Thanks everyone! Let me try to answer all the questions... holleygarden: The house faces east, and the porch is in full sun for a good part of the day. The screened porch side of the house is mostly shade (to the side and back of the house) and pretty boggy...but that situation is a whole separate post! :-) And yes, I think the space under the porch could be accessed from either side. I'm not sure if my guy would be totally satisfied with that, but I think I could talk him into it. leafy02: We're in north/central MS, which I think is zone 7 (?). We also have really heavy clay soil in this area, unfortunately. missingtheobvious: I'm really hoping he will be OK with accessing through the side panels. I'm not 100% sure, but I think they can be removed fairly easily, and I think they just pop in and out (no screws, or not many). I believe 2-3 ft. of space would be an ample amount of room, but I'd have to check with him about the equipment... We do currently have grass planted right up to edge of the house (the picture was taken toward the end of our construction phase). And yeah, I'm sure dragging heavy pots out of the way would get old pretty fast, but I don't think it would be frequent...maybe only once or twice a year? There will eventually be a railing around the porch, but it will probably take a few years before we are able to get to that due to all the other projects we have going on. The box planters are a thought...I've just been using hanging baskets so far. We have a lot of oak trees on our property, but there is nothing right by the house, so it would be nice to have a little shade. It's also pretty windy where we live, so we've discussed planting some trees as a windbreak, too. Thanks again!

Your drawing is on the right track. Mullions in the windows, longer windows, and changes of color and material will make a huge difference. But you are also on a tight budget. Work on getting the one or two upgrades that will give you the most bang for the buck now, and leave the rest as projects that you can do after you move in. Landscaping, shutters, premium fixtures, etc. can be bought later with cash, so they are not part of the mortgage, and that's cheaper in the long run. Also you are not under quite as much pressure-- fewer decisions up front. Just tell yourself it's "good enough for now." One thing that has not been mentioned is architectural roof shingles. These are thicker, with a much heavier texture, than the basic grades. They read as quality, and you have a lot of roof there, so cheap will not look good.

Can you put a flat basket on top of the microwave to hold some of those loose things, if they need to stay? I'm guessing that those brown packets are tea or something. A tray with high sides, or a flat open basket, would function a lot like a drawer, and the sides would camouflage some of that stuff. Then some of that stuff can get off the counter and into a "cabinet" (except, not a cabinet, but the tray on top of the microwave). (I actually have a basket in my home that I need to get rid of that would probably work great for this!) Like this! (mine's not quite the same weave; mine's a little more refined that this) DII Durable Trapezoid Woven Nylon Storage Bin or Basket for Organizing Your Home, Office, or Closets (Tray - 13x15x5") Black - Set of 2 by Amazon.com Learn more: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N4CDZ72/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_pa8tCb8SDRJX3 The other option is to move all kettle & drink "supplies" into that cabinet (even if you have to displace stuff that's already there). Are you absolutely certain you can't move the phone and answering machine elsewhere? I think having the kettle there along with the microwave is very reasonable. But I'd try to move the electronics somewhere else--anywhere else. Can the modem move, or is it tied to that phone jack? If it can't move, then yes, mount it under the cabinet, even if you have to jury-rig something using cable ties. Or, set it under an upside-down box of some sort. Or lean it on the wall behind the microwave. What's the green thing? A "lawn drying rack" for baby bottles? (those look like baby-bottle nipples on it) That, I would say you should find some other place for. The other option, once you've moved the "supplies" into the cabinet or into that tray, is simply to embrace the functionality of that space. Can you DO the things you need to do there? Get to the kettle, get to the tea, reheat something in the microwave, pick up your phone messages? All without a lot of fiddling and futzing, and moving stuff out of the way or knocking it over? If so, then it is what it is--a very hard-working corner in the room that is essentially the core WORKROOM of your home. And it doesn't matter that it's not lovely.

Photos??