Does the Bathroom Really NEED Baseboards?

Good morning! I hope your Friday is off to a nice start. Okay, depending on where you live Friday may be about over, but we won’t get hung up on that. I just want you to have a good day!

First things first. When my wife read my post earlier this week, she had one comment. “Did you use the word ‘Monday’ enough?” Well, maybe. I made a deal with Monday. It was feeling bad about its reputation, so I agreed to spread its good name, and in return it’ll be nice to me. Besides, there’s no such thing as bad publicity. Politicians are living proof of that.

Also, before I launch into today’s message, I want to share a personal celebration. I’ve been on a medically-assisted weight loss program that’s shaved off 30 pounds. But the best news came in my blood test results this week. Every number was within range, with one exception and it’s moving in the right direction. And since the first time I heard of A1C, I’m no longer pre-diabetic!

So, yes, goals can be achieved. Even for old guys like me. And some of those goals come with hidden blessings. Sometimes they come with constipation, too, but you get the idea. No matter what goal you’re chasing, expect some consequential changes you may not have considered. By anticipating those changes beforehand, you can formulate a plan to work with or around them.

Unless you’re remodeling a bathroom you didn’t personally build in the first place. Take it from me. I ran into all manner of “hidden blessings” on that job. I’m not sure my pastor would approve of the words I used to consecrate them, but he didn’t see the mess I tore into. And no, I didn’t anticipate any of it. If I had, that bathroom would still look exactly as it did, just older.

But that’s a good example of how unexpected surprises can derail an otherwise straightforward task. I was certain I could completely demolish the old bathroom in one evening, and then install a new tub, toilet, vanity, mirror, lights, and ceiling fan Saturday morning. Then I’d tile the floor and tub walls. That would all be completed by noon Sunday, and all I’d have to do is paint.

Except the floor had to be done before the toilet and vanity, and I didn’t anticipate the huge bulge in the wall behind the vanity, because it had been covered by a floor-to-ceiling closet. When I removed the closet, I also found out the popcorn ceiling had been done after the closet was built, so now I had a perfect outline of the 2×4 walls on the ceiling. More consecration.

I got the job done a couple of days late, if we can agree to define “done” as “usable, safe, and reasonably watertight.” Which is the way I tend to finish most jobs of this sort. My wife lovingly referred to our house as the island of misfit (missing) trim. I ripped out all the carpet in our house and installed 1000 square feet of laminate flooring by myself. The baseboards can wait.

And they did. Fourteen years later, we sold the house without them. I’m not proud of that, and my wife has used it against me more times than I’d care to admit. But I’ve learned that usable, safe, and reasonably watertight is only good enough for life rafts. I won’t start any project now unless I’m certain I not only can but WILL finish it. In other words, I’ve been sitting around a lot.

How about you? Are you one of those who gets started before daylight and doesn’t stop until the second coat of paint is dry? Or do you work to restore functionality first so you can take a breather? Be honest. You already know which one I am. And, while I don’t hide from that, I am trying to change. But at this age, I’ve learned to accept it – at least for planning purposes.

Take some time this weekend to think about your usual manner of tackling a project. Even if you’re one of those “no sleep until it’s completely done” people, I bet there are still things you’d like to change. And, if you fall anywhere short of that level of perfection, give it some serious thought. I’ll give you a challenge in Monday’s column. (See what I did there?)

That’s all for now. Enjoy your weekend and make it a point to see what I’ve got in store for you on Monday. (Now that I’ve said that I absolutely HAVE to come up with something good.) Have an awesome day!

© 2026 Dave Glardon – All rights reserved