Practical purchases I have not used (but should)

Generally, I am frugal and consider the effect spending time and money on a particular item or project will have on my comfort or my home. However, I know there are more than a few things in my house that sit around waiting for me to take that last step and make them functional. Maybe you do as well. The following is a list of projects that would benefit me to have finished:

Install a indoor clothes line. I do have one in the basement but it is only eight feet long, not enough to put much on it. It is a travel one a previous resident put up and has its uses but I need more space. I purchased a retractable clothes line that goes to 40 feet, but it sits in my basement waiting for its time to flourish. This could save me some energy as I would have to run my dryer less even in the winter.

Sew curtains. This has been a to-do project since I moved into the house. For two years, I have had precut and washed fabric just waiting for me to sew into lined curtains for my bedroom and office. The finished curtains would not only add more color and vibrancy to the rooms but they would block light, heat and cold. For my bedroom, the roman shades do a great job but for the office, the blinds are not so good. I have curtain rods and hardware--I just need to make the curtains.

Recaulk the bathtub. I did some recaulking when I first moved into the house. There were some very obvious gaps where the caulk was applied too thinly to cover. I also noticed that when the previous owner had the ceramic tile installed, a new subfloor was put in as there is old water damage around where the bathtub is. However, I have noticed some of the older caulk is now molding and pulling away from the side of the tub. I have the tools to remove the old caulk and put in nice new caulk but have not done it yet. Making sure the tub is tightly sealed to the surround keeps it water tight and minimizes rot.

Install a GFCI outlet in the garage. I have several outlets in the garage, none of which are ground-fault circuit interruptable. Depending on the direction of rain or the amount of snow on my car, I do have water that collects in the garage. While I tend not to mix electricity with water, the potential is there especially with my electric snowthrower. In addition, one of the outlets is broken right where the third prong rests. This means the outlet cannot even hold a three-pronged cord. I did buy a GFCI outlet to replace it but it sits in the garage waiting for that perfect sunny, warm (but not too hot) day. That is at least three months away.

I do have some projects in mind for this weekend. I doubt any of these will make the list, but this post is a reminder that I need to get these practical purchases to their final destination. Protecting my home and making a more comfortable place to live is only to my benefit.