2021: Year of DIY Projects in Review

Saturday, January 1, 2022

 
aqua stencil painted end cut wood with pine cone owl

I swear to goodness, wasn't I just wrapping up 2020's project review?!  Seriously.  Where the hell did this year go?  Dear me.  So now it's already that time yet again, I swear, ridiculous, to review the DIY projects from 2021.  Sheesh.  Yes, I am shaking my head as I type.

Honestly, I do find these wrap-ups and round-ups of the year helpful, for me anyway, hopefully for you too in case you missed something useful, as it reminds me that despite feeling like not much got done, something did.  

Although this year was a bit different as, well, dumb pinchy things, a myriad of other things required my attention and my DIY-ing lingered on the backburner.

Therefore, it does definitely for sure feel not much got done this year....as I look around the house in my mind's eye at various unfinished, started, lingering projects about.  Hm.  Here's hoping 2022 is a productive one!

All right, let's see what we've got here:

Back at the beginning of the year, I constructed a wall hanging organizing unit for the pantry and ya know what, that darn thing has worked out very very well.  

organizational wall unit DIY for pantry
What's extra remarkable is that this thing has remained this tidy and organized since then, never once coming undone or looking a mess.  That, my friends, is a design success.  It's the little things, amiright?!

Already the urge to purge has hit majorly hard; I merely require the time so stay tuned for more organizing.

Aw, the fun little Dollar Store Wood Dowel Vases, that was a nifty project!  Part of what I love about it is that it's a blank slate idea -- take the basic premise and run with your imagination into an open field of endless creativity.

wood dowel dollar tree vases diy
The high fidelity zone finally came together for me.  Whew.  Finally.  Well, again, I should say for now as I'm quite apt to redo.  And redo.  And redo.  And redo.

vinyl record album storage shelf area
But for now, here, this works for me.  Whew, right?!

Heh, Mike and I had some fun building a simple shelf unit for over the kitchen cabinets in the spring.

hand drawn sketch of us having fun building something together
Heh, we did, see?!

kitchen cabinet top shelf unit
Or, I thought it was fun despite my math being off again and the ceiling not being true nor square.  Either way, the shelf remedies that bizarro no man's land between the top of the cabinets and the ceiling.  Feeling a repaint on that wall behind it coming on in three, two, ....

What else, what other 2021 DIY projects to review.

Oh I finally wrapped up the master bathroom shower saga!  That was a huge one.  Here's the final post but if you want to learn some excellent, valuable tips on how to build a stand up shower in a budgetarily friendly way, start here.
 
finished master bathroom stand up shower renovation
Due to the breakage of my store-bought one, a handy dandy pot lid storage rack got built.  It only took scrap wood and fifteen minutes and it's been working out well.  The real issue at hand is how difficult these corner cabinets are to organize and maximize to the best of their tricky abilities without spending a quadrillion dollars.

15 minute scrap wood pot lid rack diy
There were multiple projects in the ol' hovel of a laundry room, including this fancy pants plywood waterfall counter which in itself has solely made The Most Tremendous Difference.  As has that wildly happy stencil-painted wall.

diy plywood waterfall counter enclosing washing machines in laundry
But too, the low-budget DIY laundry room project got started and whoa, finished!  Well, sans a few touch-up's and maybe some quite minor tweaks but overall, it is done and I truly love that lil' ol' room now.  Laundry?  Nah, not so much, but the room, yes.

So far so good on the freshly painted front metal stairs outside though then again, we have been atypically free of winter-related weather so far this season in Chicago.  Still, I'm hoping this paint job survives else I might take the damn stair out for recycling.

repainted outdoor metal stair with alkyd paint
There were other projects and a tool rant and some other stuff so please feel free to click on the 2021 archive in the right sidebar under The Flipping Past title if you're so inclined.

Mmm, but, so yeah, it feels that not very much was accomplished this 2021 and that's a frustrating feeling.  Again though, hoping by the time I reach the DIY Projects in Review for 2022, the list will be beefier.  

And as you can see, I did not pick up any new camera skills.  Someday.  Although, my camera skills for food photography improved, so there is that.

But please DIY Gods, please let the stair and the master bathroom get wrapped up this year, if anything, please, I beg of you!  What about you, what projects do you have lined up ahead?

Wishing you and yours a happy, healthy, exhilarating, fun, DIY-filled New Year!  May all your dreams come true!

4 comments

  1. You did a lot and you can prove it, if anyone happens to have any doubts. Real, tangible things, like normal grown-ups accomplish. We, on the other hand, were extremely, hyperventilatingly busy with nothing to show for it...yet. Frantic, chasing our tail busy that when we stopped long enough to have a glass of one, all we could say was OK, we are at least moving in the right direction.

    You should be SO proud of yourselves.
    Happy 2022...may all your "dos" be fun and "redos" saved for next year.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Seeing the forest through the trees when knee deep in the thicket is a feat at times, absolutely, but thank goodness you pulled up with your fabulous guidance and shining light!

      We are all the same — bonkers busy and coming out the other side is completely commendable-worthy! Getting through a tough long day totally deserves a hearty back pat.

      I’m sure you meant to say we should be so proud because you should be too. Wishing you all the best in this brand new year and hoping all your dreams come true!

      Thank you!

      Delete
  2. BTW...Not spell checking or previewing my comments should tell you all you need to know about my MO in all things. Guess the measurements once, cut twice and pull your hair later.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wine typo is nothing to beat yourself up about, especially since you’ve just provided us all with the best life mantra ever.

      Delete

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