I’m starting something new today, and you’re invited to play along! What is this something new? It’s called Finish It Friday, an idea inspired by a forum discussion from inside the current session of Organizing 101. I will do this from time to time on Fridays, so keep your eyes open for more Finish It Fridays. (It won’t be every week because then what would happen to our friend “Freebie Friday?” Not to worry…we’re not going there.)
So, what’s it all about? Well, Finish It Friday is all about getting a nagging to-do off of your to-do list before the end of the weekend. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to decide to finish something that has been lingering on your to-do list for way longer than you ever anticipated or wanted.
Why should you get in on the fun? Well…because lingering to-dos feel icky and completion feels good. Started but not yet complete to-dos are draining; checking them off your list is energizing! Plus, it will be loads of fun! You’ll know that while you’re busily working toward a well-deserved check mark, others will be, too! You’ll get to experience how saying your going to do something makes you accountable for actually doing it—and this is very empowering! (I’ve gotten up at 5 AM five days straight due to this type of accountability. It really does work.)
What kind of to-do counts? Anything! (As long as it is an in-process project or should-have-been-take-care-of-a-long-time-ago to-do and finishing it would be particularly freeing for you.)
Here’s mine for the week.
This clipboard has been a work-in-process for quite some while—since our very first online workshop. At the time I wasn’t sure what to use it for, since it was put together part way, just for taking the step-by-step photos for the handout. Last weekend, upon doing some reorganizing in Kailea’s room…I found a use for a clipboard—holding sheet music for the current song she is learning in guitar. The best part is…this took me under 30 minutes to completely finish up (sanding, adding the rub-ons and decoupaging.) And now…no more nagging clipboard that isn’t done!
So…do you have any lingering projects on your to-do list? Like I mentioned, this doesn’t have to be anything big (mine certainly wasn’t) just something that for one reason or another you haven’t gotten around to finishing. Your Finish It Friday project can be any of the following:
- Any incomplete craft project such as half-finished scrapbook pages or mini albums that just need a few more bits added to make it done! Or, a home décor crafting project that has been stalled for some reason.
- An almost finished organizing project. Maybe you intend to add labels to your organized pantry—but haven’t gotten around to it yet. (Wouldn’t it feel good to have that d-o-n-e?) Or perhaps you have that left over little pile of stuff you haven’t quite yet decided what to do with when you organized your closet. This could be your Finish It Friday project. Simply decide that you’re going to decide about the items lingering in that little pile…and then go decide!
- A nearly complete decorating project. Hang up those pictures! Or wrap up any other last-minute details so you can call that project done.
- A simple item on your to-do list that you’ve been procrastinating on…because it seems unpleasant, feels like it will take too long, or just because you haven’t made the time for it as of yet. Sew that button on the shirt! Write that thank you note. Make *that one* phone call.
- In a nut shell, any little project or to-do that has been lingering for longer than you’d like that you can finish up by the end of the weekend!
To play along with Finish It Friday, simply:
- Choose a project. Don’t over-think this…just pick something that has been living on your to-do list (written or mental!) for too long. It doesn’t have to be anything big…just something incomplete and annoying!
- Post your plan in the comments.
- Complete your to-do by the end of the weekend. That’s right, simply check this item off your list before you go to bed on Sunday (and be sure to let us know you did it in the comments section!)
- Enjoy the power of completion!
Sound like fun? I can’t wait to hear what you finish this weekend!
This is great idea Abby. I actually started doing this yesterday. I have a scrapbooking project that i bought all the supplies for last December and I only began it yesterday. I have slowly worked on it yesterday and today and its slowly coming together. Its a great feeling. Hopefully it will be finished by the end of the weekend!
I was just thinking of this today! I love Fridays. So full of potential!
I cleaned out and installed shelves in my shed a few months ago but haven’t organized everything that went back into it. Everything was just put in plastic bags and shoved onto the shelves.
This weekend, I plan on getting some plastic containers to properly store everything and labeling said containers. There! Now it’s in writing!
Your blog is my BEST inspiration! Thanks so much!
Today I was finishing some thank you notes and started to loose steam so I took a break and went onling only to find Aby’s post. I will get right back to work and finish them NOW. Thanks Aby!
I’m getting the file together with all the papers and information for my youngest who starts kindergarten in the fall.
great idea ! and the clipboard is really cute !!
ps … i mentioned your blog in a post the other day.
http://bonnie-simple-beauty.blogspot.com/2009/06/tiggy.html
Thanks Aby! You are such an inspiration for me. Whenever I feel like I never accomplish any of my tasks I read your blog. You inspire me to move forward and accomplish! This weekend I will finish a grandma’s brag book for my sister in law who just became a grandma for the second time last week. Her other brag book is blue which just wont do for the pink bundle of joy born last week. : )
I’ve just recently started making clipboards (okay I only completed one so far) but I like your idea of putting the name on the bottom. thanks for sharing!
I got alot accomplished today that was on my to- do list, but that was before I found out about this new challenge. 🙂
Litlle Project, BIG OUTCOME
My plan is to finish my Memorbilia Notebook from my LOM class, there are 3 goals for this 1 chore:
1. I will have this project finish for 10 years of marriage and 2 children
2. I will free up an Iris box to be used for my Yellow, Orange and Red Cardstock which in turn
3. Will complete my Scrapbooking Paper Organizing, this is the one last box I need and I refuse to buy another one so I need to free this one up!
GREAT idea! I have already got one item on my list done this morning after reading your inspiring post! I sent my son’s baseball schedule out to neighbors that requested it! Don’t know why this seemed like a “BIG” chore. Just had to located some directions to add! I have made a list of ‘Finish it Friday’ tasks so that I can pick one each Friday. It was easy, it was all of those tasks at the bottom of the list that never get checked off. Thanks again for all of your great ideas!
Great idea Abby! It’s almost as if you’ve read my mind. I decided at the beginning of last week, that I was going to work on some UFO’s (Un-finished objects) and can happily report that I’ve finished 2 UFO’s. I’ve made quilted pillow cases for my 2 girls and have been wanting to make a custom sized inner for them both. These quilted pillow cases have been sitting in my studio for 2 years now and I haven’t gotten around to making the inners. So today I got stuck in and finished them both!!!! I’m feeling so happy and they are both delighted with their new pillows too! Thanks for the encouragement. Looking forward to more Finish it fridays!
I will finish organizing my important papers!
What a wonderful idea! After reading your blog, my mind immediately started to fill w/ the possibilities of what I could accomplish from something as simple as cleaning out my jewelry box to finally tackling the linen closet that only has the bottom shelf organized..Thanks as always for the inspiration!
I’ve been putting off (for months) having to pull together data for a 2008 tax return. Like you say it’s been hanging over me. This afternoon DH kept the kids (aged 1 and 4) busy while I got the figures. There ended up being NINETEEN (!) accounts that I had to note down figures for.
I’m glad both to have the job completed and to have simplified things for 2009 (having set up a system to collect the information as the year progresses, and reducing the number of accounts to 9 or 10.)
I am a little late this week, but I will be back next week! Getting organized has become a new obsession for me.
Here’s a link to pictures of my finished project, it is so nice to be done with that project, thanks Abby, for the push (or rather shove) I needed!
I was unplugged this weekend, so I missed your post. Looking forward to taking the challenge for next Friday! thanks for all your inspiration aby!
i just sent an email out to several of my friends…
we are going to have a virtual ‘finish it friday’ club. i permalinked two of your blog posts and then made my list of what i want to finish over the next few weeks and emailed it out asking for accountability. they can read your posts and email all their list.
our goal is to mark off one thing each weekend and email it to the group on Monday….some of us are even going to get together and help each other tackle some stuff on those lists.
i think it will be more fun with a few friends tagging along in the process…i work so much better with accountability.
i finally put away all the items from the “junk basket” that had been sitting there for over a year! set up a filing cabinet next my desk to save me from walking to file in another room and filed a ton of papers that had been piling up for months. currently sorting though baby clothes to put away; he has grown three sizes in two months – that’s 3 completely new wardrobes, ugh!
I love this idea…I think I’m going to have to adopt the Finish It Friday. It would be such a relief to get some of these nagging little items that I have been rewriting on my list for ages finally done.
Hi Abby,
My plan this weekend is to get my student loans in order since my payments start next month. This includes me setting up online payments, organizing my bank accounts, and started the dreadful pay back!