Like Mother, Like Daughter: Our Spruced Up Entryway

Joining the Like Mother, Like Daughter Linky Party.

It was quite ironic that Leila posted on this topic a week ago, as I had just that morning been musing on the fact that we never get unexpected visitors living on base and all.  The community here is not overly sociable.  And then, later that morning our new neighbour dropped round for a cup of tea.  I was quite chuffed that I had already started to polish the entryway.

Here are the 'before' photos of the entry to our house.  There are quite a few weeds in the agapanthus beds, the dead parts of the agapanthus are poking out from underneath and just to the left (I forgot to take a before picture) is a very messy pile of fire wood. Clearly some gardening time needs to be put in!

Here we are at the front door and while the shoes are on DH's custom shoe rack, those gumboots (wellingtons) could really be moved.  So could the bowl and paint brush Ginger was water painting the driveway with, um, about 2 weeks ago.  There is also quite a lot of leaf litter around that could do with a sweep-up.

Making our way inside now and I will show you what causes my housekeeping dramas.  Our front door opens onto half the house - you see there is only a very small entryway and then a door through to the kitchen and dining area.  Looking in this direction, if you turned right as you came in the front door you would be in the lounge room.

 

Looking into the loungeroom from the doorway now.  The pram doesn't look too special in this spot but there is no where else to keep it.  Outside, mould is a chronic problem, and I don't won't to drag the dirt on its tyres through the house.

The ironing board which was up for me to do some crafting should probably come down too.  It is hard when you don't have a dedicated workspace, but this is certainly not what I like to greet visitors.

Also, you can't really see from this photo, but I tend to pile up donations for the charity shop on top of the cupboard.  They could probably be taken in.

We step through the double doorway now and are in the kitchen and dining area.  Oh, and you can see right out into the backyard too.  Leila - you have set a big challenge.

Here, I can see toys that need to be picked up.  The clutter on the benchtop is pretty bad too - and all the phone, modem and computer cables to do not make for an attractive look.  The only trouble is this is the only phone point in the house so I can't really move the phone and shoe box - our one effort at containing the mess. 

 A little further on and you look right back into the loungeroom.  Honestly, I would never have a house as open plan as this by choice.  My craft is rather taking over the sewing table and my course work is looking pretty spread out on the desk.  Oh, and there is that pesky ironing board again!

Fast forward a week, and lets check on my progress.  Out the front the woodpile has been moved deeper into the carport and the ground swept.

I weeded the garden bed and pulled all the dead agapanthus leaves out - I was terrified of doing this because DH told me he had seen a bird carcass under there when he was gardening last year and I SO did not want to come across that.

At the markets on the weekend I picked up some potted colour.  I relocated the planter box from the backyard (well worn but a freebie left behind by the previous tenants of our Melbourne house) and planted it up yesterday.

Coming inside now, and the pram happens to be in the boot of the car so that is a start in making it look better.  I got DH to take apart the hall cupboard and I cleaned it out and got rid of the cobwebs behind it.

I think the biggest single improvement though is in the kitchen.  I relocated the computer to the study.  Since we have wireless now, it can just come out to the living area when someone wants to use it.  I also tucked the phone cords in beside the box.  In addition, the clutter has been rehomed.  

Drying up the dishes, rather than leaving them to dry on the rack also improves the look of the room.  Oh, and I have taken some of Ginger's artistic works off the fridge - lovely though they are.

And finally, a peek into the loungeroom from the dining area.  I have put all my craft bits in the basket on my desk and arranged my study materials into a reasonably neat pile.  

A pile which now calls my name, a reasonably tidy and welcoming house is but a work in progress.