We have been homeowners for about 18 months now. I remember when we entered the house, and it was so empty and clean. Ahh, the good, old days. Now, it’s full of items and love, and i’m learning that there is always something to be done. New items that need to be fixed (yes, new items), items that were fine when you first moved in, but now need to be upgraded. There’s always something. But, instead of being overwhelmed, I decided to create an exercise. This exercise showed us how to focus on homemaking all year, and not get taken by all the to-dos of being a home owner.
Tackle It With A List System
I’m all about systems. As a free spirit that loves to be distracted by shiny things and projects, I have to have a system to keep me focused. We love using the Long List/Short List system for our week, so why not try it for our home improvements? The first step of this exercise is to set a timer for 15 minutes, then you and your spouse will list all of the items you want to fix, upgrade or projects you want to complete in your home. 15 minutes. No more, no less.
Narrow Down Your Focus
Once you have your long list of items you want to accomplish in your home, you’re going to pick 4 of those items to focus on, and you both have to agree on the 4 items. No, you can’t pick 2 and have your spouse pick two. You have to be of one accord on all 4 items that are chosen.
Pick Two And Get To Work
Next, you’re going to pick two to accomplish over the next quarter of the year. Yes, only 2 out of those 4. Guess what? One of you will want to do all 4 all at once, and the other spouse will want to tackle one at a time. Tackling 2 at a time will appease both of you. The fun part of this last step is that you will end up taking care of all 4 within the quarter. But, allowing yourself to focus on two items at a time will help you get gazelle intense about getting those two done, so you CAN move onto the next two items for the quarter. BONUS: once those 4 items are done, you can go back to your long list and pick 4 more home improvement activities. Win-Win!
This quick exercise will give you a list of items that actually mean something to you, not a to-do list that the masses say you should focus on as a homeowner. It also helps you get your mind right when taking care of this new space that you now OWN. You own a home now, friend! Use this exercise to help you take care of it, without feeling overwhelmed.
Want to see this exercise in action? Watch this video for a visual and audio version of how to get this exercise done: How To Choose Your Homemaking Focus For The Year.
