Renovations… the big ones at least, come in phases. And if you’re taking your time to do it right, there can be a lot of work on paper {planning, figuring out products, ordering samples, decisions} for that in-the-meantime phase. It can feel like you’re overwhelmed and doing a ton… and then waiting.
And if you’re weirdos like us, you may decide to start on another project, adding to your overall project drama, which comes to a temporary halt because of weird measuring issues in the meantime.
So then your house looks like this. Tada!
Hashtag I’manidiot.
I’d like to think we’re pretty desensitized to it, as lifestyle/diy bloggers. But honestly? I don’t like living in chaos. I’ll never get used to it, and it still drives me nuts. I know that before the big payoff comes… well… this.
But between projects, home school, our work, and activities for the kids… things can start to pile up. Literally. The other day, I realized I was completely stressed out and when I looked around, it was because the house {despite my best efforts to turn our mantel into a closet – I have no idea why that’s not working visually} was completely sending me into stabby mode. We’re a month into this a-la total if-you-give-a-mouse-a-cookie world over here and I was melting. Like a three year old, pulling out the cleaning supplies and making daft efforts to touch up the counters in between tears, melting.
We used the weekend to regroup {read: pull ourselves together}. And I realized we all probably go through these phases all the time in our home. This one just feels a bit more pronounced. You know, the whole missing walls and sinks thing can throw you for a loop.
So, I thought today I’d list my favorite tactics for surviving a renovation in your home, or anything from the winter doldrums to the home blahs… If you’re normal like me and don’t enjoy using one tiny bathroom with three two little male offspring prone to target misfires… I thought these powerful little reminders might just help with motivation and feeling better.
1. Get out.
I once thought that working harder on things was the solution to it all. Get it done, and the problem is gone. But sometimes your mind and body need a break from renovations, projects, dirty houses and everything in between. Sometimes, you have to live your life. It’s enough to turn on the bitter and amplify the exhaustion.
So even if it’s walking down to the park to give your kids a break… Dinner with friends, or if you’re really lucky, the hubs will give you an afternoon to have a hair appointment, and after that a date with yourself at Starbucks, Target and the flea market… DO IT. Even if it’s pouring rain you jump on the seldom offered opportunity bandwagon and ride that cash cow all the way to the bank. I’ve decided to make it a regular thing when I can. {Ha.} You don’t have to buy anything {Well, I must say, a hot beverage at the ‘Bucks is kind of obligatory or we totally can’t be friends} but just getting out to breathe can totally change your perspective. A few simple hours, or even thirty minutes can alter your feelings completely.
2. Purge.
You’ll be surprised at how taking on a room that’s totally unrelated to the one you’re stressing over can change your perspective. I decided to hit the home school room on Friday, and organized all the books after tackling it with a garbage bag. Even if it’s just one drawer, there’s something about that control over the spaces that are still in tact that can change the way you’re feeling over all. If you have time and things are at a stand still, go for it. You’ll be so glad you did. If you’re overwhelmed, and the prospect seems like too much, just start small. People need change. There’s a reason cleaning happens in the spring… And there’s a reason less is always more.
It doesn’t have to be the entire house that you tackle. Just one thing at a time. After I hit the home school room, and completely cleared a few shelves, I went into the kitchen and cleared the sink of a few dirty dishes. Then I cleaned it out, along with the countertops. The visual simplicity was singing to me in angel choir mode as a sparkling light shone from the heavens. The smell of harsh cleaning chemicals was quite cathartic. Kiddingnotkidding-pleasenoemails. So I decided to move to another space. One area at a time, I was an unstoppable force. And you can pretend like those holes in the other half of your house currently don’t exist.
4. Do the laundry.
I’m showing you this because I am ashamed. Again, we’re supposed to have a schedule and knock this out, but when there’s a million things on your to-do list with a renovation and one of them is educating your children… that’s a good story and the laundry has to wait. Look at it this way… you can either read this post today, or I can do my laundry. See: Aintnobodygottimeforthat. We tackled all of this last night. It’s the never ending story and I looked at the remains of laundry baskets and vowed with misty eyes and strangled regret while I raised my aching foldy-fist to the laundry gods to never let it happen again. I now feel one step farther away from “Runnin’ off through the bushes,” as my grandmother would say.
5. Make your bed.
There’s a hole in the floor and holes in the wall and we’re missing a bathroom and clothes and art and pillows and blankets and …are everywhere. Every. Where. So I stopped making the bed for a few days. I mean, if you can’t beat em…
Speaking of my grandmother, she taught me it was the first thing I should do every morning to help start a fresh day. People have different, passionate stances on bed making, but it’s engrained in me. So when I let it slack for a few days I realized I felt all twitchy and even if the rest of the house is surrounded in things I can’t control like mold and drywall fragments… at least I can make our bed. And make it pretty by switching out a quilt and adding all those pillows that were on the floor. Try it. It will rock your OCD world.
6. Bake.
The farther I go with this list, the more I realize what a pathetic control freak I truly am. Coping mechanisms are my thing. But I never cook, so it only made sense to tackle this one last week. I was so proud of my home made muffins, I was offering them at every meal. I turned it into a blog post. I took pretty pictures and broke out the pyrex in grandiose celebratory freakiness. I was all, would you like a muffin? Fluttering my lashes. And if they said no, I put it on their plate anyway. Our house is out of control, but I can sneak in a serving of carrots feed my children. I’m legit. Yay.
7. Bring in the green.
These are some random wild flowers the kids picked for me this week. So I put them, roots and all, into a little container for us all to enjoy. It’s amazing what a little batch of flowers {even better as special little gifts} can do.
8. Start a diffuser or light a candle.
You may have seen our post on essential oils a few weeks ago, but I’m convinced they are powerful enough to give my outlook a complete overhaul. Scent is one of the senses and it can be a powerful rudder for your emotions. If you can’t clean an area, if you’re covered in sawdust or snow… Do it. You’ll thank me later.
9. Have everyone pitch in.
It can’t be all on you. Have your kiddos pick up their toys every night as part of a routine. Get those pillows off the floor and keep it clear. Straighten the books in the corner. It can change your feelings in a heartbeat.
No that isn’t me taking a nap. A picture of that would be lame. {See: youngest offspring who got into trouble and climbed into bed only to pass out} Though I have been known to hide in the bunked occasionally. It works with children. A nap can change everything. Maybe this should be moved to number one and we can save the time with above suggested work…
11. Cadbury Eggs and a good movie.
I hope this helps a little for any of you who are struggling with the winter blahs, spring fever, boring house syndrome or in the middle of a semi-dramafilled-catastrophe like us! What’s your favorite coping mechanism? Anything little that can help a whole lot. Spill it! We’d love to hear. Have an inspired day!
normaleverydaylife says
These are great suggestions and I’ve been known to do all of them to cope with chaos. Another thing that helps me is to have a good book. Reading allows me to escape into another mental world for awhile and gives me a chance to take a break from thinking about all that still needs to be done!
ashley @ the handmade home says
That’s GREAT advice! Except I have no self control and just one chapter turns into zombie-because-I-finished-at-3-in-the-morning-obsessed ;} HA! Maybe someone needs to write a post on how to pace yourself with book reading ???
Megan says
I’m the same way!! When I read, I am all in. This keeps me from starting a new book. I love to read though!
Tania // Run To Radiance says
Great tips! I agree with all of these especially the first one- get out, enjoy your life, still have fun! Our first 6 months of remodeling was horrible because we never hung out with anyone or went anywhere or took a break, it was go, go, go…ugh. Never again. Once we loosened up a bit we enjoyed the process-and our lives so much more! 🙂
ashley @ the handmade home says
That’s so true! We’ve got some birthday parties and dinners on the docket and it makes me feel better! ;}
Sarah @ An Inviting Home says
After just going through a bathroom remodel and reading what sounds like the exact same personality of my own I must say you hit the nail on the head! Oh to find some sense of normalcy amongst the chaos! Great tips!
~Sarah
ashley @ the handmade home says
SO glad to know I’m not the only… uh… high strung person out there? Am I high strung? Or do I just have high standards? It’s like asking if a zebra is black with white stripes or white with black stripes… I learned the answer recently but now it’s lost on me. Kind of like my high-maintenance-standards-chihuahua like self. I’m now frustrated and need to look it up… ;}
Kelly G. says
This is such good advice. It’s nice to know other people’s laundry areas look like a wreck in the midst of reno projects. 🙂
Another to add to the list?
Paint your nails. If you’re relegated to project-clothes for days at a time, at least your fingers look decent.
ashley @ the handmade home says
Ya know… I’ve never been a fingernail painting kinda gal but I’m turning into one slowly but surely. ;} That’s a great suggestion! Now if only I could get my toenails under control… it’s time. And that’s gross. ;}
Kristy says
Girl, these are GOOD. And I’m redubbing them “Survival tactics for temporary apartment living.” Eat out often is also on my list. 😉
Laura J says
Thank you for pluralizing #11…I mean, who would eat just one?! Now I feel more justified. 🙂
Melissa says
Everything looks soo beautiful I was wondering if you could tell me were you found the cooper curtain rod on the window over the sink? And the wooden arrow?
Thank you in advance!
ashley @ the handmade home says
Hey Melissa! We have a tutorial for diy curtain rods here And you can read all about how to make the arrow in our book, Handmade Walls. I hope that helps! ;}
Marie says
Oh my god, you saved my day! I am completely overwhelmed by several projects right now, and I felt so exhausted and hopeless. But I am not alone with my job, the renovation and my kids and the every-day-life, that has to go on.
Thank you, I will make the laundry, then get a cup of coffee and then – well one thing after another.
Love
Marie
ashley @ the handmade home says
Hang in there, Marie. One thing at a time! I am with you!!!
Deborah says
Ashley,
While scanning pinterest for ideas, I came across your blog.
I loved your post. We are renovating an older home (starting partial demo next week) and I’m already overwhelmed with all the tiny aspects of the decision making.
Your advice is priceless and I wanted to thank you for sharing your coping skills. I’m sure they are going to come in very handy.
Best of luck for all your future projects. (I know you’ll have more because no matter how overwhelming it seems during the process, we always have another idea that we have to bring into reality.)
Enjoy
Debbie
ashley @ the handmade home says
Very true! Thank you for your kind words! Hugs to you while you giterdone! ;} It’s so worth it when it’s all finito!
Jackie says
Ahhh…. So nice to see a house that truly looks like mine does right now… Holes in the walls…. Many walls… In the floor, waiting for plumbing to move… EVERY last item from our only storage room is in our basement family room…. GAH!! Your suggestions were exactly what I was looking for to get mr through. We’re a year into our renos; my husband and I do the work ourselves and our trick is to only work on indoor renos during the winter – we live in the country and have waaaay too much going on outside in the spring/summer months (acres of grass to mow, gardening, and we’re 25% done the landscaping around our home). We also found, after the first winter of renos that we really had no life; we hadn’t done anything FUN with our 3 kiddos, hadn’t seen friends, hadn’t been on a date… This year we took it a little slower and tried to remember we still need to have a life. Thanks for your post and the motivation! Good luck on creating your family space… It’s looks wonderful in your photos!