I Tried To Renovate Everything at Once. Here’s What Went Wrong…

Home improvement isn’t the classroom: there’s no extra credit for taking on more work, and you’re not going to make the honor roll for having the most unfinished projects.

It can be easy to fall into the familiar cycle of jumping from one major renovation to another and finding your to-do list growing day after day without actually whittling it down. I know because I’ve done it. One project turns into two, then something else suddenly feels more important, and before long, several rooms are half-finished at once.

At one point during my current fixer-upper I had so many projects going that the house felt less like a home and more like a construction site.

Never. Again.

Why You Should Space Out Projects and Signs You’re Overcommitted

Before you hit a metaphorical wall (continue as planned if you’re doing demo), take a step back and see if this is starting to sound familiar:

You’ve got several rooms torn apart, tools and materials everywhere, and you keep starting new jobs before finishing old ones. Or maybe working on the house just isn’t fun anymore and every weekend feels like another shift.

It’s much easier to fix a bad plan early than it is after you’re already in way over your head. Spacing projects out gives you time to finish, clean up and actually enjoy the work you just did before starting all over again.

I consider myself a bit of an expert in this area because, well, I’ve been guilty of overcommitting to projects more times than I can count. While I still find myself occasionally doing too much at once, I’m in a better position to recognize those warning signs/red flags earlier.

Tips to Finish Old Projects Before Starting Another One

Recently, I wrote a column for Family Handyman about how I’m adding a 95% day to my DIY routine. Basically, I set aside a day every few months to finish all those little things I’ve been putting off. Missing trim, nail holes, outlet covers and other jobs that keep a “finished” project from actually being finished all go on the list.

I’m also getting better at utilizing my project planner to see projects through and stay on schedule. Writing everything down makes it pretty obvious when I’m trying to cram too much into one week and helps me decide what actually needs to get done first.

Learning how to triage projects will also go a long way. What do I mean by that? Instead of doing a little bit of each project every day, focus on finishing one and then move on to the next one. You can either pick the one that takes the least amount of time to complete so you can check things off your to-do list quicker, or the project that has a more time-sensitive deadline.

For people who think in financial terms, this is like the snowball vs. avalanche debt payment strategy. Or for a sports metaphor, decide whether you need the easy points or should focus on the bigger play first. I’m out of metaphors, but I think you get the general idea.

Also, remember there’s no shame in hiring a professional to finish a job you’ve started. Life gets busy and contractors are often happy to take an easy paycheck on a job that’s already been started. They might even appreciate that some of the early legwork is already done for them. If bringing in someone to do one or a few jobs allows you to finish other things, it might be worth it.

An important DIY skill is learning when to walk away. If you’re currently in this situation, or find yourself overcommitted down the road and are thinking back to this column, just remember it’s totally normal and you’re certainly not alone. If anything, it means you’re working on making your home a little better, and that’s definitely something to celebrate.

But not for too long… there are still projects to finish, after all.

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