by lisa@lisacanning.ca | Oct 30, 2015 | Lifestyle Design
I have heard Linda over at Calling It Home say that week 4 of the One Room Challenge, this crazy fun challenge where designers and bloggers are challenged to complete a room in 6 weeks, is the hardest. Boy is she right. Because looking at my photos and thinking that there are only 13 more days to finish this room off is kinda crazy!!!
Pot lights are in, room has been emptied of stuff save for the treadmill and a few other random things (so much purging happened!), closet is gone and first coat of paint went on today! Woo hoo. However… there are so many things still to accomplish. And so little time!
This is why I love a deadline. I've written about how to complete a room in 48-hours. And deadlines, self-imposed or not, are big time motivators. But of course it can be really challenging. From a whole bunch of personal experience, here are my tips for staying focused to finish strong:
1. Call in the cavalry. Sometimes it pays to pay (whether it be in cash or baked goods!). When life is busy you sometimes cannot afford to spend time doing things that other people can do (and do really well). While I painted myself for my last One Room Challenge reveal, this time around has been a bit nuts timing wise, considering I'm also finishing my bathroom, my husband has been traveling for work, my 5 kids are… well, 5 kids! and I am nursing a cold that is hanging for dear life no matter how many oranges I consume. If you need tissues, come on over. I've got them in bulk. So when other things demand your time that only you uniquely can do, delegate the rest. This time I called in my favourite painters from Finer Edge to help me get this room done. So whether it be in supporting a small business by hiring people to help, or bringing in friends with the promise of your best baked goods, delegate.
2. Picture what will be made possible when the task is complete. It can be hard to see through the drywall dust, bags of garbage, and paint cans what the finished product will be. Last week I wrote about how every time I opened the door to the gym I would literally get so overwhelmed and just close the door behind me without going in. What would motivate me to push through was picturing what it would look like when I would turn the knob and then walk in to a finished gym that will help me towards my health goals. Picture the end and how you'll feel and remember it will be so worth it.
3. Just do the next right thing. I recently learned about the Ivy Lee Method– where you essentially write down the 6 most important things you need to complete each day in order of priority and only focus on that list. Getting a project done is basically just a long list of small things- so just make that list, whether it be 6 or 600 and do the first thing on the list until it's all done.
Check out what the featured 20 designers are doing this time around and what my fellow guest participants are up to as well!
by lisa@lisacanning.ca | Oct 23, 2015 | Lifestyle Design
Hello friends- so excited to be sharing another installment of the One Room Challenge, where designers and bloggers are challenged to completely design and renovate and style a room in SIX WEEKS. Crazy, I know. But let me tell you it was incredibly motivating last time around when I completed my laundry room so I am thrilled to be doing it again. It's pretty awesome when you can take a space and be motivated to make changes that will bring so much good to your family.
The room we are tackling this time around is my home gym. It kinda became a glorified storage room with an expensive treadmill in it. With newfound goals to be more healthy and try and get into some sort of physical shape after having 5 kids I really am motivated to get this room done and make it a really inspiring and beautiful space to work out in.
However, right now beautiful and inspiring it is not. I have to admit every time I go in there my heart sinks, I close the door and I procrastinate making the decisions that need to get done.
This is why deadlines are so great. They force you to stay on track even when you don't want to.
I am pretty excited about a home gym but I am honestly equally excited to de-clutter my house even further. Right now the contents of my gym, which was FULL OF CRAP, are strewn around my basement, making it basically impossible for me to relax. But it's week 3, so the end is near- which is both exciting and terrifying at the same time.
If you too are knee deep in clutter here are 3 super quick wins to make it more manageable:
1) SET A TIMER: Literally set the timer on your phone, or put a 20 minute TV show on for the kids on Netflix. Just sort through and put in the garbage or donate pile what you can in that amount of time and don't worry about the rest. It is not insurmountable! De-cluttering is literally done one item at a time.
2) CALL JUST JUNK: I recently helped a family sort through 7 years of accumulated clutter and we strategically booked Just Junk in the middle of the day to take away what we had sorted. Just Junk will literally lift, carry, dispose of, and donate all this stuff. For a pretty reasonable fee you're given the physical support to really conquer your clutter.
3) PICTURE THE END RESULT: When I get overwhelmed (which has been daily my friends) I just try and picture what my gym and the rest of my basement will look like when this is done. Keep your eye on the prize!!! The hard work is worth it!!!!
There are some pretty amazing participants in the ORC this year. Check out the featured 20 designers here and the rest of the guest participants here.
by lisa@lisacanning.ca | Oct 9, 2015 | Interior Design
Pretty darn excited it is that time of the year again- One Room Challenge! The crazy time time of the year that designer / bloggers / decor enthusiasts the world over embark on the challenge to renovate and complete a room in 6 short weeks. Yes, we be cray cray. And yes, last time I completed my laundry room in 6 weeks while almost 9 months pregnant (WHAT?!?!). Here's what that crazy challenge looked like last time:
This time I am tackling my home gym. Shield your eyes- maybe put on sunglasses:
Why did we paint it this colour?!?!? We were so excited when we first painted it! Why are there boxes everywhere? Why is the door off the hinge of the closet? Why are my Christmas decorations randomly on the floor? WHY WHY WHY WHY?!?!?!?
Finally this space is going to get some love. I have recently made exercise a priority in my life by hiring a trainer to come to the house- so not only does this challenge have an interior design goal and win, I am also hoping a physical transformation occurs in me in the 6 weeks as well. Not sure if I am brave enough to post a before shot of my stomach after having 5 kids ages 6 and under, but I am brave enough to yet again jump into this fun design challenge and share the progress every Thursday with all of you!
A very big thanks to Linda at Calling It Home for organizing this audacious fun party every season. Check out the featured 20 designers here, and the linking party here! Follow along all the fun with the hashtag #oneroomchallenge
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