One Room Challenge – Week THREE!

Whew, this week was a tough one! Suddenly our completely empty calendar hit full speed while my One Room Challenge project really slowed down. This week was supposed to be all about paint…woohoo! HOWEVER, it ended up being all about paint prep instead.

Our freshly framed, drywalled walls were a blank slate. A bare canvas that needed all the tedious prepwork before it could be painted, and my busy schedule combined with the dullness of the task just took its toll this week.

This was my tester week. The momentum of seeing such great progress over the last two weeks screeched to a stop at the start of this one and it was hard to keep going, to see the end of this process of prepping, and to move on. Joint compound work is slow and steady, a wait and watch kind of project, and I’m thankful it’s done. A pat on my back for finishing this step and to move past it because it was the biggest struggle for me so far.

So this week…these were my babies…

I spent each evening taping and mudding drywall seams, screw holes, and chips and nicks in the drywall. I’d let it dry overnight and then each morning before the kids woke up, I was down in the laundry room sanding it down and smoothing out each area. This continued for four coats. Correct. Four coats of joint compound to get a “flawless” (a.k.a. I can see the flaws, but maybe…hopefully…no one else can) appearance to the walls. Four nights mudding the walls. Four mornings sanding it down. Four afternoons cleaning dust, dust, and more dust.

Added bonus of the week: I got a killer arm workout every single morning! 💪

Downside of the week: This DIYer needs a manicure.

Although it’s not pretty, it’s progress. And essential progress at that. This is the stuff that has to get done and has to get done well to give the walls a smooth finish.

To see much more of the process, to watch the space transform through videos, and to just follow along with the fun, follow me on Instagram! I have all the progress made so far on my Instagram stories under the ORC Spring 2021.

The laundry room is ready for some big changes this week! Now that the walls are prepped, it’s time for some lofty goals. Ready for what’s to come?

Goals for Week Four:

• Prime walls and ceiling
• Paint walls and ceiling
• Paint cabinets
• Purchase cabinet hardware
• Clean the tile floor of dust and make it shine like the day it was installed!

If you missed any of the previous two week’s projects, check out WEEK ONE and WEEK TWO to get all caught up!

And don’t forget to follow all the amazing One Room Challenge participants along their journeys, too. I’m in awe of the projects and the progress that’s being made in each of their homes. The dedication, the creativity, and the focus is incredible. Need a little inspiration? Check these amazing DIYers. You will come away with a spark in your heart!

See you next week!

xx Rachel

5