6 Q & A: Keeping It Together

Alright, another question in the inbox! This one comes from Olivia…

Hi Cara and Eric! My question is about staying on track with home projects. I moved in with my fiancé a couple of months back and technically this will be my first house once we get married in October.  I am wanting to go ahead and start on a few home projects but there are so many it makes my head spin just thinking about it!! How do you decide what projects to go after first and how do you stay organized?

Good question, Olivia! We’ve been known to skip from project-to-project in a way that may seem unorganized to some (have you noticed the 15 projects we have simultaneously in progress at the present time?), but there is a method behind the madness. Whether you prefer to tackle one project at a time or several, large undertakings or small, keeping yourself organized is a must for keeping your sanity in tact.

Eric and I use a simple to-do list to keep our priorities straight and excel spreadsheets to keep budgets in line. We also have an ever-expanding binder full of inspiring magazine photos, favorite paint colors and other fun home goodies so that when the mood strikes us to venture into a new project, we are already one step ahead.

As for deciding which home projects to tackle first, we will always suggest a priority list. Make one for you and have your soon-to-be-husband do the same. Find which projects overlap and start with one of those first. You can’t stand the wallpaper in the guest bath, your hubby cannot wait to add shutters to the house, and you both will not be able to go on another day if you don’t take care of the front flower beds? Knock out the flower beds first and then take turns working through other projects on your list.

Hope this helps you, Olivia, and we can’t wait to see the before & after shots!


I know you guys are just bursting with helpful hints of your own for Olivia! What are your tricks of the trade for knocking out home projects AND maintaining your sanity?


-Cara