Yesterday, I had somebody ask me, “Are you going to complete portray the ceiling earlier than or after you end the cupboards?” To be clear, this was not a snarky remark, and it’s perfecty nice to ask questions. She was simply questioning about my course of, and I definitely perceive that. And also you wish to know what’s humorous? As soon as once more, I had conveniently forgotten that I nonetheless haven’t completed portray the ceiling and partitions within the studio. ?
The ceiling appeared like this months in the past, and it nonetheless appears to be like like this at present…
As I discussed just a few days in the past, I’ve developed a sort of blindness to it at this level, and I’ve develop into hyper-focused on my present challenge — ending the workplace space cupboards. These cupboards appears to be like like this proper now. I’ve completed the facet panels, {the electrical} for the sconces, and the cubby bridge.
At this level, I actually don’t keep in mind the unfinished partitions and ceiling except I’m making a psychological listing (or an precise written listing) of the tasks that I nonetheless have to complete within the room. And at this charge, portray the ceiling will most likely be one of many final issues I do to complete this room.
I’ve at all times been a DIYer who does issues my very own means. I’ll be the primary to confess that my methods don’t at all times make sense, and so they’re fairly often not essentially the most environment friendly strategy to do a challenge. However after 30+ years of DIYing, and particularly since we moved into this home and I had such a frightening whole-house rework to deal with just about on my own (solely calling in assist or professionals when completely needed), I’ve discovered that I’ve to be led by my motivation.
My present work within the studio is an efficient instance of that. I’m completely dreading having to color that ceiling. I don’t know why, and it’s most likely a kind of tasks that I’ve dreaded for thus lengthy that I’ve made it a lot worse in my head than what it’s going to really be. However regardless of the purpose, I simply don’t wish to do it. So if I insisted on doing issues within the order wherein they take advantage of sense, or the order wherein they appear them most effective, and I attempted to power myself to color earlier than doing the rest, I’d be making excuses daily as to why I can’t paint, and the entire studio challenge could be stalled.
As a substitute, I went with my motivation. I felt motivated and excited to deal with the workplace space cupboards, so I went with it. Will that make issues harder for me later? Perhaps somewhat. Now, earlier than I paint the ceiling, I’ll need to drape the cupboards and the wallpaper mural with plastic, and I’ll need to cowl the ground. However that’s not an enormous deal, and it’ll solely take about an hour to get all of that accomplished earlier than I can paint.
And I additionally suspect that when the workplace space cupboards are completed and searching stunning, I’ll really really feel motivated to get the ceiling and the remainder of the partitions painted. At that time, I’ll be tremendous excited to get the entire studio completed, and to deal with any challenge that’s standing in the way in which of me having a totally completed studio. That’s usually what occurs. I finally get excited to finish these tasks that I’ve been dreading and laying aside just because these are standing in the way in which of me having a completed room.
I do know I’ve shared all of this earlier than in earlier years, however I simply wish to reiterate for these of you who’re additionally engaged on large whole-room or whole-house tasks. Sure, there’s most likely at all times a “appropriate” order wherein to do issues. However we DIYers aren’t strictly certain by them. Clearly, there are occasions when issues do must be accomplished in a sure order. Sure, you must dangle drywall earlier than you may set up cupboards. Please don’t set up cupboards on studs after which attempt to drywall round them simply since you hate drywalling and wish to put it off. ?
However you already know what I imply. Don’t be so strictly adherent to a correct order that you end up dragging your toes, procrastinating for days, or weeks, or months, as a result of the “correct” subsequent step is one that you just completely dread. As a substitute, see if there’s a means that you could transfer on and discover one thing else that you are able to do so as to see progress. And in case you’re something like me, when you see that room coming collectively, you’ll end up waking up at some point enthusiastic about getting that challenge completed, and also you’ll lastly really feel excited to do the very factor you’ve been dreading.
Simply don’t be so arduous on your self, or so strict together with your schedule and order of tasks. It’ll all get accomplished ultimately. And I’ve discovered that creating somewhat bit of additional work for myself later (like now having to drape every little thing with plastic earlier than I can end portray the ceiling) is nicely value it if I can simply transfer ahead and make a great deal of progress on different issues that I’m actually excited to deal with proper now. That’s been the story of my 30+ years of DIYing (particularly since 2013), and issues at all times appear to work out ultimately.
So with that in thoughts, I’m going to disregard my unpainted ceiling and partitions, and I’m going to spend my afternoon and night trimming out my cupboards and getting them prepped for primer and paint. It’s going to take numerous trim, wooden filler, and caulk to get this factor trying like what I see in my thoughts, however that is the enjoyable half!
And maybe after these cupboards are completed, I’ll get up at some point feeling excited to choose up the paint curler, drag out the scaffolding, and get that 11-foot ceiling with the ceiling fan and 10 recessed lights painted. ? However for at present, I’m extremely motivated to work on these cupboards.
Word: On a totally completely different matter, I do know that my e mail program has been sending out doubles, one hour aside, over the previous couple of days. I’m so sorry about that! I promise I’m not attempting to spam y’all! I assumed I had fastened it on Tuesday, after which it did it once more yesterday. I took one other look, and I actually do suppose I’ve fastened it now. I hope. So it’s best to solely get one e mail a day, however please let me know if it’s nonetheless sending out doubles. So sorry for the annoying double emails recently!
Addicted 2 Adorning is the place I share my DIY and adorning journey as I rework and embellish the 1948 fixer higher that my husband, Matt, and I purchased in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do bodily work, so I do nearly all of the work on the home on my own. You may study extra about me right here.
