Getting DIY Projects Done in 2019

Getting DIY done can be a real challenge when time is limited and the budget is tight. So how can  completing those DIY projects become a reality?

  

 

Photo by Cesar Carlevarino Aragon

This past year we have moved into a house that has lots of fixing up to do to it, and the many tasks can seem quite daunting.  As we are entering the New Year I have been reflecting on goals and priorities, and one of those needs to be doing the long list of  DIY tasks around the house.

The approach I am taking this year is to plan carefully and to actually assign a time frame and estimated budget for the various tasks. So this is my plan of action:

• First I made a list of all of the jobs, big and small, that need to be done during the course of the year. I wrote it in the back of a notebook so it can be the "Master List" to refer to.
• Next was prioritizing what is urgent. This meant thinking about what is actually necessary for us to function well and also things that need to happen before the rainy season. These items got a star.
• Then it was time to make a list of what needs to happen for each month of the year. This was a bit more tricky as I am sure things will carry over from one month to the next. So at the front of the notebook I have assigned a few pages per month to list the various jobs that need doing each month.
• Finally we made a trip to the hardware shop to get some estimated prices of materials so that we can set a realistic budget for some of the projects. I still need to write an estimated budget next to each task so that we can plan our expenses.

I am hoping that this planned approach will help us to realize our goals to get at least some of the DIY done in the coming year.

How do you tackle DIY projects? Do you try and stick to a plan and time frame or do you have a more fluid approach?

Organizing a Big Project: Sorting Out the Garage

Do you also have that one embarrassing part of your home where old or unused and unwanted things go, I almost want to say "to die"? I really struggle with keeping our garage in a usable state and we have decided that during our summer holidays (which is in December in our part of the world) we are going to do a big clear out!

I have "tidied" the garage before but it is a magnet for things to go before we donate or recycle them.
Today is a lovely sunny day, so I took the opportunity to spend some time in the garage and plot the steps we will need to take to get the space sorted out.

Photo by Clem Onojeghuo

My strategy for today was to survey the garage and decide on a plan of action. I realised that I could group the tasks into different categories to make it easier to get the job done. These are my five steps to a more organized garage:

Step 1: Organize for recycling of items. This will involve a trip to the recycling center , a trip to the local dump, a drop off of printer toner cartridges at a technology shop and a trip to a donation center for unused items still in good condition. It will probably take at least a full day to do all of this, so I will try and get this done first. Maybe in future I need to schedule a monthly recycling trip so the things don't build up into such a pile.

Step 2: Check with family members who are storing things in our garage how long we still need to store those things or if those items can be sold or given to other family members. 

Step 3: Sell large items that are no longer useful to us. There are a few large pieces of furniture we no longer need that can be sold to our local second hand shop or advertised on our local online sales group. 

Step 4: Clean and Organize. Once all the unnecessary items are removed it will be time to clean up and organize what is still stored there. We may also need to re-evaluate what we are storing and why we are storing it.

Step 5: DIY. We need to put a board over the stairs to create a storage area and complete the workbench that is a work-in-progress. We also need to consider getting quotes to put in a ceiling and seal the floor. 

Hopefully by spending some time neatening up and re-organizing our garage we will find it easier to keep it tidy and functional. I am also hoping it can be a useful work space for DIY projects if there is more space available there.

Do you too have a difficult space that gets untidy? What are your organizing tips and solutions for difficult spaces?