One year ago today I picked up the keys to my house.

This was a big moment for us. A year earlier I had separated from my husband and moved myself and my two boys into a rental while we sold our family home. It was a rough time for everyone and I knew the boys felt unsettled. So it was a relief to me when I bought the house and could provide more stability for my family.

The house I bought had not been looked after well which meant it was in my price range but also that while liveable I knew there was a lot of work ahead to make it our dream home.

So one year on it was nice to reflect on what I done to move towards my dream home.

• Closed a door way in the third bedroom and added a window. It was a weird room from renovations by the previous owners that left the bedroom with no windows and two doors.
• Removed the wall separating the two back rooms to make one large room that can become a large toy room/Playstation room/guest room.
• Fixed multiple issues with plumbing, heating and electrical work as well as adding ventilation in bathrooms and extra power points (how do you cope with a single power point per room?)

This is probably where I should point out that I did not personally do these and a builder, electrician and plumber did this work.

• Painted the second and third bedrooms in full.
• Bought a lot of furniture as I took very little when I separated.
• Removed a skip full of garbage from the backyard and then, with a lot of help from my father, added vegetable garden, tidied existing garden beds and added new plants.

I have now moved on to the large back room and am trying to stay motivated as it will be great when it is done and the boys have a great space for when friends are over.

One year on, in reflection, it is not yet my dream home, but it is home. It is our space and more of our personalities are being reflected in it every day. I wonder what my reflection will be like in another year.

• House Renovations