Guest Author - Jennifer Minekheim



Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the tasks of everyday life? When you start to consider all that needs to be done, do you frequently give up and do nothing at all?

If that sounds familiar, don't despair! You are definitely not alone. To begin, let's just consider projects that need to be tackled around the house. That's why home improvement and organizational television shows have become so popular. They have teams of miracle workers that swoop down and help lucky families with everything from remodeling their kitchen to cleaning their bedroom. Sometimes when I watch these shows I feel so hopeless, thinking I can never tackle any of these chores without a team of experts to help me. Instead, I push the mess aside and plop down on the couch with a cookie.

Don't get me wrong. To do major construction, it is certainly smart to enlist the help of licensed professionals, but there are many things you can do on your own that can make a huge difference in how you feel every time you walk around your space.

It sounds like a cliché, but the best way to get started is to make a list. Walk through your house room by room, taking notes on items in need of repair, disorganized areas that are making your life more difficult, or design changes you would like to make. Don't forget your outside spaces as well! Take a good look at your house and landscaped areas from both the front and back yards. Maybe you have a flower bed full of weeds in your front yard that drives you crazy every time you walk up to your front door, or a front stoop that's seen better days.

Once you've compiled a list of everything you'd like to accomplish, divide them up into manageable categories. One easy way to do that is to divide the chores by things that you can do on your own and tasks that require outside assistance. Once you've done that, you can further organize your list by the area of your house the task is located in, such as the front yard, back yard, living room, etc. Then you want to sit down and figure out what you need in order to get these things done. How much will it cost? What supplies will you need? How long will each task take? Be generous with your time estimations, chores are commonly much more time consuming than you think they'll be. If you have realistic expectations, you're less likely to get discouraged and give up before you've accomplished anything!

The next step is to prioritize your tasks. Decide what needs to be done right away, and what tasks can be moved to the back burner. Hire any expert help you need (or bribe handy friends and family) and buy all the necessary supplies. Then you are ready to get started! Organizing and improving your home doesn't have to be a pipe dream. All you need is a game plan. You will be amazed at how much better you feel after you've completed these steps, even before you start the project at hand. Make your plan today!