Despite the 90+ degree days here in Connecticut, summer is over. Labor Day has come and gone. Kids are back in school. I spent the weekend at a friend’s wedding on the water in Mystic–and then recovering from a night of drinking and dancing. But I spent my day off knocking another project off my list.

When my grandmother moved in with my aunt I took a large dresser and its matching nightstand that she had used for a buffet in her dining room. It was a good, solid dresser but was very dark and formal. My cousin and I sanded and painted it but when we moved it upstairs it took a couple of hits and the paint was scratched. Then daily life scratched up the top over the past couple of years. Meanwhile, the bedside table was still the dark stain because I wasn’t sure where I was going to use it. I originally thought I would put it in my spare bedroom, but it didn’t fit. So I put it in my bedroom, but didn’t get around to painting it until this week.

I also touched up the other dresser, and bought a table runner to protect the top from daily wear and tear. I keep forgetting to take “before” photos so you’ll have to imagine what these looked like when they were a dark, formal brown with brass hardware. Here’s the end result:

You may also notice that I’ve knocked another item off my list below. The TV in my living room sits on a small bookcase. It’s a pale wood color that I don’t particularly like. I’ve been thinking about painting it, but I’ve also been thinking about replacing the whole thing with a taller bookshelf with a back and adjustable shelves. It would hide the wires but, more importantly, give me room for more books. I haven’t decided which route I’m going to take yet, but I figured I should knock it off the list for now so that I can concentrate on the other items on my list.

• Finally make a couch decision
• Paint the $30 Goodwill kitchen island
• Touch-up the paint on my blue dresser
• Paint the bookshelf/TV stand
• Fix the wall in the back room
• Find an organization solution for the back room
• Declutter the office
• Get rid of stuff in the guest closet–then put in shelves
• Doctor the curtains