Home, Sweet, Home

I love my house. I really do. It has the right amount of acreage with a wonderful view for this country girl. The inside is just right for my family and the kids and I have enough space to roam and not be crowded. But....
My house is now five years old. That's not old compared to many houses, but for this broke and soon-to-be-divorced mother of three, well, five years is enough for it to show its age. When Tony and I built the house, we knew it wasn't the best quality, but we were getting more square footage in a floor plan we liked than with a custom builder. The initial plan was to wait until the kids stopped destroying the house, then start to slowly update rooms, starting with the kitchen, then the carpet and floors, and finally the master bath.
You might be wondering what could be worn out after only five years? Lots of things. I've got the longest list of home improvements needed and no money to do them. Some of them are simple and easy, and will hopefully get done this summer when I have some time, but others will have a long wait. Most likely a five year wait until I can refinance on my own (or remarry) and buy Tony's share out, or sell. Either way, it's five more years until my kitchen gets renovated.
On the "to do" list for this summer is power-washing and re-staining the front porch. The current sealant has worn away from parts over the years and the boards that never see sun have green stuff growing on them. I've also got the bathroom sink that drains really slow, the vinyl flooring peeling up, shampooing the water stain from the Christmas tree stand, and the leaky kitchen faucet on the list. There is also the constant paint touch ups to hide all the kid and pet marks. Those are the small things.
I've got some big things on the list that I can't do alone or soon. I came home from vacation this last week to find several puppy "puddles" on the laminate flooring and a pile o' poo. The laminate is damaged and warped, and though it's not hugely noticeable, it's not something I can forget about either. For right now I'm going to buy a new area rug to cover up the worst spots and forget about it until I have the time and money. My vinyl flooring can be tacked back down from where it is peeling up, but it will eventually need replacement. Though not the cheapest, it certainly wasn't the highest quality flooring when we built the house. I've been told (thank you Uncle Mike) that if I want to re-do the kitchen, then do the floors at the same time, not before. So I will need to redo the kitchen, bathroom, and laundry room at once. I'm also sure the house will need repainting sometime in the next five years also. It looks great now, but how long will the paint last? And the carpet is stained and very worn throughout the entire house thanks to the kids, pets, and just being a full house.
I'm sure you're wondering why I'm worrying about all this stuff with everything else on my mind right now. This place is more than a house, it's my family's home now, and while Tony and I kept putting off doing any major improvements to it, they would have gotten done eventually. That list of things is even farther away from me right now and if ignored will not help add to the value of the property in five years. So if you know some DIY basics and can offer some time and/or tools this summer, I'd love the help and advice.