One of the best ways to increase your chances of completing any project around the home successfully is to do a little planning.
Wait a minute. I know what you’re thinking. This is another “Plan Your Project Properly” lecture. How boring can you get?
Well, you’re wrong. Take it from one poor sinner who doesn’t sit down and write out an outline or list the steps for a project. It is possible to do a mini-plan without a complex list of steps. You will, however, probably benefit from a list of materials you’ll need.
With just a few moments of planning, a few minutes of getting your materials and tools ready, you can save yourself a lot of time and frustration.
Here are a few suggestions to get you going in that direction:
– Estimate material needs. How many times have you had to stop in the middle of a project to go to a home center or hardware store to get something you forgot? You’re in good company. Take a look around you the next time you’re in such a store, particularly on a weekend. Chances are you’ll see many others in the same fix.
Just once, wouldn’t it be nice to be able to do a project clear through without having to hit the store in the middle of it? Who says you can’t? It just takes a list of materials. (OK, this isn’t going to work 100 percent of the time. But it should cut down on most or some of those frustrating mid-project trips.)
– Clear a space. If you’re like most people, your workbench or worktable is often cluttered. Put tools and materials you won’t need back in their spaces and clean the area.
Often, just deciding how much space you’ll need to clear is one of the first considerations. If you have materials for your project that will take up significant room, plan to give yourself extra space–beyond the space those materials will need–so you can maneuver them if you have to and to use tools.
– Decide on tools. This sounds a bit simplistic, but it’s better if you decide at the start what tools you’re going to need. This doesn’t mean you’ll have to have all the tools you’re going to need out at once. But deciding which tools you’ll need allows you to create space for those electrical cords, decide where you’ll use clamps if necessary and make other decisions.
For instance, you may need to use more than one electrical tool in the project, but it will have to be in conjunction with other electrical tools. You don’t want electrical cords running amok over your project, but you don’t want to have to unplug one tool and plug in another constantly. You may need to use an electrical service cord with space for three plugs. You can get that out ahead of time and plug it in.
– Cleanup time. Whatever you do, plan time at the end of the project–even if you’re not able to finish the project–to clean up tools and the area as much as possible. You don’t have to sit down and outline a time chart, just keep it in mind.
Allow more time for this than you think you’ll need. Aren’t you always tired at the end of a project, sometimes so tired that it takes you longer to clean up? Don’t you move a lot slower because you’re so tired?
Besides, if you clean up your project area well, you’ll be a lot more inclined to continue with the project, repeat it or tackle something else if that work area doesn’t have to be cleaned before you use it again.
