Who here is a fan of HGTV? I know I am! Or at least I was when we still had the channel. Ha! But seriously, that was my favorite channel. I would watch Chip and Joanna Gaines transform a home and be in awe.
Or who remembers the Scott brothers Jonathan and Drew? Watching them cast a vision for a home and then watching them execute that vision was so fun.
I’m not here to put down any HGTV show, but I do think it is important for the audience to know the reality of home projects. In reality they often take more time and money than is shown on tv.
I think in the world of television shows and Instagram accounts we can get a false sense of what thing are really like when carrying out a home project. I think it is important to share a dose of reality when it comes to putting time and planning into your home.
Before I get started, I just want to say, I’m a fan of quick before and afters just as much as the next person. I don’t like to wait either. It’s all too easy to find myself saying when is “so and so” is going to finish up their kitchen renovation. But the reality is, often times these home projects take months! Even the smaller projects can take more time than you think.
For example: My laundry room refresh. I had this brilliant idea to paint the laundry room. But not just the walls. I was going to paint the walls, doors AND trim. It was going to be a monotone beauty. I was so excited. I dove right in. Things started off smoothly. I was able to do paint curb side pick up. Perfect. I was off to a great start.
What I didn’t take into account was how long the painting would take. You see, the lower have of my laundry room was beadboard, so I had to get paint in all the little grooves first and then go back over it with a roller. I also had to make sure to get behind the washer and dryer. I had to wait on my hubby for that one. Next came the walls. That was the easy part. And last but not least, the doors. Now, I know what you’re thinking. “Well, how many doors could there be in a laundry room anyway?” Well the answer in my case is “A LOT”. You see we had the door leading into the laundry room, the garage entrance door, one closet door, a bathroom door and one door leading to the home exterior. So that’s 5 doors! Yep, 5.
So needless to say, that took more time than I anticipated. And on a personal note, I struggle with a particular form of arthritis so I have to be careful to not overdue it with painting. So I take longer than the average person when it comes to painting projects. But that’s okay! That is reality!
We have become so accustomed to quick turnarounds and instant gratification that we are forgetting what it’s like to wait. Waiting for the final reveal. Waiting for the room to evolve organically. Waiting.
So my little laundry room took a few weeks to get all completed. And that is okay. And bigger projects take even more time.
So, if you are feeling discouraged that your home is taking more time to come together than you had hoped, take heart. The reality for most of us is that it is a constantly evolving process. We are real people, with real lives, who sometimes need a reality check. I know I do.
Projects take time and planning. Patience and Perseverance. And if you still feel stuck and don’t know where to start, you can always reach out to us and we would be more than happy to help.
-MK