Dude, we’ve been here just over three months. In some ways it feels like we’ve lived here forever; in others it feels like we moved in yesterday. We’re surprised by how much we’ve already tackled—new hardwood upstairs, exterior repairs and fresh paint, a half bathroom refresh, a foyer facelift, paint in the bedroom, and a newly lofted sunroom—yet there are still rooms that haven’t been touched that we’re itching to get to next. Below is a time capsule of how the house looks at the three-month mark.

– The Front –

We removed some dangerous trees, replaced the old leaky roof, repaired and repainted siding and trim, and painted the front door a cheerful color. The yard is still patchy and weed-filled, so we plan to add garden beds and more plantings to make the exterior feel more complete and welcoming.

– The Portico –

We removed the old slatted screen door and painted the sidelights white to match the trim, and we painted the front door too. Future updates we’re considering include a larger doormat, a new light fixture, and some trim work or chunkier molding to add interest to the flat triangle of plywood above the entrance.

– The Garage –

The siding along the garage side of the house was repaired and repainted. We’re thinking about painting the cream-colored garage doors a darker hue—either charcoal to match the roof or black like the shutters—to give the exterior more contrast.

– The Foyer –

We removed the heavy wooden doors that separated the kitchen, stripped wallpaper, painted the formerly blue trim white, and refreshed the walls with a new coat of paint. We also installed a new light fixture and hung some art. Still on the list: redoing the staircase railing (the spindles are currently blue), replacing worn stair carpeting with a runner, and possibly painting the ceiling a subtle color to add depth.

– The Half Bathroom –

In the half bath we removed wallpaper, painted the walls and trim, hung a new mirror, primed and painted the vanity, added a secondhand light and artwork, and upgraded the faucet. It’s a modest interim refresh for now; down the line we may tackle a more comprehensive makeover—perhaps grasscloth wallpaper or a tiled accent wall—once we save up for bigger changes.

– The Dining Room –

The dining room still has blue trim and wallpaper. For now we’ve moved in our furniture, but we plan to update the walls, swap the light fixture, and possibly rework the built-ins in each corner to make the room feel more cohesive and up-to-date.

– The Living Room –

We primed and painted the walls and whitewashed the brick fireplace. This space reminds us of our old den after we painted the brick and trim, so our next steps are painting the wood trim a glossy white and possibly adding coffered ceilings with a soft blue ceiling tone for depth and character. It’s still a work in progress, but it already feels much more like home than the original salmon-pink room.

– The Office –

So far we’ve placed furniture and organized a bookcase. We plan to paint the blue trim white, add built-ins, and maybe install a floating desk to improve function and flow. There are several layout options we’re considering to make the office an efficient, inspiring workspace.

– The Kitchen –

We prefer to live in a house for at least a year before committing to major kitchen or bath gut renovations, so we’re observing how the space functions and taking notes on what’s in the way. Our long-term goal is an open, bright, and much more functional kitchen layout based on how we actually use the room.

– Our Bedroom –

Upstairs rooms came with threadbare carpeting, so we painted the cream doors and trim, installed hardwood floors right before moving in, and later painted the walls. We plan to add built-ins behind the bed to visually center the windows, hang window treatments, rearrange furniture, and add artwork to finish the space.

– Our En-suite Bathroom –

We haven’t touched the sink nook yet, but we removed old glass shower doors and hung a high shower curtain to open the space up visually. Eventually we’d like to combine the sink nook with the main bathroom for a more spacious layout, possibly adding a double sink and removing the dividing wall.

– Our Closet –

The closet is full and in need of organization. We’d love to install built-in drawers and shelving for better function and replace the old carpet with tile carried over from a future bathroom remodel so the bedroom wing has continuous flooring and a more cohesive look.

– Upstairs Hallway –

We removed the outdated carpeting, painted the blue doors and trim, and installed new hardwood floors in a rush before moving day. Remaining tasks include painting the spindles on the banister and finishing the hallway walls and ceiling to complete the upstairs transition.

– Clara’s Room –

We painted the trim, installed hardwood floors, and moved Clara’s furniture in from the previous house. Next steps include painting the walls, adding an overhead light fixture, and hanging art. We expect to tweak the layout as we settle in and find what works best for her space.

– Spare Room / Possible Someday Nursery –

We painted the trim and installed hardwood floors. For now it holds a few miscellaneous items; we’ll decide whether to convert it into a nursery or use it differently once we know how our needs evolve.

– The Guest Bedroom / Craft Room –

Trim and floors were updated, and we moved in furniture and reused curtains from the old dining room to make the space feel a bit more finished. The striped walls still need painting, and we’ll sort out final furniture choices when we settle on a long-term plan.

– The Hall Bathroom –

So far we’ve installed faux wood blinds for privacy and added bright accessories. Hanging the shower curtain high helps conceal damaged tile while we plan repairs or a remodel in the future.

– Laundry Nook –

The blue trim is now white and the old carpet was replaced with hardwood, but we haven’t done much beyond that. We’re saving for new appliances and plan to add cabinetry, sound-dampening doors, and possibly a tiled accent wall down the line.

– The Sunroom –

We removed old carpet and torn or broken doors to create a more connected indoor-outdoor space. The ceiling was lofted and some electrical work completed. We imagine light-blue beadboard on the ceiling and tiled flooring for a breezy, bright room—perhaps even an outdoor-style fireplace someday.

– The Back Deck –

We removed a hazardous tree, repaired and repainted siding and trim, patched damage left by the tree, and stripped and re-stained the deck. It was in rough shape when we bought the house, so reclaiming this outdoor space has been particularly rewarding.

We stopped doing monthly recaps during the move, but posts like this are great for freezing a moment in time and remembering how things looked early on. Do you ever take photos or keep progress posts so you can look back and appreciate how far your home has come? Our ongoing house tour keeps getting updated with progress photos, and these snapshots are the ones we love to revisit and say, “wow, remember that?”