some tasks remain unfinished due to lack of motivation

This may be a clue that you shouldn't do these particular things.

Either that YOU shouldn't do them (hire someone), or that they don't need to be done at all.

I might take a list like yours (which has many non-urgent things) and pick ONE item off of it to accomplish in the next 2 weeks. And set aside a time at which to do the first component of it in the first week.

Oh, I don't even want to think about my "list". I want to live in denial a little bit longer. I too would be completely overwhelmed. I am my own worst enemy with way too many ideas and not enough follow through. I understand about some of the items being home decorating. But if you don't get those done it does lead to a feeling of being disorganized. I'll cheer you on while I hide my head in the sand!

Can I make a suggestion on the first? While an inventory list would be a good idea, it would take a lot of time and thinking. The photos on the other hand are fairly simple. Open every drawer or storage area wide open and snap away. Store the prints in a safety deposit box. Repeat every few years.

I'm not suggesting you don't ever do the listing, just that the photos themselves will be a fairly good documentation and memory jogger on their own.

List. Yech. I have had the same list for years under my computer mouse pad. Couple big things like refitting my pantry and scraping popcorn ceilings (vaulted unfortunately) and retiling the porch (the drunk monkeys who built this place used wall tile-the slippery kind), and build media shelving for the basement. I hate the list.

But then I see some big ones I *have* gotten done: refinishing kitchen cabinets, cleaning and restaining the deck, repairing the drywall and ceiling after the leaky skilites were fixed...

Then I don't hate the list so much.

Stuff takes time. And energy. And money. Get to it when you get to it.

When we moved into our house it was probably 80% completed. I think I've gotten it to 85% in over two years. I'm amazed how I can walk by bare light bulbs dangling from cords with no fixture in sight and I don't even see it anymore. DH asked if I was planning on getting the bathrooms finished. I said, "Sure. I plan on selling this house in about 15 years, so I'm sure I'll find someone to finish them before then."

I made a list of things which needed completing on a room by room basis. I found it so overwhelming that I threw it away.

I have to admit that until I can find the people to hire to get these things done, they will just stay that way.

Gloria

liz h -- Smart thinking! Taking photos will get things documented, which is the important thing. They would help me remember stuff if I had to submit a claim. If I get the chance to make the list, so much the better. Thanks. This is now the top item on my list.

Celtic and Gloria -- Thanks for providing that perspective. I have to remind myself that things can be accomplished over time. And we have completed so much work on this house. I get impatient sometimes. My second floor hall was in a rough state for four years, but last year I finally finished all the plaster repair and my husband painted. We've been here 11 years and I just want the renovation and decorating projects to be done. Here's a couple of before and after pics of the upstairs hall. Maybe we should start a thread so folks can pat themselves on the back and share what they've completed.

Tina

I have been getting to some of the things that have been on my list recently, finally.

One was setting up electronic payments for as many things as possible; I did that a few days ago.

Another was getting both of my pianos tuned. I set that up for today, and the tuner will be here this afternoon.

Another that I've been procrastinating on forever is getting new blinds for our bedroom and the two bathrooms. We have these stained and falling apart plastic miniblinds left by the POs; these rooms absolutely need blinds for privacy, but it took me a while to figure out what kind I wanted to get. I finally did that and the blinds guy is also coming here this afternoon (just before the piano tuner) to measure and show me samples so I can get an estimate.

I also decided on a plan for reorganizing our paper files; the solution involved buying a new file cabinet, which I did this morning (to be delivered Monday).

I find that if I take a day off of work (like I did today) and plan to take care of some of these PITA things then, I can get more done than when I try to fit them in around a normal work day.

Whoa!!! Tina -- really excellent transformation!!!

You really should post this project Before-and-After on the Decorating Forum -- it would so help many folks there too to see your wonderful ideas!

Way to go! :)