Fun Houzz: 10 Signs You’re in the Middle of a Renovation Project
A renovation project allows you to choose every last detail for your home, but making multiple decisions can go from exciting to argh…
Overseeing a major renovation involves a lot of decision-making. Even with the best builders and most experienced professionals on your team, you’ll be called upon to make hundreds of choices. These range from the significant to the more aesthetic; from where to position the kitchen island, to what colour plug sockets you want. Then you have to choose paint shades, furniture, window treatments, flooring… It’s enough to make even a seasoned renovator’s head spin. In fact, a big project can produce a severe case of decision-making fatigue. The following symptoms are typical of this common, but sometimes devastating condition…
You have become evasive
You have turned your phone to silent/fed it to the dog/dropped it in a cement mixer. You are actively avoiding your builder and have been known to hide behind parked cars and wheelie bins to evade him. The mere sight of a tradesman approaching with an open Wickes catalogue has you hyperventilating. You’re right! He is going to ask where you want to position the electrical sockets in the cupboard under the stairs. Run! Run!
You have turned your phone to silent/fed it to the dog/dropped it in a cement mixer. You are actively avoiding your builder and have been known to hide behind parked cars and wheelie bins to evade him. The mere sight of a tradesman approaching with an open Wickes catalogue has you hyperventilating. You’re right! He is going to ask where you want to position the electrical sockets in the cupboard under the stairs. Run! Run!
You dream about decisions
The sweet embrace of sleep offers no respite for those suffering from decision-making fatigue. Instead, they dream about decisions. Those they have made; those they are yet to make. Relentless!
The sweet embrace of sleep offers no respite for those suffering from decision-making fatigue. Instead, they dream about decisions. Those they have made; those they are yet to make. Relentless!
You’ve spent a lot on tester pots
And when I say a lot, I mean a lot. You could treat a family of four to a slap-up dinner with the amount you’ve shelled out on these little tubs of paint. In search of that elusive perfect shade, you may find yourself reaching for pot after pot, with each new purchase promising decorating heaven, but delivering indecision instead. Suddenly, pure brilliant white seems like a sensible option.
Can you handle more decisions? Check out the small details that will give your kitchen a design edge – on a budget
And when I say a lot, I mean a lot. You could treat a family of four to a slap-up dinner with the amount you’ve shelled out on these little tubs of paint. In search of that elusive perfect shade, you may find yourself reaching for pot after pot, with each new purchase promising decorating heaven, but delivering indecision instead. Suddenly, pure brilliant white seems like a sensible option.
Can you handle more decisions? Check out the small details that will give your kitchen a design edge – on a budget
You are indecisive in all areas
If you can’t decide what to spread on your toast at breakfast without checking Houzz or a design blog first, then you have clearly lost your way when it comes to making decisions. And FYI: you do not need to create a mood board just to make a cup of tea.
Read tips on how to stay sane during renovation work
If you can’t decide what to spread on your toast at breakfast without checking Houzz or a design blog first, then you have clearly lost your way when it comes to making decisions. And FYI: you do not need to create a mood board just to make a cup of tea.
Read tips on how to stay sane during renovation work
You have changed your plans
You were thinking of going eclectic in the kitchen, with some softly industrial touches thrown in and a few pops of colour. But when you looked into creating that style, it did seem to involve a lot of decisions. And you’re feeling a bit tired today. So you might change your mind on this. In fact, right about now, minimal is looking pretty good to you.
You were thinking of going eclectic in the kitchen, with some softly industrial touches thrown in and a few pops of colour. But when you looked into creating that style, it did seem to involve a lot of decisions. And you’re feeling a bit tired today. So you might change your mind on this. In fact, right about now, minimal is looking pretty good to you.
You’ve spent three weeks researching light switches…
…but you’re still not completely happy with the ones you’ve ordered. Are they as suitable as those other switches you saw? Will you forever regret not spending just a few pounds more on those really fancy German-engineered ones? Should you have gone slider rather than traditional switch? And what’s wrong with white plastic anyway…?
…but you’re still not completely happy with the ones you’ve ordered. Are they as suitable as those other switches you saw? Will you forever regret not spending just a few pounds more on those really fancy German-engineered ones? Should you have gone slider rather than traditional switch? And what’s wrong with white plastic anyway…?
You no longer get asked out
When dinner invitations from friends dry up, this can be a sign that you have decision-making fatigue. Strangely, friends don’t want to hang out with you when you’re too exhausted from the renovation work to be any fun. Or you bore on about why you chose engineered flooring over laminate. Or you ask for their help in selecting an armchair. Or all three.
When dinner invitations from friends dry up, this can be a sign that you have decision-making fatigue. Strangely, friends don’t want to hang out with you when you’re too exhausted from the renovation work to be any fun. Or you bore on about why you chose engineered flooring over laminate. Or you ask for their help in selecting an armchair. Or all three.
You can’t think about the garden
You had planned to work on the garden or terrace at the same time as the interior renovation. Blitz the lot, you know? But now, you are so shattered from the work inside that you can’t begin to contemplate making choices for the outside. You no longer find yourself talking about the garden as an ‘outside room’. Instead, it’s simply ‘out there’, a place to be tackled next year. Or maybe the year after…
You had planned to work on the garden or terrace at the same time as the interior renovation. Blitz the lot, you know? But now, you are so shattered from the work inside that you can’t begin to contemplate making choices for the outside. You no longer find yourself talking about the garden as an ‘outside room’. Instead, it’s simply ‘out there’, a place to be tackled next year. Or maybe the year after…
You are buying everything from the same place
Forget shopping around and taking your time hand-picking each new item for your renovated home. Suddenly, you have the urge to do the interiors equivalent of a supermarket sweep. Just grabbing the lot from one shop, in one hit, feels oddly appealing.
Your language has changed, too. You no longer speak about choosing carefully, doing research and picking the right thing. Now the words ‘that’ll do’ and ‘let’s just get this one as we’re here’ are more frequently uttered.
TELL US…
Have you experienced any other signs of decision-making fatigue? Please share your stories and advice in the Comments below.
Forget shopping around and taking your time hand-picking each new item for your renovated home. Suddenly, you have the urge to do the interiors equivalent of a supermarket sweep. Just grabbing the lot from one shop, in one hit, feels oddly appealing.
Your language has changed, too. You no longer speak about choosing carefully, doing research and picking the right thing. Now the words ‘that’ll do’ and ‘let’s just get this one as we’re here’ are more frequently uttered.
TELL US…
Have you experienced any other signs of decision-making fatigue? Please share your stories and advice in the Comments below.
You know you’re experiencing decision-making fatigue when you find yourself asking advice from other, non-qualified people. You ask your mum, your hairdresser, the bloke who delivers sandwiches to the office, about anything from solar panels and side returns to curtains and blinds. But when you collar the milkman at 5am to see what colour he thinks the front door should be, you know you’ve gone too far.