It's normal to be overwhelmed.

So you finally think you're about ready to start your next home project... It might be that kitchen remodel you've dreamed of since you bought your current house, or an addition to accommodate a family member who's moving in with you, or maybe you're finally building that custom home of your dreams.

First, take a few deep breaths. Pour yourself a nice cup of coffee, and put your feet up. Remodeling or building a home can be stressful, but there's quite a bit you can do to make it easier on yourself. The old adage - "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" is very applicable here. If you're about to start, be sure to pause, and make sure your plans are as complete as possible before you begin - or better yet - before you start to get bids from contractors. I always tell my clients, bids are only as good as the plans they're based on! If it's not on the plan, how is your contractor going to know to include it in the build?

If you're the kind of person that loves to spend time online, scrolling Pinterest or Instagram, but then can never find "that one amazing idea" (that you know you saved) when it's time to select your paint color, or cabinets, then you understand that as great as technology is, having a paper copy can be invaluable. This book is a great way to distill down all those great things you see, into your specific plan. You can write or draw on the lined and dot-grid pages. You can tape in pictures from magazines, or the business card of that tradesperson you met.

As a designer, when I'm starting out with a new client, I will often have them fill out a short design questionnaire asking questions about not only their likes, but their dislikes when it comes to style. Believe it or not, the dislikes are often more telling and helpful to my process! If you use this journal diligently while dreaming or planning out your next project, even you might be surprised when you go back and review. Patterns and repeated themes will often present themselves where you didn't expect them.

If you'd like to get your copy, click the link here:

Home Planning Journal (for all kinds of projects)

Home Planning Guide (with a few guided pages at the beginning related to new home construction)

What's your favorite way to use a blank journal?