Tip for Tuesday ~ Project Planning Part I

Projects go a whole lot smoother if you take the time to plan the project.  It helps if you have a plan in mind.  The first thing I do is make a list of all the projects I  (1) need to do and (2) want to do.
My list right now looks something like this:

1. Finish girl's night gift exchange gifts
2. Alter mom's cruise dress (20 min)
3. Line Christopher's blanket (1-2 hour)
4. Start hat and Scarf for Sam
5. Neck/Ear Warmer for Tricia
6. Bathroom Redo
7. Ben's Man cave (several projects)
8. Cake testing for Lauren's cake ceremony/1 year anniversary cakes
9. Cake for Ken's b-day (January 27th)

I try to keep in mind if any of my projects have a deadline, if they do they move to the top of the list.  I use a dry erase calender that I use to write out everything I need to do marking the deadline days for any projects with deadlines.  I then make an estimate of how long it is going to take me to do each project.  For things like crochet projects or lining blankets I have a good idea how long it takes me to complete because I do those more frequently.  I also know that the cake decorations I can do in one evening and that making frosting the cake and placing the decorations will take an evening as well.  

For things that I have never done before I first do Internet research to get an idea how to do the project.  If I know anyone who has done anything similar I ask them how long it took them to do the project.  Tip: When you estimate time for a project always take a third of the time you think it will take you and add that to the total time estimate.  It always takes longer than you think!

Once you have your list of projects, time it will take you to complete the projects, and your deadlines you have - you can lay out the times on your calendar.  For example:

1) I marked deadline items on my calendar 

2) I add my to do list for each deadlined project onto the calendar in one color.

3) I add the other projects that I think I have time to work on in the "in between" times on the calendar with another color.

4) I add in breaks and time's I won't have time to work on anything in another color.

This is how I do my overall project planning.  For individual project planning check back in for Project Planing Part II.