I don’t know if you’ve noticed (I’m kinda hoping you haven’t), but I’ve been in a bit of a motivational slump lately.
Happily, my new life as a self-employed Realtor/flipper has kind of vaporized a lot of the deadlines and time crunches that used to rule my life back when I practiced law – however, I’ve always been someone who’s motivated by due dates and deadlines, and who cranks it out under pressure. I think the absence of the feeling of “I have to get it done now or it’s never going to get done” has kind of made my productivity on the home improvement front slow to a snail’s pace. Well, enough of that!! We have things to get done around here, people! (That’s me trying to crack the whip – laughable, right?)
So, here goes – I’m going to lay it all on the line and show you just how big of a procrastinator I’ve been. Here’s my mind-bogglingly large to-do list:
- Finally finish this project.
- Make a curtain for the guest bathroom to replace the boring shade.
- Hang artwork in the guest bathroom.
- Hang artwork in the powder room, opposite these guys.
- Hang photos in the hallway.
- Hang artwork on the blank wall in the den. (Do I sense a pattern here?)
- Buy a ginormous indoor tree (that I hopefully won’t kill) for the corner of the den by the fireplace.
- Finally get you guys some decent pictures of the fun stuff going on in our den.
- Paint the desk in my office (probably . . . still deciding).
- Finish painting the trim on 2 bulletin boards for my office.
- Fix the picture frame that this one broke.
- Add some green ribbon to the leading edge of the curtains in my office.
- Add molding around the edge of the countertop on my craft cabinet.
- Finally get my act together and donate all of the random stuff in our house (that is piled in my office) to Goodwill. Find a place for everything else because this is getting ridiculous!!
- Do something to make the laundry room a little cuter. Think more on this.
- Hang a pendant with a drum shade (probably) over the breakfast room table.
- Style the mantle so it doesn’t look so sad.
- Get a pillow insert for that fab pillow cover I got for Christmas.
- Finish organizing the other bookcase in the front guest room.
- Hang artwork (that has been sitting on the floor) above the dresser in the guest room.
- Decide whether to switch the dressers in the 2 guest rooms.
- Decide how to paint/stain/otherwise alter the dressers in the 2 guest rooms, and finally get it done.
- Keep an eye out for cheap but cute bedding for the back guest room.
- Refinish this headboard and use it in the back guest room.
- Figure out the lamp situation in the back guest room.
- Put a piece of artwork in the jack ‘n jill bath.
- Figure out what to do with the storage bench that I got from Home Goods – probably put it at the foot of the bed in the master bedroom.
- Put some photos in the picture frames I’ve had hanging in the master bedroom for the past 6 months.
- Hang that decorative piece of salvaged molding in the master bedroom.
- Fix the weather stripping on the front door.
- Spray paint the mailbox.
- Spray paint the metal part around the doorbell.
- Do SOMETHING to the front flower beds – they are pitiful.
- Kill all the weeds in the flower bed by the driveway.
- Finish what we started in the backyard.
- Paint or stain the concrete floor of the patio.
Oh goodness. And I guarantee there are projects I totally forgot about! Hopefully I can get everything done by the start of summer? Actually, I know it’s possible, the real question is just whether or not I will. I’m going to give you guys status updates on Twitter that will hopefully keep me on track . . . fingers crossed!
Does anybody else have a to-do list that looks this crazy? What’s the number one thing that you’ve been procrastinating on? Or maybe I’m the only one that’s a huge procrastinator?
This post is shared with Tip Junkie.
My list is definitely this crazy — maybe crazier…which is why I haven’t had the nerve to publish it. :) I’m too afraid I won’t ever make much of a dent in it and I don’t want the accountability!!
Averill,
I know just what you mean! I went back and forth over whether to publish it and finally decided that I needed that kick in the pants. :) I can only imagine that your list is long simply because you just moved into that new house! I have no doubt you’ll have it conquered in a jiffy. :)
~ Liz
OMG Liz YES! I have a list too! And I soooo wish I could blog about it, but I’m afraid my husband would see it (he doesn’t read my blog every day, I don’t think he does anyway – I tell him when there are new pix of Fiona and then he checks them out) and I don’t want to pressure him. Because I’m going on seven months pregnant and so I literally CANT do most of the things on our list. I know — I can write it and post it here in your comments! ha! Just kidding!
It sounds to me like you should tackle your list either one room at a time, or one thing at a time. Like spend a saturday hanging art work. Or going through your house to donate stuff. And then, to motivate yourself – document it all and show us in a post! I would love to see that! But selfishly I hope you tackle that armchair first, because I can’t wait to see what you do to it!!!
A life without due dates and deadlines- sounds great to me:-).
I am WAY impressed with your to-do-list! I guess the number one thing I’ve been procrasting on is MAKING my to-do-list:-). I’m hoping your list will motivate me to get moving this afternoon… doubtful, but maybe :-)
Can’t wait to see how the projects you listed turn out!!
I swear we’re sisters separated at birth. You know the whole law school get ‘er done pressure/design/remodeling thing. I love your list and will be following your little upgrades !
Christy,
I love your idea of tackling things one room at a time – I definitely have a habit of jumping from project to project and never getting anything done, so this system could be a lifesaver! (P.S. You are so sweet to not want to stress out your husband . . . I hope Jason doesn’t read this!!) :)
Kate @ Centsational Girl,
Seriously, you are one of the people that always blows me away at how much you can get done!! I’ve got to learn your secret . . . ha, will you tell it to me? Please? :)
~ Liz
I know what you mean, my list is so long – So I decided to tackle a few small projects each month and maybe one large project so I stay focused, I’ll start one project get bored and then more on….now with my mini list I’m feeling so much better
I am completely with you. I have this little notebook I carry around with me. I keep adding things I want to do or need to do, but don’t seem to mark off very many. I don’t stress over it though. Once something bugs me long enough, I’ll get it done! Of course, if I don’t write it down…I’ll forget it! LOL! I’m only a procrastinator when it comes to things for me though. If it’s a craft or project I need to complete for someone else, I will find a way to finish it. Funny how that works! Anyway, good luck on YOUR to do list. I’m sure you’ll finish in good time!
Those lists can get long and overwhelming pretty quickly!