How to Get motivated and find the time to DIY this year....

We all see images  (on pinterest , facebook, blogs and instagram) of beautiful homes...and maybe think to ourselves: I wish my home could look like that! Or maybe you're out shopping and see something you love, but think to yourself : I could make that!! Well, this year: Why don't you do it??

Image via domaine home

Because you can!! I did! Now, I know that that is kind of my thing...I mean: I blog about it right?? Easy for me to say: You have a job, kids, a life ....how will you find the time to DIY and improve your home?? Well, that's what I used to think. ...until I started actually just doing it!! So today I want to share with you all my top tips to get into DIY-ing this year! The main thing is to get motivated, get planning and get started!! MOTIVATION Beautifying your surroundings and your home in particular is an investment into your personal well being!! Making your home a sanctuary where you truly feel happy, both visually and functionally is what interior design is all about....and you can achieve this all by yourself!

INSPIRATION  If you have yet to find YOUR style....the look that works for YOU, I suggest that you start by buying a few interior design magazines...Spend a Sunday Afternoon , with a cup of tea in hand....maybe even listen to some music....relax and enjoy :looking through them, ripping or cutting out images that appeal to you! It can be colours, shapes, furniture or artwork....whatever catches your eye! Don't worry about reading the articles (unless you want to:)) but just skim through and compile visual images that you like... Spread them all over the floor, and take note of what colours and styles are repeating....Maybe you're into opulence and dark jewel colours...or maybe you like bright and airy images with minimalistic decor?  The style that appeals to you should become more apparent when you look at all your clippings!

Image via Elle decoration

Now that you've an idea of what you like, head on over to Pinterest If you are not yet using pinterest, you should! Its a great place to find inspiration for all your interior projects, big or small! You can create moodboards of images you like for every room in your house:  Just search for the styles you like using key words, say white walls, wooden floor, mid century modern furniture...etc... This should make you hone your tastes down and give you a more solid picture of what you'd like your home to look like! Just don't get too caught up with details: Yes, your home may not have big windows letting lots of light in, but stear clear of pinterest envy: you can still take inspiration from the interior design elements of that space! This article from Apartment therapy may help should the green eyed monster rear its head!!

Image by Mr Badger

If you already know you're style, and are quite confident in what you'd like your home to look like, get more specific in your pinterest search: Searching the site using key words like DIY or tutorials on just about anything should give you results. Want to put up wall paper in your living room? Or maybe you've seen a knitted blanket you thought you could DIY?  Set up a board with projects you'd like to do for your home: Big or Small!! Get started by visiting my pinterest board Projects or just follow me to see what I'm pinning!!

Image from I spy DIY

PLANNING Now you may already have thought about what you'd like to get done in your home already at this point....But putting it all down on paper should motivate you to start putting the plans into action! Grab a notebook and a pen and do a walk through of your home and take notes of all the home improvements you would ideally like to get done this year! From completely redecorating a room, painting a wall to adding some art or maybe something more practical, like coming up with a new storage solution for the hallway? Write it all down as a list!

Image via Pinterest

Next up, get real....If you have a day job, you are probably not going to find the time to do it all!! So you'll need to prioritize: Re-order your list of DIY's from small, easy-to-do, to bigger and more time consuming projects! Star those projects that are most important to you: The ones you feel would make the biggest ,most positive impact on your home (and your life) and the ones you feel would be most enjoyable! A DIY project is as much about the journey of doing it as it is about the end product!

Tassel pillow DIY from Fall for DIY

Choose one, easy and fun project to get you started!! Something you feel confident you can make and that you know you'll enjoy! Like making some quick art or jazzing up a pillow with tassels, like in the image above! Starting small will give you some momentum and build your confidence to continue tackling the projects on your list!

Image from from up north

PREPARATION Think about the process each of your projects on your list entails! Start at the top of your list! Break each project down into steps before you start! Weather you are following an online tutorial, or instructions on a tin, make sure you familiarize yourself with the entire process so you know what to expect and can plan how long each project will take!  Be prepared to encounter "spin off" projects! ie: You've painted the walls, but now the woodwork/ceiling or floor looks tatty = NEW PROJECT! Try to pre-empt if this could happen in the planning and preparing phase, and break down these projects into steps as well

Image from Classy clutter

Make a road map in your head of the processes and steps of your project! Make a list of what tools and materials you'll need and set off time to purchase them. Make a plan to work organized and always prioritize health and safety! Invest in safety glasses ,dust masks and rubber gloves, as well as dust sheets and masking tape for those BIG jobs!! Then work out an estimation of the time you think the project will take you, taking into account things like moving furniture out of the way or drying time for paints etc.....especially if it's a big one , like redecorating a room, and schedule it in your diary at a convenient time!  Schedule time for DIY when you can feasibly fit it in!

Image via campaign

DO IT!! Set up your workspace, Protect your surroundings and your health and tidy up as you go! Working in an organized fashion is key to enjoying the process! Just don't be tempted to mix alcohol and DIY....NOT a good combo (Believe me, I've tried LOL) If you've done your research, planning and preparing, you have set yourself up for success! If you are doing a smaller project, Set yourself up a DIY station! It doesn't have to be big (depending on the DIY , of course) A desk or a space where you can leave your project out....or even just a tray or a basket where you can keep you project handy... Setting up and cleaning up your workspace takes time and can be discouraging, so keeping a project handy in a designated area will make you more inclined to do it whenever you get some spare time! Try to schedule time to DIY on a regular basis in order to work down your list of projects.

Getting into a regular groove will help you stay on track! And as you start ticking things of the list, you'll see your motivation and sense of achievement rising, spurring you on to the next project! PROBLEMS Don't put pressure on yourself to do too much in a short space of time....DIY's tend to always take longer than estimated! Be prepared for problems, delays or timing issues. DIY is a learning curve! If you want to be a DIY'er you'll need to accept that sometimes you'll fail...but if you keep trying your skills and confidence will grow by leaps and bounds.

Image from Livin3

Be honest with yourself in your skills and abilities... If you have bitten off more than you can chew, there is no shame in calling in the professionals! This applies in particular to anything structural or to do with electrics or plumbing!! And if you run out of patience or time, just STOP! Take a break! 

Image from Retrogasm

Don't keep going just to get it done....if it's half past 2 in the morning, you're tired, frutrated and not thinking straight...You're bound to make mistakes you may regret! Just schedule to finish the job at your earliest convenience.... ....but do make sure you finish!! And on a last note: Sometimes mistakes can be happy accident's....Life's little way of showing you just how creative you can be! It doesn't always have to be perfect to be beautiful! And do what YOU want....not what Bloggy McBloggerson told you to do on her blog (mine included)...it's your version of the project that makes your DIY unique!!

Image from fvquotes

Or, in the words of Sophie Conran: "Things don't have to be perfect to be beautiful. If you go into a room and it's all perfect, you don't feel comfortable. A home interior is not an abstract thing, it is about people, it's about the way you feel, the way you interact. It's about family and friends, it's the backdrop to your life."

Image via Maisons blanches

See my DIY tutorials gallery for lots of little and large projects you can make and do for your home!

Next week I will be sharing my toolbox...

not literally of course...but I want to show you what basic tools, in my experience, any DIY'er should have!!

But before that I will be posting a pretty and pretty useful easy little project, so please pop back for that!!