There seems to be a never-ending list of projects. At work and around the house. We always have more projects than we have time. At home, we sometimes have more time than money (to hire someone). What this means at my house is that little projects can ladder to big projects.
My Situation
Right now, that has happened with our backyard pool area. The pool itself is good (aside from it still needing to be opened for the summer). Outside of that, there is A LOT that needs to be worked on. We have some erosion issues because the pool area was built on a hill and over the 20 years since it was installed, things have slowly been moving and eroding. This is causing some water pooling issues when it rains and other challenges – the whole project seems a bit daunting.
Then, there are the “little things” like replacing the chair slings. Power washing the deck and patio. Annual cleaning and maintenance of the grill. Deck and fence upkeep/repairs. Rotting boards on the retaining wall. Landscaping cleanup from winter. Pruning plants…. weeding. When added together, the list feels both overwhelming and never ending.
The Shift
When there is a lot to be done, I want to dive into it all.
Order all the materials and get things going. My husband, on the other hand, does not share this approach. The other day, we were debating what needs to be done. In the middle of it all, he made a comment that changed my whole perspective. We need to start by making it the best it can be before we create additional projects. I’m ready to head out and buy dirt and rocks to deal with the erosion. He is reminding me how much we should do before we dive into that complex project.
The Plan
Clear the annual lawn waste.
Do the maintenance on the grill.
Attach the wood we bought last year to the retaining wall (finish the project)!
Order the chair slings so we can sit by the pool.
Power wash.
Once these things are complete, we have the whole summer to work on the fence and the erosion issues.
Yet, at the same time, we can enjoy the space.
The Lesson
The next time you have an area at work or home that feels overwhelming or will take a lot of time, remember to “make it as good as possible first”. Those things we can do with small amounts of time and money that can create a big impact.
Your Turn
Do you have a project that you are overwhelmed with or want to dive in and do “everything”?
How could you look at it through the lens of making it the best it can be?
What are the projects that can be done quickly with little money to move the project forward?