Before and (sort of) After Photos

This is the little house that is on the property I bought on April 5th.  It is definitely a fixer-upper.

I stayed overnight Sunday April 8th, and again Friday April 13th, and cleaned up a lot!  I took four contractor-size garbage bags of 'stuff' out of the front bedroom, and four bags out of the kitchen.  I had my ShopVac with me the second trip so I could vacuum the bedroom, but I still won't walk barefoot in there.  The only reason I was able to stay overnight was because when my friend M and I went up for the closing, we were able to get the toilet working, sort of.  I couldn't have stayed overnight if I was going to have to use a bucket...  We had found the water line on an earlier visit to the property, before I actually owned it, and installed a water spicket. As it was, I had to pour water into the bowl from a bucket for it to flush.

The third trip included my friend M and was Mon-Wed April 16-18.  He upgraded the electrical so I could plug in the refrigerator and the microwave and the window air conditioner all at the same time!  M also helped me haul those trash bags to the City's community dumpsters and while we were out we stopped by the Water Department.  I asked Jackie, the lady in charge, if she knew of anyone who hauled off junk and she gave us the name of Jesse Stewart, their local "Sanford & Son". We went by Jesse's place and talked to his son and I left my information.  Back at the house, later that afternoon, Jesse and his son drove up.  We made a deal that he could have all of the metal (there's money in salvaging metal) IF he would take away everything else.  He said he'd be back the next day (Tuesday) around 3pm.  Well, he called me at 11am Tuesday and said he'd be by sooner.  He brought a long trailer and along with the two young men with him they hauled off all of the stuff inside the house.  It took two trailer loads.  He took two full size beds with mattresses, one matching dresser, the old gas cook stove, three sofas, two upholstered armchairs, one recliner.....and a partridge in a pear tree!  I also had filled four regular trash bags with those decorative metal tins, the ones you get at Christmas or whenever filled with candy or cookies.  There were piles of blankets, and a green metal pantry-type cabinet full of sheets and towels.  There were several TVs and VCRs and the tables they sat on. There was a stereo cabinet and speakers.  It's all gone.  When I tell anyone about it, I say that it looks like the people just got up and walked out the door.  There were clothes still in the dryer.

I had checked the refrigerator, microwave, and the AC on previous trips so I knew they worked, that's why I kept them. Still, it's sorta like camping.  I haven't had a chance to check if the dryer works, if it does I'll keep it.  If it doesn't work, I'll call Jesse to come get it. 

Here are some before and after photos. 

Living room, before:

 Living room, after:

 

  Bedroom, before:

 

Bedroom, after:

 

  Utility area, before:

 







 Utility area, after:

 

 Bathroom, before:

 

 Bathroom, after:

 

 Back room, before:

 

 

Back room, after:

 

There is a real 'night & day' difference in how it looks now that all of the stuff is gone.  There's still a lot of cleaning up to do, of course, but that's for another post.

I Bought the Farm...

I finally closed on the property that I have been trying to purchase since November - five months of waiting and waiting.  The papers in my hand are the closing documents, I drove to my Moody Girl Farm property directly from the title company.

I did say it was a fixer-upper, didn't I?

From what I've seen, I believe the house grew over the years. The original house, outlined in blue, was approximately 14'x33' and had just two rooms.  The room on the left (14'x13"+) was the only bedroom in the house, and the larger room on the right had the kitchen at one end and table/chairs and other seating.  I think it was built in the 20's or 30's.  When the city put in water and sewer service in the early 50's, an addition, outlined in green, was made to the back right corner of the house and the kitchen was moved there.  The new bathroom was built in the front right corner using part of the space where the kitchen was.  Very odd arrangement, but that's what's here now.  And then later, I don't know when, another addition, outlined in yellow, was made on the back to square off the building.  The front porch may have been added at that time.

I found the well pipe casing where they had a well, and the old outhouse is still there.  There is also a cistern.  I'll be going up to work/clean this week and will have more photos after that.  Until then, never surrender, never give up, and may all your dreams come true.