Welcome to my Lessons learned from remodeling journal. I thought it would be fun and instructive to share our remodeling journey week by week. I hope you can learn from what we do right- and more importantly from what we mess up.
And this is just at Home Depot.
Analysis Paralysis
Elaine gave me some great advice on Week 5: There are some things you can lean into now: decisions. Later, decision fatigue may be so severe that you canβt decide what you like on your pizza, let alone what hardware you need on cabinets, which garbage disposal you want, or how far above the cooktop your exhaust hood should sit. Later has arrived.
At first shopping was fun: stalking Restore locations around the DC Beltway morphed into a treasure hunt. In Frederick, Maryland I found our $25/sq ft retail backsplash for $4/sq ft. In Manassas, VA I found a $200 lighting fixture for the living room for $20. Two weeks later I discovered the exact match-brand, model, everything- dining room chandelier 20 miles away in Leesburg for $60.
As weeks pass shopping is decidedly less fun. Each decision becomes both more mundane and more difficult. Try to select a shade of beige paint. Seriously. You’ll quickly descend into a rabbit hole of “greige” (yes, grey-beige is actually a thing), mayonnaise, song of summer, spirit whisper, bagel, likable sand… How on earth am I supposed to pick between moongaze and dainty lace?
Paint color naming must be where marketing hacks go to die.
What I didn’t expect (but Elaine did warn me about) is the analysis paralysis spillover into the rest of my life. Decisions big and small give me a headache. The kids ask me what’s for dinner and I just shrug- I can’t even begin to think about it!
Even planning travel- which is usually about as fun as it gets- has become a chore. Camp Mom 2017 is 90 days away and I haven’t booked a thing besides the main plane tickets. I’ve researched myself blue in the face but can’t pull the trigger-deciding just takes too much energy!
Some of the travel decisions are as hair-splitting as one billion shades of beige.
For instance: I cashed in Marriott points for a seven night certificate and points towards the Southwest Companion pass. In Santiago there’s a Marriott and a Renaissance- both category five- that are right next to each other. On paper Renaissance usually beats Marriott but the Santiago Marriott has more suites-meaning more potential for an upgrade. Or maybe we don’t want seven nights in Santiago. We have five weeks but I have so many other places in mind, too.
Then there’s Iguazu. How many nights? Do we suck up the SPG points for the Sheraton or save a ton by staying further out? It is worth paying the Brazil visa fee x4 to see the other side? And what about the risk of park closure?
If anyone has insight here- please help me out. My brain hurts!
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Well, now you know that the paralysis is real. So let yourself off the hook. If you are usually the one who makes all the decisions for trips, share that decision making. Tell Deal Dad and both Deal Offspring what you were thinking of doing. Get input. It’s OK to get help with decision-making. Not to mention, that when people help make decisions, they have more ownership of them, and are less likely to gripe.
We all can get overkill on anything. Even making decisions about things that should be fun.
As for the paint: what works best for me is to narrow it down to two, paint samples of each on the wall and live with them for a few days. It’s what kept me from ending up with peppermint bonbon ice cream colored walls in my kitchen.
Great tips- I just need to let go.
If you ask me, I think the Sheraton is well worth it at Iguazu Falls… I haven’t stayed there myself, but Pat (of PatMikeL fame), and I think Kat (WillRunforMiles) both shared wonderful pictures and reviews.
I was inclined to think so, too, until a reader told me about the puma sighting causing the trails and park to close recently!
Went to Chile last spring break. For us, seven nights would have been way too much time in Santiago, even with day trips, If you are still Hyatt diamond I would recommend the grand Hyatt. We had a really nice stay there. And consider the atacama area, although hotels are a pain to find.
Hi Kate,
Atacama is high on the list. Do you have a hotel rec? Thanks for the insight.
Hi DM,
Have you looked at Laura Byrne’s blog? It is fabulous, and she picks spot on paint colors. I highly recommend you pick your colors from this palette. Hope that’s helpful!
https://laurelberninteriors.com/2016/12/28/favorite-benjamin-moore-paint-colors/
Thanks for the tip!
1). Greige is one of the best overall paint colors every created.π
2). Santiago is great but only for a few days. After that, Deal kids will be over it.
3). I’m about to start renovating a new (to me) home in about a month so I’ve been reading each of these posts with both excitement and fear.π
Thanks for the insight on Santiago. For remodel: just mentally budget double the time and money you think you need.