Keeping Home Projects In-Budget

As the starter of many home projects and finisher of a couple, money and motivation go hand in hand when it comes to your home projects. So, keeping it simple and keeping it to a one-day project is the name of the game.

If you have ever bought a fridge full of groceries intending to be healthier, but then went mind-blind to the groceries in your fridge as they rotted away, this is your article.

But have you ever actually eaten a fridge full of healthy groceries, and felt good while being proud of yourself for not eating out every day of the week? It’s a wonderful feeling, just like how it’s wonderful to live in a space that is well put-together and authentically yourself.

Tips (in order!)

Before you start a project, declutter: Get rid of trash, things you don’t want, and maybe rediscover something you do! Plus, you might find that tool or pack of command strips you've been looking for

Before you start a project, clean: Same, what you might be seeking could be more space. Regardless, clean so that whenever you’re done with your project, you’ll have a clean, decluttered house to relax in.

Before you start a project, rearrange your furniture to see if you like it: Honestly, if this is an elected project, try as much as you can to see if what you really need is a change of scenery, instead of more things. You might want another shelf for all of your knickknacks to get them off your windowsill to give you that minimalistic look, but what you really need is to get rid of knickknacks and move your couch to a location that gives you more space.

Budget your time first. You’ll want to plan a day where you pull everything together.

Before you get to budgeting your money, explore! Look all over for cheap options–within reason. Read reviews, etc. After you’ve done all of that, start scrolling/window shopping.

Did you know that a lot of communities have a tool library, seed library, and other free services? A great place to find these is a community center or library.

Budget! You should be ready to budget! Remember to account for taxes, gas if you are driving, and throw in and extra $50 for flexibility. Don’t forget to eat on your project day.

Less is more. I.e., Fewer plants is more. And don’t be fooled: most people burn more carbon dioxide planting their own gardens than buying food from the store. Make a garden for the right reasons. What are those reasons? To me, spending more time outside, meditation, growing a few good plants, and loving your pollinators.

Find the money first: Don’t payment-plan your project.

Prioritize: What projects will save you money? Do those first.

Chances are, the projects that will save you money will also bring you comfort. For example, I procrastinated nearly two months to buy blackout shades for windows on the west side of our condo and as soon as I got them, I felt not only more comfortable in the privacy, but those rooms became more useful AND cooler since those hot afternoon/evening rays that turned the room into a greenhouse were no longer an issue.

I’m happy I did that first because, now, I can easily tell that we’re going to save money every day of the summer. Now, I can focus on my patio garden.

Gather all of your items in the span of a week.

Speaking of patio garden: I am proud of my little patio because of how quickly I pulled it together and that I was able to do it for an affordable price.

That being said, I needed to pull everything together over the course of a few days: specifically the plants, the pots, the couch, and everything else.

Think about all the items you’ll need and gather them quickly–either in one day, but definitely in one week.

What you don’t want to do is forget about it.

Pay in cash - It’s easy to buy things you don’t need to make life easier, but if you’re any kind of neurodivergent, your shopping spree might be enough to get you to the car with a little bit more on your credit card than you expected, and the guilt and doubt might take over a little quicker than you expect.

Do it all, listen to a podcast if you must - Finish the project while refraining from social media breaks, because that social media break is going to break your momentum. You’re going to get a premature dopamine rush and it’s going to derail you! So, if you need some input (I know I do), put on a podcast that you enjoy.

One day. One project. That’s all it takes to go from “I should really…” to “Wow, I did that.”

So grab your supplies, put on your favorite playlist, and get to it—because your couch is waiting to congratulate you when you’re done.