Trying To Finish The Most Painfully Boring (But Very Necessary) Studio Project
I love decorating. One might even say that I’m “addicted” to it. 😀 And the reason I love it is because no matter what the process looks like, no matter how horrible the mid-point of the project gets, I can look forward to having a pretty (to me) outcome. So when it comes to those projects that I know are necessary and needed, but won’t end with a pretty outcome, it is so hard for me to motivate myself to start, to keep working on it, and to finish it.
And that’s where I find myself right now. I’ve had a bit of a detour from studio projects over the last three weeks while I turned my attention to other more pressing things. But at the end of last week, I turned my attention back to the studio, and specifically, to getting the storage closet finished. And I’ll just be really honest. I’m so bored out of my mind with this, and I feel so completely unmotivated. I want to do the fun stuff — the stuff that will actually make a difference when people walk into my studio. I want to finish the trim, paint the doors, and reupholster my desk chair.
But instead, I’m stuck in a boring storage closet that was ugly before I started, is still ugly even though I’m halfway finished, and will be ugly when it’s finished. It’ll just be an ugly closet where I can hopefully store things in an organized manner. And there’s nothing about that that motivates me.
The two thoughts that keep me going are (1) it just needs to be done and not doing it isn’t an option, and (2) I can’t move forward in the studio until this closet is finished so that I can move things out of my way in the studio and into this closet. So I press on, slowly but surely.
But just to show you that I am, in fact, making progress, let me remind you of how this closet started out. It was just piled full of boxes, some of which hadn’t been opened in many years. And then there’s the HVAC unit, which has been a real source of frustration for me since the day it was installed, and I came home to find that the installer had built this ridiculous plywood base that looked like it was a third grader’s first time ever to cut and nail pieces of wood together.
So in order to cover up that eyesore of an HVAC unit and the plywood box it’s sitting on, I attached a tall piece of plywood to the side of the box, notching the top part around the ducts, and adding a cutout for the intake vent at the bottom. At least this way, the HVAC unit and that awful plywood platform are hidden so that they’re not front-and-center when the closet door is open.
I really wanted to paint the closet white, but I was out of white paint. I had a full gallon of the same green paint that I had used in the back entry, so that’s what I used. I just didn’t want to spend money on paint for this closet if I didn’t have to.
So now I have this little area to the right just inside the door where I can install some shelves. They’ll need to be high enough to clear the vents, but I think I can get at least three or four shelves in that area.
It’s still a mess behind that plywood, but there’s just nothing I can do about it.
I did finally install a light in here. I just need to attach it in the ceiling. I was waiting for paint to dry.
And I still need to trim out the door and the vent in the wall, paint the floor, install some baseboards, and move the shelving units in and call it good. I may not even paint the back of the door.
One thing I did that I’ve been wanting to do for a long time now is label our breaker box. When I went to turn off the breaker so that I could install the light in this closet, I was flipping breakers and having a heck of a time finding the right one. None of our breakers have ever been labeled. So this was a welcome break from the most boring project ever. It took me about two hours to track down all of the breakers and get them all labeled. I should have done this years ago!
And interestingly, I found out that we have six breakers that aren’t even being used. I have no idea why they’re in there. There are actually wires going to them, but they don’t actually do anything.
Anyway, I’m really hoping I can get this closet done today so I can move on to more interesting things that I actually want to do. It’s challenging forcing myself to do a project that I just don’t care about, don’t want to do, and find so incredibly unmotivating and boring. But that’s part of homeownership, right? We don’t always get to stick to the fun and exciting things we want to do. We have to do the boring stuff, too.
I know that once this closet is finished, I’ll be so thankful that it’s done, and I’ll enjoy having the extra storage space. It was unusable for so long, so it’ll be nice to have a big closet available for storage. I just need to stay focused for a little bit longer.
Addicted 2 Decorating is where I share my DIY and decorating journey as I remodel and decorate the 1948 fixer upper that my husband, Matt, and I bought in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do physical work, so I do the majority of the work on the house by myself. You can learn more about me here.
Those spare breakers will come in handy when you do your kitchen renovation. Trust me.
I would just throw a coat of the green paint on to the back of the door and call it done – you know it will drive you crazy if you leave it like it is. I would also do the bare minimum with trim and baseboard in there, it’s a closet after all.
It’s the reward Kristi. Hang in there!
That is looking so much better! My dad was a service rep for Lennox and also a do it yourself carpentry guy. He would be horrified at that mess! He also would have made them tear it out and fix it! 😊
This closet is looking so good, I would include it on the house tour. I think you are doing an amazing job with it, and don’t forget to get some storage off the back of the door, trust, you’ll fill it up with time. For us, the first 10 years of renovating our farmhouse has been the “ugly” stuff, all the mechanicals and really nothing anyone would see on the house tour. Who is going to notice that we replaced all the plumbing lines in our house, I get your feelings right now. I am just getting to all the “pretty” stuff now, and it does feel good, I just wished I had been able to do some of that earlier so we could have enjoyed longer. Keep going final push and it will be done. You’re awesome and are rocking this house.
Cheers!
Remember how your shoes looked all piled in the floor? Then you did a great job of redoing the closet and most all the shoes fit and were off the floor. You were so happy and had put that off for a while. The end result looked good.
It is the same in this closet. Struggle through the boring work and when you see what a nice green closet you that you have is all neat and tidy, you will be proud of that little closet. I can tell you one thing, the plywood up the side of the HVAC makes it already look 95% better.
You can get this done because you have a red chair to cover!!
Have a determined week!
It still looks way better than most air handler closets! Love that the air filter has an actual frame now, because wtf were they thinking!
It’s looking so much better already. I’m glad you were out of white paint because I love the green. As someone else said, paint that side of the door with the green paint too. Wire shelving on that door would give you great storage for extra cans of spray paint and smaller things.
Just remember you can’t do the pretty stuff until the ugly stuff has a place to hide. LOL! BTW your closet IS pretty now!
I’m with you! Boring projects are hard to get to! I play a game with myself sometimes – set a clock for 12 minutes….how much can I get done? It helps the monotony go a little better! Can’t wait to see how it turns out…. I have a bathroom half stripped of wallpaper I don’t want to deal with..
Why not make it yours – decorate it! Make it colorful and fun! You will engage fully- and I’ll bet you will find you use it more.
You could paint a fun mural on that new wall. Something you’d love to see as soon as you open the door.
Ive put off redoing a bathroom because pieces of it feel overwhelming and boring. I really WANT that bathroom done, but I’m waiting for a big dose of motivation.
6 free breakers?? Whoop! Low voltage outdoor lights! Light up your future landscaping!!
Anything for the stove/oven? Interestingly, some of our rooms are associated with 2 breakers – half the wiring goes to 1 breaker, half to another and could be shared with another room. It is good to have them all labeled though – what do you use/recommend for your label maker? Once you get all the scut work done, you will sail along to the pretty stuff!
I think it’s looking great! I would paint the plywood base and the back of the door in the green, just so it looks more finished.
Six free breakers? I know we’d be happy if we had those to be able to expand in the future. We found, when labeling our breakers, that some were for things like outdoor outlets/lights and other obscure places that we didn’t think to check the first time around. I find it strange that wires are going to them because where are the wires coming from? It is a pain to try locating what is on each breaker.
You’re doing a great job and it would look wonderful when you’re done!
Hang in there Kristy. I own a 179 year old house. Gutted down to stud and redone. Some spaces more than once. My Dad gave me very good advice I’ll share with you. He advised me to do everything with joy. If not those would be the things I would have to do over. He also said the was always an opportunity for beauty. This advice has served me well. I hope it helps your perspective.
Grace
I LOVE your dad’s advice! Going to take it forward thru life with me! Thank you!
Kristi…you have already made the ugly craftmanship the installer created and left look 100% better. Hang in there with finishing your closet and you will be so relieved every time you open that door. The green looks nice and I think when you get it all done you will want the door painted too.
I am guilty of letting the last tidbits of a project go for a while, but then finally come to my senses and get it all done. I don’t know why but it sometimes seems to be boring getting the last details done for me.
Ahhh….those unused breakers will come in handy. Just wait and see. You have done a very important thing by labeling the breakers. Saves time and keeps your blood pressure from going sky high when you need to turn off one thing.
So, if there are empty breakers that have wiring attached to them, is the wiring rolled up behind them or is it in an attic, under the house? How do you figure out where the wiring goes to??
Speaking of boring vs necessary, where are you with the generator that Matt highly suggests and the whole house dehumidifier?
The panel hiding the HVAC is a great improvement! The organized space will be much appreciated when you can check it off. I thought this door and the bathroom door were pocket doors, if so just leave the back white IMO. If it’s a regular swing door I’d paint it either the green or the eggplant color that’s on the front. Thinking of you as I work in my basement to purge things for garage sale or donation. 😊
If those 6 breakers have wires attached, they go to something! Breakers are not installed unless they’re needed. When we upgraded to a 200 amp box, there were a number of “empties” that our insurance co. made us fill with covers so nobody can stick a finger in there and touch the bus bar. Check outside outlets, outside lighting and if you can’t figure it out, turn them off for a few days and you’ll soon figure it out when something doesn’t work.
I set up a spreadsheet on my computer so I know what goes where since the box is in the utility room and I’ve had labels to fall off due to humidity.
You have to do the boring stuff yo get to the gun stuff
Wow, the closet is looking better already! I too love the green; it gives a more finished look than white would have. I like the idea of painting the back of the door green too! It will give you a little jolt of satisfaction to have the closet finished and organized every time you have to go in there, so just keep on until you’re done. Make a list of items needed to finish and give yourself a little reward every time you complete one. You’ll be done before you know it!
Boring or not, this is still an inspiration!
The new plywood side is so much better already! I’d think of this room like one of your kitchen drawer organizers: not something you see everyday, but so satisfying to use whenever you have to use it.