5 Tips for Completing Home Projects

We all have something about ourselves that REALLY bugs us - whether you’re like Nora Ephron who famously did not love her neck, or perhaps you’re like her character Sally (Meg Ryan) who thought of herself as “difficult.” The object of my self-loathing is seemingly much more solvable - & yet it persists. This bugaboo is my unending battle with little piles and half-done projects in every room…of every house…I’ve ever lived in. It follows me like a plague but THIS year I’m determined to crush it!

Ribbons intended to be wrapped around stacks of napkins a la Charlotte Moss….have been sitting on top of stack of books & plates & matchboxes WAITING for their Master (me:( to come to their rescue….for weeks. Months??

The completed stack sits idly by waiting to be put away….

How? Well, I’ve come up with a 5-point plan for myself. If you have any other pointers, please let me know!

1. Step One: Admit you have a problem:) Or better yet, pinpoint what KIND of a problem you have. In my case it’s not mess or clutter exactly…my issue seems to my ongoing interest in making things BETTER that ironically makes things worse. Let me explain!

The image above is in my older daughter’s room. While she was on semester abroad, I thought I’d spruce it up a bit, layer in display with new photos….but….

….that required me to wade deep into my hugely unorganized photo collection (a 2020 organizing project!?), by which point I was feeling so frustrated, it seemed easier to abandon the whole idea of sprucing up Avery’s room. SO, the frames sat in her room with their little price tags on them for weeks. And weeks. But with my new mindset of FINISHING things, I decided just to put in some pix I had (see below) & call it a day. Gotta prioritize & move on!

With a little “finishing” momentum, I actually put together display on the top shelves too & added a more cheerful piece for under the shelf. What’s that expression - “Don’t let Perfect be the enemy of Good”??

2. This cycle of creative spark followed by unrealistic list of what can actually get done leads me to the second point of my plan for myself: Don’t start any NEW house projects until you finish the ones already underway. This one takes discipline & self-restraint, not my strong suit. But I’m workin’ on it!!

I’m trying hard not to stray from my long list (this is just a tiny snippet above) of things on the “already started” list. Fingers crossed.

3. Label as much as you can around the house, so that you “commit” to where things will go - & avoid temptation to rearrange things. Over the summer, I did a full sweep of my tiny kitchen in Georgetown & gave just about everything a designated spot and labeled it. It was full on Goop-worthy styling!!

One drawer I didn’t label at first was the one above — & in no time, the drawer was a repository for seemingly everything EXCEPT for pots & pans!:) But since I slapped that label on it has stayed just as it is. I mean, I may never have my kitchen installed into the Smithsonian like Julia Child’s (below), but I’ve beaten back the chaos at least. I’d call that a victory!

4.) The next tactic to conquer the sense of flux (aka, unfinished projects) in my house is to tune down the incoming flow. I’m the kind of person who comes home from a museum exhibit or a dinner party & suddenly notices EVERYTHING I want to tweak, change, adapt in my home. A recent trip to a friend’s new house, for example, provoked an extreme case of wanting to re-do everything in my own home — see snaps below & you’ll understand why….she has divine taste & great welcoming style!

I mean, couldn’t you just sit there and read ALL day!!?

Sorry this shot is a bit blurry - I was trying to act nonchalant while I was there….not like the deranged decor stalker that I unfortunately am!

On the one hand, I love the joy I get from being such a visual person - but on the other hand, it’s exhausting!! SO, one change I’m making this year is to try to limit the scope of my visual temptations by “staying in my lane,” as they say — making things as attractive & comfortable as I can & then mentally closing the door on that.

As a mini-first step, I overhauled my home office a bit….simplifying my paperwork & throwing away ideas & clippings that just wouldn’t happen in my lifetime. Felt great!

4.

5. My last tip is perhaps the most important. DO. NOT. MOVE!! You’ll just have to go through the whole “what goes where” creative frenzy again:)

Having said that, I truly have never been happier to live anywhere than where I do now. It just takes a lot longer to settle in than I expected - but 2020 is my year of COMPLETING things & trying to curb my perfectionism by like 10%. I’d be quite content if I could do that.

Do you have a project in your house you just can’t seem to FINISH?? DM me on Insta (@elegant.mayhem) or via email (Lee@ElegantMayhem.com) & let me know — I’m sure someone else can relate & maybe we can all help you solve it faster!

Thanks for reading & cheers,

Lee