We've owned our 1954 house for 31 years and our 10 year plan was done in year 28. Just saved enough to renovate the original kitchen 3 years ago. New bathroom reno 8 years ago. Carpets were easy to remove, out with wallpaper, new paint all through in year one. Redone interior paint twice more, about every 10 years. Mades a huge difference. New windows one side of the house at time each 3 years apart. Buderus oil burner and new zones early on when the system was affordable. Now it looks wonderful and is weather tight. Nice mature landscape ad gardens too! Just keep plugging away to make it your own. Kids want to live here after we don't. Now worth 5 times what we paid. Be patient.