Reviewing 2018’s Home Goals + Setting New Ones for 2019


One of our favorite January traditions here on the DIY Playbook is sitting down to review our home goals from last year while making a new list of home goals for the year ahead. We refer back to these lists throughout the year because they helpย us prioritize which projects toย research, plan, and do. You can view our home goals for 2018 inย this post from last January.

Making 2019 Home Goals

Even if you don’t have a blog, we recommend this practice because it gives us both SO much more clarity on where to focus our attention for the year. Plus, it always excites us and provides lots of motivation to start the year fresh! And let’s be honest, who doesn’t love knocking off items on a to-do list throughout the year?!

First, let’s review how we did last year…

Casey’s 2018 Home Goals – 88% Complete

Guest bathroom renovation reveal

My list wasn’t huge in 2018, mostly because Finn and I are pretty much done renovating our 1,200 square foot condo. Our big task for the year was gutting and remodeling our guest bathroom and I’m so happy we finally finished that huuuuuge project!

What I Didn’t Accomplish?

It makes me sad to even write it, but the only project we didn’t finish was redoing the guest room closet. Our plan was to convert our guest room into a nursery and it seemed silly to re-do the closet before that happened. So our guest room closet is organized, but not completely re-configured like we initially planned.

Casey’s 2019 Home Goals

You heard it here first…we are looking for a new place! Finn and I have enjoyed 3.5 awesome years in our Chicago condo (you can see the before and after of our place here. Whoa baby!), but it’s time to find a new project. We’ve always known that we would only stay here a few years and we figure now is a good time to sell this place and buy a slightly larger one.Casey's favorite spots in Chicago

We are looking to stay in our same area (Wicker Park/Bucktown/Ukrainian Village) because my entire family lives here and it’s so easy for Finn to get to work. Plus, we absolutely love our neighborhood (more on that here!). I’m sure someday we will move to the suburbs (to be closer to Bridget & Matt!), but for now, it makes sense to stay in the city.Green master bedroom before makeoverGray master bedroom with neutral accessories

We’ve been looking for the past few months, but there isn’t much inventory right now. We’re looking at townhomes, duplexes, and even single-family homes in Chicago. Anything with 3+ bedrooms and more space (yay!). I definitely want something that needs some TLC because I (of course!!!) plan to blog about every single DIY project we do. It doesn’t need to be dilapidated, but something in need of cosmetic upgrades.Preparing to sell our house

So far we haven’t seen anything that’s right for us, but I’ll be sure to keep you guys updated throughout our home buying process. And when we do eventually sell our condo, I’ll let you know in case you are friends with any interested buyers.Buying new home

I know I’m not exactly sharing my 2019 home goals, but once we do find our next home, I’ll be sure to create a list of everything we want to accomplish this year.

Bridget’s 2018 Home Goals – 75% Complete2018 home goals nursery

I feel like I made SO much progress on our house this year, but sadly, I just don’t feel like my 2018 goal list reflects that. Of course, some major items are crossed off the list (like our new kitchen!), but there’s still plenty of smaller scale projects that we didn’t get to.

First, let me show you last year’s list and then I’ll dive into what items will be gracing my list again this year.

What I Didn’t Accomplish?ย family room home goals

We went from almost no furniture in our house at the start of 2018 to almost a fully furnished home by the end of the year. Plus, we renovated our entire kitchen, which was an overwhelming task that took up most of my time and brainpower from September through December. So I don’t want to downplay our home goal successes in 2018, but we still have quite a bit that never got done.

family room home goals 2018I’m still waiting to put the finishing touches on our family room, dining room, and master bedroom. I always have my eyes peeled for perfect pieces but haven’t had much luck finding what I’m looking for. Finishing off these spaces, or at least tying up loose ends, will definitely roll over onto my list for 2019.

I also never got to the bathroom, even though we gutted it at the end of September! I had every intention to DIY it as we progressed on the kitchen but just couldn’t put all the pieces together. I couldn’t envision the kitchen finished, so I was paralyzed with indecision when it came to the bathroom selections. Now that I have more clarity (and more time!), I’m excited to take on this project in 2019.

baby proofing on home goals 2019Now that Ben is officially on theย move, it’s definitely time to start baby-proofing our house. I thought we would need to do this in 2018 but Ben really wasn’t getting into anything until recently, which is why we put this off until now.

organizing closets and drawers in 2019And last, but not least, organizing. I’m a pretty organized person and HATE things in my house disorganized. BUT, with the kitchen, the pregnancy exhaustion, and everything else life has to offer, organizing has taken a back seat recently. I’m excited to dive into this category far more in 2019.

Bridget’s 2019 Home Goals

Some old goals, some new goals, here are 2019 goals for our home…

  • Baby Proof the First Floor
  • Finish Bathroom Renovation Off The Kitchen (in progress!)
  • Finish Decorating the Mudroom (Light fixture, rug, storage?)
  • Organize Closets, Drawers, & Cabinets
    • Organize the Kitchen Cabinets
    • Organize Hall Closet
    • Re-work Master Closet
  • Get Side Table, Plant, Toy Storage, Art and Lamp for the Family Room
  • Get Rug, Art, and Light Fixture for the Dining Room
  • Change Light Fixture in the Mudroom, Bedroom, and Stairwell going downstairs
  • Figure Out Master Bedroom
    • Add a Desk
    • Mount TV
    • Get Rid of Ugly Brown Fan
    • Add More Function/Secret Storage
  • Adjust Nursery to include Baby Mac
  • Plant More Seasonal Plants Outside
  • Organize/Figure Out Garage Storage System

Bring It On, 2019Bring it on 2019!

As always, 2019 is already shaping up to be a busy one! But busy means lots of productivity… so we will take it! How about you guys? What 2019 home goals are on your to-do list?! We’d love to hear!

Bridget&Casey


The Year of Casey

Hey there!

Iโ€™m Casey Finn, the voice behind The DIY Playbook. I’m a Chicago gal teaching you how to design, DIY, and maintain your home…by yourself! Learn more about me right here.