Replacing old tile and carpet

The photo above is the new tile in one of my bathrooms. I'm glad to replace the old tile, but the process is not convenient. Nearly twenty years ago, we bought a house when we moved from Georgia to Massachusetts. I disliked the tile foyer and had it replaced almost as soon as we moved in. I didn't know how messy replacing tile can be--dust and grime everywhere.

We've owned our current house for ten years, and the carpet is looking worn. So after months of looking and looking, I finally found some carpet I like. But before we put in the new carpet, I wanted to replace the tile in our bathrooms. I've hated it ever since we moved in, even though I was the one who picked it out. I knew the process would be messy, but I had forgotten how messy.

A fine film of dust has settled on almost every surface in my house. We did put sheets over everything in the master bedroom before they tore up the tile in the master bath. The sheets are still there. We'll see whether they did any good once the tile job is complete. The dust even filtered inside the drawers and cabinets. I've been cleaning all day--wiping down walls, dusting, vacuuming and washing. I've hardly made a dent in the mess. Maybe by the time the carpet that we ordered arrives, I'll have the house in order.

Surely the carpet installation won't be as messy. Have you ever done any remodeling and had a big mess? Tell us about it.

Merrillee