How to Keep Your Cool During a Kitchen Makeover

You guys…what a day…what-a-day! I had planned to share easy to create fall inspired tablescape ideas but the entire day just got away from me. Have you ever had one of those days where it feels like EVERYTHING is going wrong? Everything is not actually going wrong but it feels that way. It’s been a doozie let me tell ya.

I realize now when I started this kitchen makeover, I was a bit naïve. I’ve painted hundreds of pieces of furniture over the years. The bathroom cabinet makeover went so smoothly it never dawned on me the kitchen makeover would be any different.

As I’ve shared with you guys in the past, I’m very much a planner and this project is no different. I knew exactly the amount of materials I needed. I had gathered all of my supplies. I consulted with Team Goat countless times over the past several weeks. No playing, it’s like the CIA up in here – I’m briefing someone on the plans almost daily. The hardware has been chosen, the bar stools are on the way…and yet I woke up this morning in such a state of exhaustion I spent most of it teary and totally frustrated.

Somehow in all of my planning and preparation, I failed to leave room for the unexpected. You know, all of the life stuff that happens despite an amazing to-do list or expertly organized priorities list. Things like O2 sensors failing in one car and the very next day, a complete brake job needed on the other. Things like a melted relay in the A/C unit which could have burned the house down and consequently left the electric bill at a stunning $700. Things like exciting calls from The Pickers Market to say another piece of furniture sold as I’m riding the streets looking for inventory and for the 3^rd week in a row coming home empty handed. I could go on, no playing, this has been my week.

I’ve had a bit of time to process the tears, the frustration and the overwhelm today. Thankfully, we’re back on track and good to go, so I thought I would share a few things that I’ve learned about keeping your cool during a kitchen makeover and update you on the status of the kitchen so far…

Leave Room for Margin in Project Completion Timelines – This includes everything from extra sanding time, to product education, to paint curing time. Giving yourself and your team additional time to complete each project will help take off any unnecessary pressure to “get it done” instead of “getting it done right.”

Understand in Advance Your Home Will be a TOTAL Mess – This has been one of the hardest things to handle during the kitchen makeover. There is stuff everywhere and it’s.driving.me.bananas. We’ve made a conscious effort to keep all other areas of the house as clean as they can possibly be and we’re constantly picking up after each project. Believe me, the visual clutter will get ya every time so be sure to clean as you go.

Have a Designated Staging Area for Commonly Used Kitchen Items – There are certain things in the kitchen you will continue to need despite the mess and project timelines. Corral these items together on an empty surface in your home. It may be tough to find room but keeping like items together will help to keep things organized and make it easier to find everything from utensils to glasses.

If at All Possible, Continue Family Routines to Create a Sense of Normalcy – It would have been really easy to not plan a menu, shop for groceries or even do the laundry. You know what I mean? It’s like “well, everything else is already messy what’s one more pile!” However, giving in to those thoughts of procrastination (or for some of you, rebellion, he he) actually causes you to do the work twice. Continue your family’s daily routines and keep things as disruptive as possible.

Work Out, Eat Healthy Meals and Rest Well – In hindsight, this is where I went wrong. I started my day painting cabinet frames instead of working out. We’ve been eating a fair amount of take out and instead of grabbing an apple when I feel stressed I’ve been eating ice cream and chips. I’ve also been so excited and at times over ambitious in meeting project time lines I’ve been up between 2 am and 4 am every morning trying to get things done. I’m pretty sure, I’ve been a little bit harder to deal with this week than usual…just saying. If you only take away one thing from today’s post let it be this – make your physical, emotional, and spiritual a top priority.

Create a Podcast or Playlist in Advance of the Project – Jamming to your favorite tunes or listening to an uplifting podcast will help the time pass by quickly and will keep you motivated when you feel tired.

Walk Away Before “The Crazy” Comes Out – You know that feeling when you feel tired, overwhelmed, anxious and over totally over it? It happens more frequently when you have a huge project and a mess all over your house. Instead of lashing out at the people who are helping you or at the cashier who is just trying to be friendly and doesn’t care about your paint splattered clothes, messy bun or the fact you live 45 minutes away and just need to buy a $6 foam roller already – walk away and breathe it out or pretend no one sees you hiding out.

Treat Yourself – Having something to look forward to can go a long way in helping to keep you on track. It can be as simple as a cup of coffee, a restful nap, a magazine or a hot uninterrupted bath at the end of a long paint sesh. You’ll know what you need so treat yourself with kindness and grace.

Just because you’re super excited about a particular project doesn’t mean there won’t be bumps in the road, honestly, that is part of the experience. It’s how you handle those challenges when they arise that leaves you feeling “hotter than a pepper patch” or “cool as a cucumber.” Save your nerves and chose the latter.

See you guys back here tomorrow. I’ll share easy fall inspired tablescape ideas. Until then, I see you on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.

Many blessings,

CoCo