Every year my husband and I write down our goals. We have fun goals and serious goals and paying off debt goals and business goals and we are both nerdy so we think it’s fun and look forward to it. Even better, my parents and my sister and her husband and me and my husband get together every year in January or February and talk about our goals together. We’ve done that for about 10 years and again with the nerdiness and the fact that we all look forward to it. As a family, we even have one goal that is HUGE and crazy and insane and my part would hopefully one day involve you. But I’m not ready to tell you about that yet.
Another thing I do every year is write down some things I want to accomplish in our home. Tangible, I’ll-be-SO-thrilled-when-it’s done, goals. We’ve been renters for the past 3 years so those goals look a little different than when we owned our house but, they are still goals, and they help me focus and look forward to change. They also give me time to think about what I want and what I need and what is best.
In the past my home goals have been anything from “pay cash for a new sofa” to “plant something in the front of the house”. Some years they are big goals, some years {like the first year we are renting a home} they are baby steps. You can have goals for your home no matter what your housing situation. Maybe your goal is simply to learn to love your home more. Maybe you need to take a risk and start filling some of those empty rooms with things that will serve your family and that you love even if you have no idea where to start. Maybe you need to get rid of some things. Maybe you have a specific project that’s been bugging you.
Will you join me in thinking about goals for your home and come back here on Thursday and we’ll all link up and share a few of our home goals? You can have one goal, you can have 20, there are no rules. But, you want to have goals that are measurable and not too overwhelming. Be realistic but, challenge yourself.
I’ll work on mine and we’ll discuss amongst ourselves in a few days.
Writing them down is a fabulous idea! I never really think long term enough to plan out and write it down – but maybe it’s time that I changed my way of thinking.
Happy New Year, my friend!
This is great! I have a post-it note ready to go. I can’t help but make goals even if I am a renter as well.
My biggest goal for 2011 is to follow through on my goals for 2011! (Can’t wait to see what people list on Thursday)!
I LOVE this idea, Nester! I was actually thinking yesterday about things I’d like to do in the house. I knew if I posted about it on the blog, I’d be more *committed* to it…which is why I haven’t done it yet. But you sold me. I’m going to think about my list today. (And loving my home more should be on the top of it!)
Indeed a wonderful idea! Perhaps this will give me the needed push to think and ACTUALLY do some of the projects on my list. (writing them down as set goals really helps me)
I need to do this…I have been letting “i’m too busy” be my excuse for awhile now.
by the way, when I saw this
http://www.wshome.com/products/p172/index.cfm?bnrid=5231120&cm_ven=e3&cm_cat=edm&cm_pla=0103_heads&cm_ite=hero_head
My first thought was of you and your “is this satanic or not” post! too funny! (i still don’t think its satanic, btw!)
I think that is an amazing family tradition you have! This year we sat down with our boys and did resolutions but I would love to spread it family wide. As to my home, this year my goal is to buy nothing “new”, as in brand-new, for my home. I am shopping completely second-hand in order to save money and help the environment. In fact, I made it into a challenge on my blog, The Green Gracious Treasure Hunt 2011! http://greengracious.blogspot.com/2010/12/contest-announcement-treasure-hunt-2011.html
My husband and I do this every year.We make a long list and try to do three things on the list each month depending on the size of the project.It is very satisfying to look back on what has been accomplished by the end of the year.
Organization is a huge goal for me. The more organized I am at home the better I function :)
I just did this on Saturday! Mainly because I had so many thoughts running through my mind that I needed to write them all down but I can already see how motivating it is. I’m struggling with which project to start first!!
A goal party. Love it.
Hubby and I begin this new year with a new place – our first house. Over the last few days, I’ve walked through the rooms praying that it would be a place of rest and refreshment, comfort and peace for all who walk through its doors. When I first read your post title, I immediate thought of that as my goal. And then I read your comment about making tangible, measurable goals, which is something I haven’t done. Thank you for the challenge to think more in terms of the real and less the abstract. I’m looking forward to reading what is shared on Thursdays.
What a wonderful idea. I’ve actually been thinking of things that I want to change about our home. I want to love our home, not just live in it.
What a great idea! I can’t wait to share/see what everyone’s goals are on Thursday!
Fellow nerd here! I SO wish Kimball liked setting goals too, in the past I’ve twisted his arm to sit down with me and discuss business and family goals…maybe I’ll have to do that again. Yeah, I have goals for this rental house. Maybe I’ll come back and share on Thursday…I’ve been doing some scheming. :) Hope to meet you at Blissdom!!
Setting goals is hard. Because I find myself evaluating them. Brainstorming helps me and also asking myself the question, “What is bothering me?” For instance, we had a disposal in our kitchen that wasn’t working and finally I decided to take it OUT. Or the heater blower that is so LOUD. But also, deciding to go for an interim plan when I can’t afford the dream plan is hard. I have to remind myself I can still have the dream plan for whenever, but for now I want to try things that make it functional. I have a house blog that I am using as a giant (somewhat public) to do list. I’m an artist and my house often takes second place. But I want to work on that. Thanks for the nudge for PLANNING.
the thursday meet-up sounds like fun! i enjoy a good goal share too!
your fellow nerd,
heidi :)
My husband and I were just talking about some things we would like to do to our home the other day, but I love the idea of setting aside some time to talk/pray/dream about attainable goals. I can definitely see how you enjoy that and look forward to it! I am thinking we should start this tradition too! Thanks for the motivating post!
I’ve been thinking along these lines, too. Making a little “mission statement” helps me focus on what is important, even in my housekeeping goals. I’ve decided to add “finding joy in every day” to mine so that no matter what, there will always be something to savor. http://bit.ly/e4j4gJ Thanks for this.
Love your post, but I love that fabric more! Do you know what it is? Thanks!
It’s our dog bed :}
I think your fabric is Waverly’s Chippendale Fretwork in Chocolate (try housefabric.com or fabric.com) :-)
Even your DOG is stylish…LOL!!!
Thanks everyone!
Great idea! I would love to see what other people’s home goals are. I am such a planner/goal/list maker that I was saying to myself last night to work on a list of projects I want to accomplish around here.
Goals keep us moving forward and shift our perspectives. So yes, I’ll join you in bringing some of mine on board. I think oftentimes people put too much emphasis on “owning “things. A home, a car, a second home. There are trade-offs both ways. We now own our home (or rather part of it till it’s paid off). But we rented this same house for several years first. So we definitely knew the house before we jumped in.
Brenda
LOVE this idea. I was just going to do a post on my little blog about this today so I will save my thoughts and ponder and link up Thursday. :-)
F
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I’ll be baaaaaaaaack (done in my best Ahnold Schwarzenegger voice).
Have a blessed day!
My goals are to get as much of my home projects done this year and finally get this place organized! I just found out I am expecting baby #3 and having my home in a more orderly fashion will help when I have 3 children who are going to keep me super busy!
A couple of years ago, while in a Bible study, I had an “aha” moment. The question posed was something like “what is home to you”? Well, as an Air Force Brat, moving around the US and Europe, home was where my stuff was. Hmmm…home is stuff. Wow. Talk about a wake up call for this packrat brat. My goal each year since that moment has been to reduce the amount of stuff in my life…because home is not stuff, home is the warmth and love of my family and friends filling my home and my heart.
Anna
I would love to have goals, but we’re moving…somewhere (the Army likes to stress me out completely and not tell us until just a few months before the move) in Oct. We’ll likely be shipping our household goods sometime in the summer, so having goals is hard. I guess I could have short term goals, like staying clean…wait, wait, I have to laugh for a few minutes…okay better, but other than that? I don’t know. I’ll have to think. That’ll keep my crazy pregnant brain busy. I can’t wait to see what your goals are though.
Would love to link up and discuss home goals! I have one big one in mind & I hope that I can reach it this year….will get to work on some smaller ones!
Um…I would LOVE to know more about that secret project you and your sister and your husbands are doing!
This sounds great! My husband and I were just discussing house goals this morning, and we have soooo many of them that I don’t even think they’ll all be done this year…but it’s a work in progress!
My goal for 2011 is to be INTENTIONAL about everything. Not just having a good idea. But a plan to make it happen. I like you mention “baby steps” are you a dave ramsey fan too?
What a great idea! I’ve always set up life goals, but never for my home-I’d be happy to be nerdy with you all too!
This is a great idea!
I have so many goals, and I was planning on doing a post anyway! What great timing you have! :)
I agree, we can all have Home goals, regardless of our situation. My number one goal must be to love my home more. I’ve been making real headway with this one.
After that, getting the painters in (some parts are just too high and dangerous for us to tackle) would be awesome. Followed by, dare I say it, new carpet. The previous owners had large, mucky dogs and we’ve lived with the stains for long enough!!
What a great idea! I can’t wait to come back on Thursday and see what everyone’s goals are. Thanks for hosting this!
good idea! i love goals and think that they really help to get things done!!
My husband and I have been “Vision Mapping” our entire lives for the past month… everything from work to our parenting to our marriage and our relationship with God. The cool thing is that vision mapping not only makes you think of goals to accomplish the dreams you have for each area of life, but it makes you break them down into tangible steps and tasks and you can add dates they need to be accomplished by. It may sound hokey to plan a marriage on paper but I have never been so excited about making my relationship with my husband healthier and more exciting:)
are you reading my planner? because I have a special page for just my home goals. I found last years and pulled it out to show my hubs. I was so proud of myself, because I could mark them all off. I’m such a list nerd. this post made my day.
My goals will depend on whether the IRS grants us that $8k First Time Home Buyers credit after all or not.
Trust me I have a list, but if that credit does not come through, majority of the items on it will be out of reach. Damn this taste of mine!
This is a great exercise though, regardless. Will start my list on the last page of my planner where I can track it, and edit as needed. It would be great to use the idea of doing one a month -thanks Clarice!- so maybe I’ll come up with 18ish, a mix of ‘will take time and money’ and ‘can do with what we have right here’ so that we end up with one a month regardless.
I guess I am nerdy too! I love making goals and sitting down to talk about them with my husband. I make them for my home and for lots of areas of LIFE. I was just getting ready to post about my goals for our home renovation project. I will be linking up with ya later this week!
See ya then
Denise
My hubby and I have gotten more done in the last 3 weeks than we’ve done in the last year. We’re really excited about all of the (really inexpensive) changes we’ve been able to accomplish.
We really want to take advantage of our momentum, so I was planning a post on home goals. Your timing is perfect. See you Thursday :)
I definitely am a Goals Girl. I live for goals and the big fat checkmarks that go with completing them! I have lots of big, hairy goals for my home this year…I’ll be linking Thursday fo sho!
Love goals! We’ve started working on one of them, which is “finish up small nitnoid little things that just need to get finished”-for instance, we put a new faucet in our bathroom sink a couple of years ago, but didn’t get the drain piece put in until last weekend. Oil the bathroom door hinges so it’ll finally quit squeaking. Shave the top of the bedroom door so it’ll close. Things like that, that don’t take a lot of time but are more than you can tackle just in passing, ya know? Not having them done makes the whole house feel unfinished.
I want to finish painting the doors and trim in the house from the darkish wood stain to white-this house has far too few windows to have big dark doors and trim everywhere. I’ve got 4 doors left, not counting sliding closet doors (oh I hate them but can’t replace them right now), and the trim. It’ll looks so nice when it’s all done. I also want to paint a couple of bedrooms, a bathroom and the living room.
Yes! Big goals this year – the biggest one of all….to make my house feel like home again, to love our home again. I am excited to join you on Thursday…one of my home goals will already be completed by then!!
Nester – thank you so much for all of your insight and encouragement. Mistreatments…they have become my favorite. I actually have begun to love my old aluminum windows again…they look pretty good with a good mistreatment.
Hey Nester,
One of our discussion leaders at Dave Ramsey suggested dividing life into 4 categories (ex. spiritual, physical, work and home) and then setting one goal for each category that year. I really liked the reminder that it’s not just our homes and bodies that need fixing up, but our hearts and families, too!!
So cool. I just wrote this post today to go up tomorrow. I am never ahead of schedule! Maybe this is a sign of hope for the New Year??!
I definately have a list that I put on my blog! I continually have a list actually and this is something I find I do all the time just to stay focused upon what I want to do and have some logic to the process of completing it! I am a list maker with regard to tasks! I will surely come back to link up about this with you this week – looking forward to it! Next on my personal list is redoing a coffee table and a master bedroom overhaul!
Great blog – so glad I found you!
Stacey :o)
check me out at my blog site – ttp://staceyembracingchange.blogspot.com/
My husband and I are nerds too. I even wrote about how to organize your resolutions on my blog. How nerdy am I? I guess we are a part of the nerd herd now. :) Thanks Nester for this great tip. Have a blessed year.
Oh,goodie! HOMEWORK! Literally! :D love it, guess I am a nerd,too. I am a “lister” since dirt was formed. I’ve even broken down my list categories into separate notebooks. However, since I’ve made such an effort to change from a wacked-out Type A to a better combo of A&B (type C?) I am not getting the lists done and the behinder I get, the more unrealistic the lists are. So I will be doing my *home*-work b4 Thursday. Thank you for another “noodge”. -s-
Oh, goodie, “HOME”work! I guess i’m a nerd,too. I even separate my lists by function into different notebooks! But as I work at being less of a wacked Type A, I get behinder. And the lists get less realistic in trying to catch up. (sigh) So I have LOTS of *home-work* to do before Thursday. I’m in. Oy…-s-
Please forgive the stoopidphone multi-post. It didnt register the first one,got confused&went to another URL, so I tried again until I got the “dup message” uh, message. Happened on “inspired room”,too. Mea culpa. -s-