A few years ago, I hired a local contractor to weatherize my home. Part of the job included removing the old drop ceilings in my living room and kitchen and replacing them with drywall. But they only finished part of the job—just one coat of tape and mud. The rest? That was left up to me. This was disclosed to me before work began.
However, I had no idea how to finish a ceiling. I’d never done anything like that before, and I didn’t have the confidence to even try. I reached out to several people hoping to hire someone to help, but no one followed through. And so, the ceiling sat—unfinished. For literally years.
What I didn’t realize at the time was how much that unfinished ceiling was affecting me emotionally.
Little by little, I started falling out of love with my home.
This house, the one I bought and paid for entirely on my own, used to be my pride and joy. But after so many setbacks and broken repair promises and unfinished work from others, it began to feel like a burden. Something I couldn’t keep up with. In my eyes, it started to look like a dump. And that weighed on me more than I cared to admit. I became more and more depressed each time I walked into this house and saw not just the unfinished ceiling but the unfinished trim for the windows someone I hired never bothered to finish. The cracked and falling-apart tile on the kitchen countertop was poorly installed. and the chewed away flooring that the unplanned puppies my dog had a couple of years ago. I hate ( a word I don’t like to use, but it’s the only way I can describe how I feel) the state of my house right now.
The falling out of love with my home contributed in a big way to my depression. I stopped caring about my space. I stopped seeing it as something beautiful. I stopped seeing myself as capable.
But something shifted.
As I’ve begun to live a simpler, more intentional life, I realized I couldn’t keep waiting for someone else to show up. I had to be the one to take back my space. And so, I decided to start learning how to do it myself. A few Months prior, I bought all the materials and tools I’d need to finish that ceiling. But life—along with ADHD, menopause, seasonal depression, and fear—kept getting in the way. The supplies sat in a corner, untouched.
Until yesterday.
I finally decided to try.
I grabbed my tools, picked a small area, and started mudding. And to my surprise, it wasn’t nearly as difficult as I made it out to be in my head. I had been psyching myself out for years, convinced I wasn’t capable. But the truth is: I am.
The DIY Transformation Tools I used
I’m taking it one step at a time, slowly, with intention, not perfection.
But that one small patch of ceiling was more than just home improvement. It was the beginning of a bigger journey.
This is just step one of reclaiming my home.
There’s still a lot to do.
But now, I believe I can do it.
The moral of the story?
You never know what you’re capable of until you try.
“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” – Arthur Ashe
This DIY home transformation isn’t just about drywall and mud. It’s about rebuilding confidence. Reconnecting with my space. Reclaiming my power.
So if there’s something in your home—or your life—that feels overwhelming, maybe it’s time to stop waiting. Start small. Start scared. Start anyway.
Because sometimes, the most powerful transformations begin with just a little mud on the ceiling.
Now, if you’ll excuse me… I’ve got more reclaiming to do.
Stay Blessed <3
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