I haven’t been here in a few days because I’ve been cleaning! I’m trying to get the house ready for listing, and it’s a job and a half. Fortunately, this is the kind of cleaning I enjoy (the kind where I get to throw things away… ah, such satisfaction!) It isn’t leaving much knitting time though. I have completed the backs of both my WIPs, and the drawstring chemise is perhaps 2 good knitting days away from completion (it would be closer, but I have not knit since Saturday… insane for me!)
I did swatch for the printed silk cardigan, and determined I need to find my size 2 addis, which I think are slightly larger than the knitpicks size 2s I have (the swatch on the bottom is on 2s and is slightly too small… I would just make a larger size but I don’t have that much yarn.) The size 3s were way big.
I’m going to try and find my other size 2/3 needles, because the swatch on 3s is big, but the 2 is a bit small.
I’m trying to decide if I want to try painting the kitchen cabinets before we show the house. Currently they are covered in melamine, but it’s very old and is coming off in sheets (we have two whole drawers with no paint at all.) I’m confident I could easily remove the rest of it, but it seems like an awful lot of trouble… have I been watching too many of those “sell you house” shows? Will people reject the condo because the cabinets need painting?
Anyway, I will be back soon with real knitting content. Just as soon as I crawl out from beneath this vast pile of organizing…
Green apples - Stitchywitch Creates 
Hi-good luck selling your place. I personally wouldn’t paint the cabinets as long as the kitchen still feels welcoming. Paint is such an easy thing to fix when you move into a new place, but for you, it would just be one more thing to fix before you leave. I don’t think it will effect the price or selling time by enough to justify it. That’s my two cents. 🙂
Wow, good luck selling your condo. It is a lot of work, but I agree throwing out stuff is a good thing. I would not worry about the cupboards; people are not NOT going to buy your place because the cupboards need paint – it’s just one more stressful thing for you to do.
Good luck with your sale! I’m going to be a potentially dissenting voice. *If* you live in an area that is a tight market right now, the cabinets can influence how people view your home in general. When we sold our house last year, we really did feel pressure to “compete” with the other houses up for sale–most of them were decorated and staged, a la the sell-you-home shows. It seemed that people particularly paid attention to the kitchen and bathrooms more so than the bedrooms/living room/dining. Maybe because those are the rooms that are harder to redo and in a competitive market, many buyers would rather not bother. If your area is still a seller’s market though, then I’d let it go, kick your feet up, and get in some extra knitting. Fingers crossed for you!
I agree with soknitpicky. The kitchen and baths sell a house. When you are looking at multiple homes one little thing, like unpainted cupboards, could cause them to choose another over yours…just because it is finished. Good luck!
I also agree with soknitpicky. The kitchen and bathrooms are the things people pay most attention to because they are seen as expensive and difficult to change (not true, by the way). Painting cabinets is a pain the butt, but will give you a huge bang for your buck.
I am in the “yes” category. Take the time to rip off the melamine and paint. People who are out to buy a house look at the stupidest things. Instead of worrying that the roof and foundation and other “bones” of the house are sound, they will reject a house because “Oh, this room is painted GREEN, and I hate GREEN”, or some such idiocy. (Probably why I got such a great deal on my fixer-upper condo).
The other thing people will think is that if they see these unrepaired doors, they will suspect that there are other projects which are either unfinished or in disrepair, and that will either make them suspicious of your home, or want to lower their offer on the asking price.
It’s a pain in the butt, but I think it will be worth your while.
Count me in the ‘yes’ camp as well. We were looking at two houses last year when we bought ours. They were identical models, maybe a block apart, both with their original kitchens. In the house around the corner, the cabinets weren’t painted or refinished and the tile grout was dark brown. In the house we ended up buying, the cabinets had been stripped and whitewashed, and the grout lines on the counter had been painted white. It made us see our kitchen, in every other way identical to the one around the corner, as newer and fresher. I know it sucks, but when you’re in a tight market, especially in a condo where there are comparable models within feet of your door, you’ve got to stand out. The home sale shows aren’t wrong on this.
I’m in the “yes” camp too. Kitchens sell houses. We painted our cabinets, and the whole kitchen looks brighter and more loved. It’s a pain to do, but it might be the make or break thing for a buyer.
Only go for painting if you have the time to complete it all and rid the “new paint” smell. Good luck!
If you don’t want to peel and paint you could always do something along these lines:
http://treschicveronique.blogspot.com/
If you don’t want to deal with the whole painting thing you could always try something along these lines: http://treschicveronique.blogspot.com/
I’d say paint the cabinets, but I’m a kitchen freak- they have to feel clean to me. There’s way to much on the market right now not to.
I love that purge cleaning- it is so satisfying.