It made sense in terms of a website, but I've been noticing that it really applies to just about every aspect of life. You either need to put in the time to do something yourself or pay someone to do it.
There is not generally a no money, no time required option.
Then it hit me yesterday while I was reading a post by my blog bestie, Crystal. It was about the wall art she made from a Restore find and a frame from IKEA.
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| Source: 29 Rue House, http://29ruehouse.blogspot.com |
She made that for $14 bucks in forty minutes. Impressive, right?
Here's the thing though. It still cost $14 and took 40 minutes. I've been lollygagging on my house because I haven't been willing to spend any money to make it into our home. I haven't exactly been putting in the time lately either. Instead of realizing that we are going to have to pay someone to do it or DIY it I've been waiting around like if I waited long enough the House Fairy would come visit and it would just magically happen without me putting in a dime.That's why I haven't made any forward progress on my 25 projects; they all require time and/or money. Most of them both and in what are actually pretty small quantities.
1. Buy a bracket and rehang the blinds in the bedroom - like $7 and the time to measure the bracket)
6. Finish the wedding plate wall art - $2 for hangers and maybe 1/2 an hour
8. Build a pallet bar/wall art to cover up the attic fan switch - this one has some serious time needed, but I can pick up pallets for free
9. Make a DIY ribbon chandelier for Norie's room - $2 to buy a hoop from my neighbor if she still has them and a hour or so
10. Do something with the shutters my aunt got me last year - I've spent a year thinking on it so who knows
11. Put the label plates back on the enormous drawer thing and label the drawers - a good hour
13. Finish my desk
15. Hang the awesome owl latch hook my sister gave me at Norie's baby shower - Long enough to find a nail and a hammer
20. Make a coffee table - This could be free and take a couple hours if I can convince my daddy to give me the wood
21. Create a gift wrapping/gift wrap organizing space - 3 hours, maybe?
22. Start working on fun holiday decorations - I could spend my whole life planning Christmas :)
23. Finish the other Dream Dollhouse from last year's Make Two Challenge - I finished the last one from this stage in roughly 6 hours. It will probably take $5 in glue, paint, and scrapbook paper.
24. Make some DIY cake stands from wedding plates and candlesticks.- Buy glue ($8?), thrift for candlesticks
25. Make map mats for vacation photos - $5 for mats and some spray glue.
Tonight, come hell or high water, I am going to hang that owl latch hook in the nursery. Yes, that is the one that requires the least amount of effort, but at least it's something. I've got some other irons in the fire and I'm trying to be realistic
Ahhh you're so sweet - we're definitely blog besties! I know exactly how you feel. For the longest time I just thought that someday we'd decorate or do this or that. Then it finally hit me that if we wanted anything to change we'd have to do it ourselves (i.e. make the time) since we were never going to pay anyone to do it for us. That was also when I started reading blogs and getting inspired by others since I had no clue what I was doing (including you) - I'm pretty sure you're awesome table that you built brought me here!
ReplyDeleteHow old is Norie now? 4-5months? Time flies and before you know it, it will be easier to allow yourself time to do other things. Ruby was 15 months old when I really started getting the house thing on. Even on the weekends I didn't want to leave her for 30 minutes to go to the garage to paint something but eventually it did get easier.
Anyway, good luck on your list! Lists always help and when you break it down like you did with the time/money investment, it does make it seem more manageable to tackle the items one by one.
xo Crystal
Thanks, Crystal. It's good to hear about the light at the end of the tunnel. Norie is almost 6 months (she's more than 24 weeks, but the calendar disagrees).
DeleteI need to build a couple more projects and post to Ana White again. It's just hard to get going when I can't really work with power tools after Norie goes to bed. Weekends are the only option, but I think I can do it...