In 2012 we came out with guns blazing, ready to take on the world. Perhaps it's our residual exhaustion from an action packed year, or maybe it's the fact that we're getting older, but in 2013 we're being a bit more tempered with our list of New Year's Resolutions.

Don't get me wrong. It's not that we're dialing back our DIY efforts or even are setting the bar lower, but we want to ensure that we accomplish all of our resolutions, as well as leave ample time for pop up projects. As history has shown us, sometimes inspiration strikes at the most inopportune moments, and we want to have the mental and physical flexibility to take on new things that come our way. 

So here it is, in all its glory. Our list of 2013 resolutions:

Resolution #1: Renovate the master bathroom!

This one has been on my list since the end of 2008, and I'm officially sick and tired of this unfinished project. Ninety percent of the time having only one bathroom isn't an issue for us, but on those occasions that we have guests or one of us isn't feeling well, the desire for an en suite bathroom skyrockets.

Due to the small stature and lack of vanity in our guest bathroom, I've been applying my makeup and drying my hair each morning in our guest bedroom for the last three years. Aside from sharing one shower, this little detail is less than convenient for our guests. So really, and I mean really, 2013 is the year of the master bathroom renovation.

Resolution #2: Replace the stolen copper downspout.

Thanks to the jerks who stole our copper downspout this fall, we have a new exterior item on our project list. As much as the flexible dryer vent was an affordable option, it leaves a bit to be desired in the aesthetics department. 

Resolution #3: Finish building and installing the storm windows.

We love that we still have the original windows in our home, but these windows aren't the epitome of energy efficiency. Alex started building custom storm windows for our living room, dining room, master bedroom, and master bathroom, and we resolve to have this project will be completed in 2013. 

Resolution #4: Restore the original windows in our master bedroom, master bathroom, and living room. Piggybacking on what I said above, our original windows have seen better days...like in the 1890s. Once the new storm windows are installed, we'll remove the old sash, strip and reglaze them, and give them a fresh coat of paint. 

This work will be instrumental in preventing water from making it's way in during severe storms, and will also extend the life of these windows for hopefully another 125 years.

Resolution #5: Remove the old oil drum from the basement.

Buried amongst the crap in our basement is an old oil drum that we inherited with the house. This big tank, once instrumental to having heat in our home, now sits idle taking up a sizable corner of our tight basement. It's hard to see, but it's in the photo above behind the rolls of paper towels, beneath the heaps of wood scraps. 

Our goal is to have it removed and its contents safely discarded, so we can reclaim this area of our subterranean work space. In its place, we'll build a work surface, as well as a place to store larger tools like the miter saw, wet saw, and Alex's new bench top planer. 

It has long been our dream to perform a major overhaul on our home, flip flopping the location of our kitchen and family room. Part of this aggressive plan would include removing the wall between the two rooms, creating one big open area for cooking and entertaining. 

How does this factor into the basement? Well, for starters, if we're to remove that wall, we suspect we'd have to do some serious structural reinforcement, potentially beneath the two rooms. We also know how cramped our basement is just for storage alone, and we'd love to expand the space from what currently runs under our living and dining rooms, back an additional two rooms. This doubling of our basement could allow for a separate storage and woodworking area, plus the addition of a living space and bathroom. It will be a HUGE undertaking, and likely not one we'll be poised to start in 2013, but the more we know about the cost, the sooner we can start saving.

So that's it -- what we plan to accomplish in 2013. As you can see, some of the resolutions are more complex than others, but we're looking forward to tackling each of them. 

What do you think? Did we omit a major item that you feel should be on the list? Have you made any resolutions for the new year that you'd like to share? We'd love to hear all about it.