Write it down...

...make it happen

There is soooo much to remember and record during a house renovation that organisation has never been more key.  I don't mean the things you'll want to document like major changes or before and after pics.  I am talking about all the day to day lists of schedules, appointments, measurements, ideas, budgets and general notes on things you need to buy and research.

I am very lucky to be married to a 'military precision' (literally) logistician, so we he has this well perfected and we are pretty much always on top of everything.  But in this case it really isn't actually that difficult either, the answer to all our organisational issues is the humble pencil and notepad. I know, it sounds like I am stating the obvious right? But in all seriousness it really is just that..obvious!  Like most of these 'new' organisational ideas that are trending currently, it's mostly plain old common sense.  The difference between it working or failing miserably, is simply keeping the 'new' idea going.  For example: a shopping list is only good if you remember to bring it with you to the store and creating a place for everything in your home to reduce clutter will only work as long as you are tidying as you go, consistently. In this instance you just have to write everything down..and when I say everything, I mean EVERYTHING...and keep writing it down ALL.THE.TIME!  On top of that you need to have access to your reno book ALL.THE.TIME!

Col carries a large notebook (everywhere he goes) that holds everything from scale drawings of entire rooms to appointment times for tradies and everything in between, (obviously there are also the 'behind the scenes spreadsheets' too - those who know Col well will be positively chuckling right about now).  For example, if we are out at Bunnings and get a call whilst there from the tiler asking an urgent question about the bath size or floor dimensions, we can turn to the book and give him exactly what he needs.  Likewise if we are out and about on the other side of town picking something up and stumble across a new plumbing store that we hadn't yet seen, we can nip in with our trusty book in hand and look for vanities or faucets or whatever we need to source, knowing we have all the particulars written down in front of us...and therefore knowing what we buy or order will fit like a glove.  It minimises the to-ing and fro-ing and maximises the time we have on the job (a'hem.. so to speak)!

I carry (although to be fair, I am not as well trained in the 'carrying' part as Col is) a smaller book, with everything from shopping lists and kids school needs/info to measurements for curtains and blinds.  Because we are completing this whole reno whist Col is on leave, we are trying to maximise the time spent working as much as possible while the children are at school.  We only have 2 days a week while both children are safely out of the house, so to be able to make one or two trips a week to different stores etc and not having to pop back and get this measurement or that has helped immensely. 

On top of that we have a 'keep calm and carry on' calendar on our wall near the door that carries every single appointment, bill due date, school and kinder reminder and anything else we may need.  We are in the habit of checking that every time we walk out the door so as not to miss anything. 

Between all three things we have so far not missed a single thing.  Actually I had better tell the truth here as Sasha is our only avid reader... it has let us down once when we missed pupil no uniform day at her school - ooops! She was not happy with us, at all!! 

All in all though these three basic little things undoubtedly make the biggest difference to whether we get things done or not.  Without our little blue reno book we would be totally lost!

K

PS - Sorry Sasha x