February Vacation 2015, Day 1

First day of vacation is coming to a close. Yes, it's another "staycation" because going south may be in my dreams, but its not in my budget. Trying to work on renovating the sewing area in my basement. Previous owners finished the seams and the corners in the drywall with wood. It doesn't look bad, but it's not how I want it. I've got most of the wood stripped in the sewing area (the rest of the basement will have to wait for another time as that's not in my budget either). Some of it is not coming off very easily. Tomorrow will probably be shopping day: corner bead, nails, drywall mud, tape, mud spreaders (putty knives?), sand paper and maybe the subflooring. Still mulling over whether or not I can afford to have the light fixtures moved. There are four wall fixtures, only 2 of which are in the sewing area, but I want to move all 4 to the ceiling so that I can use the wall space for hanging quilting projects in progress. With the boards and the light fixtures on the wall, I really didn't have much room for my design wall. So, I want to remedy that, but the electrician's estimate was $587 plus tax. That's with me buying the light fixtures, which I've already done. I've also been trying to de-clutter, but you'd never know that from looking at my living room. Most of the stuff from the sewing room is now in my living room. And as part of de-cluttering, I've been trying to sell/give away stuff that I no longer want or need. If I can raise enough money, then I'll get the light fixtures moved. So, I've been posting things online and having to take pictures of the items in order to do so. Currently trying to unload a set of Princess House Pavillion dinnerware. Because it's MLM (multi-level marketing), it costs a lot more than it's worth: a lot of money for made in China stoneware. And like all stoneware, it chips fairly easily. And it's big and clunky. I never really liked it all that well. I bought it during the dying days of my marriage and think I was just trying to fill the emotional holes with "stuff." Anyway, the dinnerware (service for 12 plus a number of serving pieces - 2 good sized boxes of it) is now sitting in my living room, along with a dozen Christmas chargers (as in large plates to use under your dinner plate) and two stacks of cookbooks that I'm trying to find a new home for. 
Back to the sewing room, or maybe I should call it "crafting studio," since it's also got my crocheting and acrylic painting supplies in it... It all started with selling the snow tires that I still had from my Ford Escape. Enough money to give me a little "nest egg" to start the renovations. In particular, the flooring. It gets very cold down there and the floor is just concrete. Getting something down to give it a little insulation, not to mention aesthetics, will be a blessing. I won't have to wear a jacket and gloves like I sometimes did while computing when I had my office down there. And I did some extra "on call" for work to help pay for the flooring. But then I decided I might as well do the drywall and painting before I do the flooring. That's not going to be too expensive. But then I figured I ought to get the lighting fixtures moved first so that I can patch any holes left in the wall when the fixtures are moved since I would already be working on the drywall (wallboard, gyprock or whatever other English-speaking countries call it). So, really I ought to get the fixtures moved... Now, if only I can sell that dinnerware. I've also got an older stove that should be sold. Selling those items will go a long ways to paying for the electrician.
And then finally, I will put shelving in, so that I can store and organize my crafting stuff. It's not going to be cheap when all is said and done, but considering how much of my non-working time is spent in my crafting studio, it will be worth it.