Having recently not been posting here in our usual Monday to Thursday routine got me thinking about motivation and what to do to keep on top of things, inspired and motivated.
Is it getting away from day to day life and having a holiday? Is it being super organized and ticking things off a ridiculously long to-do list? Or is it being inspired by others?
For us, finishing a DIY project or receiving a lovely comment are things that always give us huge boosts, but sometimes we just need that extra kick up the backside to get back on track again – and we were lucky enough to get two big-time ones!
In case you’ve not already noticed the big blue badge at the top of our blog – we won the Bathrooms.com Best Home Design DIY Award! Can you believe it?! We’re still speechless! Thank you so much to everyone who voted. The competition was really tough as we were up against some other really amazing blogs, which makes it even more special to have won.
And, as if that wasn’t enough motivation, we received this amazing parcel from the lovely Stacey over at Dohiy.
It had the weirdest, most random and coolest content I think we’ve ever received all in one parcel.
Thank you so much to Stacey and Kevin for the thoughtful (and totally unnecessary) gift! If you’ve not checked out their fab blog yet, you should definitely should pop by and pay them a visit here.
Something else that I find motivates me is visiting other people’s and friend’s homes.
Bizarrely looking at a homes that aren’t finished, aren’t perfect and in large parts not really to my taste is what gives me a huge motivational boost. It may not sound nice to criticize someone else’s home, but I really don’t mean it in a bad way. It’s just something that seems to kick-start my brain into being creative again and makes me wonder about how I’d decorate the space I’m in.
People should do with their homes what they want, when they want and not care about current trends or fashions. Things take time to develop, if anyone knows that it’s definitely us! But seeing real homes motivates me much more than the beautiful – and quite frankly overwhelmingly perfect – homes that you see in glossy magazines.
Having lived in our home for almost four years now, we’ve learned to blend out and not see the million unfinished jobs that need sorting, but being in someone else’s home for the first time gives you a different perspective and a new point of view.
Take a step back. Why did you buy your home? What was it that attracted you? Were there any features that you particularly loved or any features that you wanted to make the most of – and have you?
Also, look back at all of the things you have already achieved! Whilst it sometimes may be daunting to think of the never ending to-do list, take time to look at all of the things you have already accomplished!
Our home is definitely still a work in progress and we still have a long way to go. I’m sure we’ll still have more than our fair share of motivational blocks, but hopefully we’ll keep finding ways to work through them.
What do you do to keep motivated? We’d love to hear your tips or advice on keeping enthused and inspired!
Well done on winning the award, brilliant.
We have regular, prolonged breaks from our refurbishment. Sometimes you just need to wait to get your mojo back. I too get inspired by friends houses, that way you can see all the warts too, which I always find reassuring. Homes in magazines are all too staged, just like models in glossy magazines and we all know they are fake, maybe we need to accept that about the houses too.
Ann
Thanks Ann! We were so happy and surprised to win.
You’re so right about the models in glossy magazines, we all know that they are airbrushed and unrealistic, so I guess we should apply the same though process when we see lovely, but staged home images in magazines.
Cx
Big congrats on your big win! That is fantastic.
I’m completely tickled that you included our package–thanks (and double-thanks for the shout-out!). Any time you want something inexplicable from the states, lemme know. (The boiled sweets are root beer and cinnamon flavoured, respectively — should have labeled them.)
Thanks, Stacey! Thanks again so much for the gifts! Happily working our way through the sweets ;)
Cx
Oh my gosh, I’m SO pleased you won! Congrats! :)
Blogs like yours definitely give me inspiration. Also, blogging myself! Probably about once a month I look back through old posts to see what my house used to look like to see how far we’ve come. Really helps us to keep going, especially when it seems like we’ve been living in a tip for ages. Those before and afters can really help put things in perspective :) x
Thanks do much! We were so surprised but sooo happy to have won!
Blogging is something that definitely helps us get projects finished a bit quicker than we probably would otherwise! Glad we’re not the only ones that feel like we’re living in a tip!
Cx