *perfect* mirror for this table… and, disappointingly, this current sparkly selection isn’t it either. It seems my weakness for “sparkly” items during the Christmas decorating frenzy leads to questionable “home decor” purchases. A lesson learned, perhaps, for next year!
Adjacent to the entryway lies the library. I’m almost certain I haven’t adequately conveyed the sheer volume of clutter that had been steadily accumulating in this room over the past year, ever since the Jack and Jill bathroom project commenced. It was, quite simply, overflowing.
For far too long, my beloved bookshelves and elegant piano were practically hidden, barricaded behind colossal boxes of tools and materials for various ongoing projects. This included two massive boxes, each housing one part of a two-part toilet that I had ordered (and ultimately didn’t use) for the Jack and Jill bathroom. Anyone peering through our windows likely concluded we were avid hoarders – and, to be fair, they probably weren’t wrong. The library had become a testament to an enthusiastic, albeit chaotic, home renovation journey.
You can undoubtedly imagine my immense relief and sheer joy when we finally managed to clear out all the unnecessary tools, those colossal toilet boxes, and general construction “trash” to reveal the truly beautiful library beneath. We haven’t even added specific Christmas decorations to this room yet, but the sheer transformation, the act of reclaiming this space, feels absolutely amazing. It’s so inviting now that I’m almost tempted to buy *another* Christmas tree just for this room!
The Honest Truth: Celebrating Progress, Dreaming of Completion
Sadly, that brings us to the conclusion of the “magic” section of the tour. These are, in fact, the only truly clean and photo-ready rooms in our entire 6000 sq/ft house at this moment. While the scope might be disappointingly small, I genuinely hope you’ve enjoyed this aesthetically pleasing, albeit realistic, journey through a portion of our home. Perhaps 2018 will finally be the year I accomplish the monumental task of finishing all the lingering projects and truly transform this baby into the fairy princess castle I’ve always envisioned.
In the meantime, I encourage you to hop over to my incredibly talented blogger friends’ sites to witness their truly beautiful and impeccably organized home tours. Their spaces are sure to inspire and delight!
- Just a Girl
- Home Stories A to Z
- Honey We’re Home
- Tatertots and Jello
- Hi Sugarplum
- A Thoughtful Place
- Not Just a Housewife
- Pretty Handy Girl
- Centsational Style
- The Inspired Room
- 320 Sycamore
- Thrifty Decor Chic