Our 2025 Cabin Renovation Goals + 2024 Recap
Don’t even get me started on asking where the hell 2024 went. Last year felt like the blink of an eye! But now it’s 2025 and I really need to get my butt in gear thinking about and planning my next batch of cabin renovations and projects. I share renovation goals annually—sometimes they pan out and sometimes I prefer to be outside or reading or generally not living in a construction site. So let’s dive into what I had hoped to accomplish last year, what actually got done and what I want to (try to) focus on in 2025!
2024 Cabin Renovation Recap
I always enjoy reflecting on our past goals before establishing fresh ones. Let’s take a brief look back at what we achieved in 2024:
Cat Hell aka My Purrfect Purple Pantry
Truly THE defining renovation project of 2024 for me and my social media accounts! Do I still owe this blog a Cat Hell recap? Yes. But did that pantry makeover totally transform my entire life also? Yes! In case you missed it, basically I transformed our root cellar, which the previous owners had used for their cats’ litter boxes, into an amazing pantry. You can see the reveal here (and here’s a link to the cost breakdown in case you’re curious!). It turned out so well and has been an amazing addition to daily life here in our cabin. And before you ask… yeah there are still a lot of small things that aren’t finished down there. Naturally.
Finishing the Primary Bathroom Refresh
After the orange bathroom debacle, I refreshed the primary bathroom in 2023… and then didn’t finish it until November of 2024. But hey, that counts, right?? Say yes. Finishing the project meant installing our fancy new Toto Washlet (which I highly recommend, btw), finally putting down the last 8 floor tiles and adding a few decor touches like a thrifted mirror. Oh and putting the toilet paper holder back on the wall which had fallen off literally minutes after I installed it and then sat on the floor for at least 13 months.
Expanding My Vegetable Garden & Landscaping
As soon as summer hits, my garden and landscaping projects take precedent over pretty much everything. So 2024 saw lots more growth (pun intended) in the garden, plus a lot more landscaping in the garden beds in front of our living room windows. Plus, we got ducks to help with my slug issues and provide eggs during the winter months when the chickens aren’t laying. I also scored an amazing FREE greenhouse, so you’ll be seeing more of that once I come up with a plan for it.
Updating the Library Nook
The library nook was one of the first reveals that I shared of our cabin, ever, and really needed some updating. Not only did I absorb a massive collection of art books when Andy sold his house, it’s grown because I love reading. I installed heavy duty brackets and used inexpensive wooden boards that I painted white to open up the space a bit more. It’s so pleasing to look at from various angles around the cabin! I still need to install flooring in that section of the house and add an electrical outlet (it’s the one spot in the house without a single outlet—wild!).
2025 Cabin Renovation Goals:
One Big Renovation: Either the Kitchen or a Bathroom—For Real This Time!
Now that I know how much my online community enjoys me documenting a renovation start to finish with weekly/twice a week video updates, I have SO MANY IDEAS on what to do next. At a high level, my goal is to have at least one major renovation series that I can share on social media and this blog per year, if not two. Spoiler alert: I am in the planing stages of one right now and hope to start sharing it in the next couple of weeks. Be sure to follow me on Instagram to see it (and I guess TikTok even though as of writing this blog post it could get banned).
New Flooring Throughout the Cabin
And while we’re on the topic of major cabin renovation projects that have a 50/50 chance of actually getting done… I desperately want to replace the early ’90s first gen laminate flooring that covers our main floor. The color is all wrong, it’s got so much damage and it never looks clean. I would love having consistent flooring throughout the house, but I’m not sure how that would work with the TV room floor being natural cedar planks and the gear room/office being parquet. But that’s a problem to figure out once the project is actually going to happen.
At this point, having the main living area flooring up in the air is a major issue in terms of starting a proper kitchen renovation. The flooring goes under the existing cabinets and I wouldn’t want to install anything new over a floor that I loathe and has massive water damage. So, really, that’s step one in getting a proper kitchen designed and installed.
Actually Finish Projects—Yes, Again
It can’t possible be a secret anymore that I struggle to actually finish projects, especially for my larger cabin renovations. So once again, I am aiming to finish more projects in 2025. Here’s a long list that barely scratches the surface if we’re being completely transparent here (most of which are carryovers from 2024):
- paint touch ups in primary bedroom
- paint and install outlet covers and switch plates in office/gear room and primary bedroom
- patch holes from hanging art
- fix step in bedroom
- sand down doors that have paint drips and repaint
- Install new door for Cat Hell
- Use existing Cat Hell door as a door to the water heater closet in the primary bedroom
- lighting on catwalk upstairs
- flooring in guest bedroom
- select quality furniture for key areas to replace items that don’t fit or are falling apart: sofa in the living room and dining table, specificially
- continue expanding the garden
- finish front yard landscaping with a cut flower garden
- create an artist’s studio space in Sean’s shop where I can create and paint and get away from technology
- Install a real closet in the primary bedroom
- Setting up the greenhouse so it’s functional and cute
Eff, that list looks daunting. Even if we accomplish half of it, I’d be happy and proud. So we’ll see what actually gets done, but even just mapping it out like this helps me to stay accountable. Plus, manifestation, etc. Leave a comment letting me know what you think of my list and what your renovation goals are for the new year!
In my quest to stay off socials as much as I can to preserve my sanity, I’m back to reading blogs! So was happy to come across a new post, Joanna. Your list is a little daunting, maybe, but a good mix of small, medium, and large tasks. I will be working on a solo show set to open in August, so not too much happening in the way of big projects for me. We’ve been reconfiguring our guest room to function as extra art storage for me, guest space, hubby’s seed starting station, desk space, and camping/hiking gear storage. That’s my main focus to get to a somewhat finished point. Also continuing to landscape our front garden areas. Looking forward to lots of ways to distract ourselves for the next 4 years. ;-)