Fridge Clean Out Part 2...

About 4 years ago, we were at a liquor store picking up some wine to bring over to a friend's house and succumbed to temptation and bought a Four Loko (Fruit Punch Flavor). We wanted to try this crazy concoction of redbull, malt liquor, caffeine, lighter fluid, smarties and drano that all the cool kids were doing.

But we aren't cool kids anymore and we were too scared to try it. So four years later - when cleaning out our fridge, we decide to give it a whirl. 

Yeah. Gross.

The fridge clean out...

My amazing parents came to LA for the week to help us pack, help us get the rental and our place ready for us, and just generally assist in whatever way they can. It has been an amazing relief to have them around for deliveries, stove repair, screwing in new mailboxes.

 Last night we started packing up the kitchen (the number of boxes labeled "BAKING" is of a little concern...) and did a big fridge clean out dinner - fritatta with whatever veggies we had, salad, and some quick bread for dessert using up whatever we could find. It ended up being bananas, strawberries, pecans and coconut. Pretty good.

You can find the recipe we created at my other part-time online home, Saucy Little Dish!

Before and Afters - Rental Bedrooms

The rental unit is ALMOST done - still a few lights to hang, corners to touch up, and floors to sweep. Here are some before and afters for you.

In all the bedrooms we PAINTED, put in NEW CARPET and replaced the gross LIGHT FIXTURES. We also washed the windows and the mirrored closets, which makes more differnence than you can even imagine. Here we go:

SMALL BEDROOM BEFORE:

SMALL BEDROOM AFTER (bye bye little cartoon men!):

SECOND BEDROOM BEFORE:

SECOND BEDROOM AFTER (bye bye crazy purple!):

MASTER BEDROOM BEFORE:

MASTER BEDROOM AFTER:

Ahhhh, I know it's just paint and carpet but it feels so much better. Let's just hope potential renters like it!

Apartment for Rent...

Last weekend, we listed the rental unit on Craigslist and Westside Rentals (a local LA apartment hunting site) and are waiting on bites. We had a few people come by last weekend, while the place was a bit of a disaster zone with workers. Now it's nearly ready to go, we've been replacing lights, drawer pulls, cleaning, and tomorrow, new carpet goes in.

WHERE ARE OUR TENANTS? This is getting really stressful, really nervewracking and we will both feel soooo much better when someone is living happily inside and we can just focus on making our half a cozy home. (Wood floors starting going in today! yay!)

WHY DOESN'T ANYONE WANT TO LIVE WITH US!??? WE ARE CALM NORMAL NICE PEOPLE...TOTALLY CALM. REALLY REALLY CALM! AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH...

Is it too much to ask...

...for ATTRACTIVE flush mount lights for under $50?? Why must they all look like boobs or spaceships??

I want to replace the cheapy gross ones in the downstairs of the rental unit. Need 4. Don't want to spend much money. Ugh.

What a difference white paint makes...

Oh man, the painters have been hard at work...and just look at what a difference some fresh paint makes in the rental unit. Here is the kitchen (view from the dining room) before:

Here is after:

I think it works.

The elbow grease begins...

The cabinets in the rental unit are not particularily pretty, but they are in decent shape and do the job. However, they are covered in a greasy goo from years of use. The previous owner didn't put drawer pulls on the cabinets (or ever cleaned anything, ever) so the corners and tops are grungy and sticky. Yesterday, while waiting on some prospective tenants to stop by, we used a combo of Goo Gone, Fantastic, and arm muscle to start scrubbing away the years of gunk. It's not fun, but it works. Check out these - The left's been scrubbed, the right is still grungy.

Better right? A little? Regardless, they DO look better in person and I feel better about renting it now. Today, I bought some wood conditioner that I'll apply when we are totally done, just to give them a little love.

Why we bought where we did...

Here's an interesting blog post about people like us (though with more money than us) buying multi-unit properties in our neighborhood of Echo Park. I think we picked a good neck of the woods. (Via The Eastsider)

The work begins...

We took ownership of the duplex yesterday!

And after walking our contractor and his guys through it last night, work began today. Because we need to rent the front apartment ASAP they are tackling that first. Fresh paint, new AC/Heat Units, new carpet, garbage disposal, etc.

We'll do some "Before and Afters" eventually but I can't wait to see how just a brighter coat of white paint changes the whole thing.

I know painting is easy and the DIY Blog World is probably going to hate that we're hiring guys to do it, but we both have day jobs. And need to get this place rented. AND don't really want to paint this railing ourselves. We have plenty of time for DIY.

More pics of everything this weekend...when we DUM DUM DUUUUH...will be showing the place to potential tenants! eek!

This is our cross street...

A few weeks ago, a stretch limo got stuck at the top of Baxter. Definitely don't think we are in a flood zone. (HT: Echo Park Now)

It's almost time...

Today, the bank "funds" our loan...money is moved...the house itself changes hands. We can talk about it more later, but it's overwhelming and intense. Friday we went to our escrow company and signed hours of documents. Everything from a form making us agree to get flood insurance if we are in a flood zone, and then ANOTHER document making us aware that we ARE NOT in a flood zone.

I think we get our keys tomorrow.

The other final piece of the puzzle, is that over the weekend our house was tented and fumigated for termites - mostly preventative, no one freak out! When I first moved to Los Angeles and saw these striped tents I thought it was so insane. Now, I barely even notice them.

Look how big the building looks in it's stripey glory...jeez. The tent comes down today, the place airs out Tuesday, and Wednesday AM our workers go in and start some demo.

Get excited.

We are about to buy this...

A duplex in Echo Park...not an orange tree. It's just the prettiest picture I had.