When the Grand Plan becomes a little too Grand…

Have you ever heard someone say, “I have all these ideas and things that I want to do to my house, but don’t know where to begin,” hence, the “Grand Plan” …and in my world, Interior ReDesigning & Staging – I hear about the Grand Plan from my prospective client’s everyday!!

Over the years, I have heard many an enthusiastic homeowner talk about a rather complex and detailed plan – you’re with me now: it’s the “Grand Plan”.

Many, many times this plan includes paint, carpet, window coverings, furnishings, lighting, accessories, artwork or just a fresh look by moving furnishings and accessories around– by the very nature of the complex, interrelated components it becomes larger than life, hence the challenge to just get started.

Having helped many a client who just “couldn’t get started” in creating a fresh new look for a favorite space in their home or office, I would like to offer the following suggestion: make the “Grand Plan” manageable by creating a simple, multi-step game plan.

“the ultimate interior design makeover!” © (Grand Plan) begins by making a plan. Here are a few simple suggestions to help you accomplish your Grand Plan:

1. Write it down. Create a list of your ideas for your home or favorite spaces. Helpful to visualize what you’d like to do, also (as this may change over time) it makes it easy to edit or update – if you create a list.
2. Prioritize the spaces and the items that you wish to work on. This is the 1st step phase in making manageable smaller steps in creating your Grand Plan.
3. For each space listed, create a list of tasks or items that you would like to accomplish in making your home or office space look / feel better. This list may be quite comprehensive, but becomes a bit of a “To-Do” list. Sometimes looking through (tearing out pictures or articles from) home magazines, like San Diego Home / Garden magazine (filled with loads of local resources) or national home magazines that showcase spaces that are appealing to you can be helpful in visualizing and gathering ideas.
4. Call professionals to get estimates for the things that you would like to have done quickly and professionally. Many folks think: I can do that myself – and many can, but if part of your goal is to have it done right, quickly and efficiently…my suggestions is to leave it to the pro’ s. For items that you want to do yourself, shop for products and get prices (and samples or swatches). This budget phase is essential, to help you try to really see the total cost of creating your dream space.

5. Sort the list with projects and prices based upon what you are able to tackle 1st. Room by room is a good initial pass. Just by sorting and re-sorting your list or projects and prices, you are helping to develop momentum to get started.
6. Be Realistic – this is one of the most important items on this list & could actually be inserted after every number of this list.
7. Get started – remember, even a baby step is a step. Don’t get tied up by “analysis- paralysis” tackle your plan one-step at a time.
8. If your list is just unmanageable, remember you can also call in an Interior ReDesigning Professional like Art of ReDesigning too – many are very good at helping tackle larger projects by coordinating multiple tasks at the same time.
9. Most of all, remember these tasks are getting you that much closer to your vision, your “Grand Plan”.

10. Keep this list handy, as most homeowners are re-working their Grand Plans about every 5 to 7 years.