It’s Friday night! You deserve some time out! Let me tell you how this night can begin your remodeling adventure on the right foot!
Step One
Here is where you need to go:
Step Two
This is what you need to grab:
Bring your spouse or a freind. You might need help carrying them all. Pick-up every magazine that looks like it might even remotely have some house stuff that interests you! Don’t worry, I’m not going to suggest you buy them (well, not ALL of them).
Step Three
Find the part of the store that looks like this, find a table, dump your armload of magazines, and get yourself something really nice to drink.
You might even indulge in a pastry!
Step Four
Just sit down and start flipping through the pages. It’s more important that you look at the pictures than review the content of the text. Look at the ads and the photography in articles. Both are equally great sources of inspiration.
Make two stacks (sometimes I’m overflowing onto the floor at this point, and you will generate some stares). One stack for the losers (nothing inspiring) and one for the winners (the ones that made you suck in some air or spit out your coffee blurting “oh my!”, or “Wow!”).
Important Note: Don’t let the annoying little voice that says “you might as well stick that in the “losers” pile because there ain’t no way you can afford that, honey!” have any say at all. Shut him/her up however harshly you need to. This is a creative excercise, not a budget meeting!
Step Five
Go through the winners again, more slowly this time, and pick out a few that really get your heart pumping. It doesn’t matter if the pictures you love have any resemblence to the project you want to do… you might find an outdoor kitchen you LOVE when you’re thinking you want to do the guest bathroom…no matter. Ignore that. Buy the ones you love.
It may cost a few bucks. My average is $100.00 when I do this! But you, being infinitely more sane and reasonable than I, should be able to get out for less than half that! This is a worthy investment and very likely to save you thousands in the long-run!
Step Six
Use these:
After you’ve read the magazine and you’ve finished it, go ahead and cut out the pictures that inspire you. Use sticky-notes or a Sharpie to make notes as to what, exactly, you love about the photo. You’d be surprised how often you can look at a picture in three months and not be able to remember what it was you liked… “maybe it was the little legs on the cabinets…” won’t help you later!
Put it all in a file labeled “Remodeling” … feel free to add “Guy” if you wish!
This is important stuff and it will play a huge role in my upcoming article: Part One of Developing Your Dreams.
I’ll show you how these pictures will impact every aspect of your project, from architecture and interior design, to budget and contractor selection.
If you decide to be a DIY crew, then you’ll be REALLY glad you took this first step.
Besides, you can get a great cup of coffee and enjoy a night out!
Now THAT is Homework!
Thanks to Julia at Hooked On Houses for letting me link-up to the “Hooked On Friday’s” blog party so I can spread this crazy additiction to magazines.
Oh, one more thought, maybe two: If you can’t make it to Barnes & Noble or someplace similar, many of these magazines have great websites and you can do this same excercise in the comfort of home…but it really doesn’t work as well. Second, I’m still trying to get the word out about RemodelingGuy.net, so if you think others might like this blog, please use the ShareThis feature just below (green button). There, you’ll find options for emailing, twitter, StumpleUpon…more stuff than I would know what to do with!
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Laughing here. That is my favorite date. (although not necessarily my husbands). Look at the picture of my “office” That blue file folder by the wing chair is all my magazine clippings filed by room! We need to do this remodel if only to get rid of all the magazine & home remodel books filling up this room. = 0)
That’s great Jennifer! If you get bored, you can scan them and send them to me!
Love it! This is the kind of assignment I can really get into! I subscribe to tons of magazines. I should go through some of the stacks sitting around here and start ripping some pages out this weekend.
Thanks for joining my blog party. Great post!
Julia @ Hooked on Houses’s last blog post..“The American President:” The West Wing on the Big Screen
Oh my, I too have an incredible addiction to these mags. In fact, I keep “inspiration” folders by topic. Comes in handy for clients as well as for myself! I finally picked up some automated scissors (not sure what the proper name is) to cut ideas out of mags much easier. I plan (eventually) on scanning them in and storing them in an Access database that I can search by keyword…but that’s for another day!
Susan’s last blog post..Decorating with empty picture frames
Have fun Julia!
Susan, I’ve done that! I used PaperPort software! It’s really great for keeping track of scanned items.
I tried, at one point, to go with a completely paperless office and it didn’t work so well. I never get around to scanning everything. It’s quicker just to file it. But the great thing about scanning it is this: When you are sitting with a client, and they “all of the sudden” want to talk about front doors when you thought you were there to talk about floor covering, having all of that on your laptop searchable by keyword…pretty helpful and impressive.
Paper Port
Hi Tim! Thanks for stopping by and the great advice! I am looking forward to seeing more great inspiration here. And please stop by and offer more great insight! What can I say, great minds think alike!!
I hate to say it but my inspiration folder became an inspiration file bin that turned into several large binders. My husband scanned all our favorites and he uses a program called Devonthink to organize all the photos and links. He is a bit of geek! LOL!
Shannon’s last blog post..Counters and Floors
Tim, I really should do this. I am no good at decorating!
Gayle’s last blog post..Rug Shopping, Help!
Thanks for the tip! I’ll check it out (meanwhile, I have a couple stacks of fab mags staring at me…need to get busy!).
Susan
Susan’s last blog post..Decorating with empty picture frames
Hi Tim,
I’ve stopped by after visiting your Mom’s blog. I checked out your post on The Nester and than travelled over. I love this magazine idea!!!! When I first got married I did this all the time, but I have gotten away from this pleasure. Thanks for reminding me. I think I’ll go enjoy a trip to the bookstore and a nice cup of coffee! Excited already!
Joy
Joy’s last blog post..The Letter Game
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