PRIORITIZING YOUR HOUSE PROJECTS

In this age of instant everything, it’s easy to think you ought to have a perfect home within seconds of moving in, states Houzz contributor Alison Hodgson. Most of us have seen the before-after-articles or shows where a designer gives a house a makeover in less time that it takes most of us to determine a paint color. Hodgson offers these recommendations.

Assess conditions. Before you do a thing, take a deep breath, look around and then decide what needs to be done. Really think about it. Are there any repairs that need to be made? Is it “just” cosmetics? Whatever it is, can you do the work yourself or do you need to hire it out? What are your skills?

Determine your energy level. Most people never consider this, but if you have just made a big move or have experienced a major life event, it’s absolutely imperative.

When you are worn out, you need to acknowledge that and give yourself a break. Decide you are going to set things aside for a few weeks or months, even years.

Most things can wait, and there is a very real benefit to living in a place for a while before making any changes. These delays allow you to see other better possibilities.

Look at your budget. You may be brimming with plans and excitement but can’t even afford a can of paint, let alone a room full of furniture. It can be disappointing to wait because of money, but accruing a lot of debt to do a house project will not feel good.

Make a master plan. Once you know what you need to do, decide how you want to execute things. Do you want to go room by room, or would it be better to do a big overall project?

It’s important to be clear on your energy level, budget and personal style before you dive into anything.