My advice: have a big party and plan it several months out - this is about the only way I can get either my husband or me to get to the other 20%. That 20% is not essential, as you illustrate, to every day living or casual entertaining ... you just don't need a new table or curtains to get through the week w/ work, kids, kids activities, dinner on the table, or even having close friends over (who are thankfully forgiving about these sorts of things). And I think it is wonderful that you are living in and fully enjoying the kitchen 'as is'. Not everyone can do that, you know, especially the more Type As of us. My friends that are more inclined to part with money hire a decorator to take care of the remaining 20%, but I've just never been able to go that route ... even if my house looks less than perfect, I can't see my way to spending that money (baby needs new shoes, etc). So, my advice: plan a big fancy party or hire a decorator! Good luck ...

Enlist a friend or family member known for getting things done to see this project through! When our kitchen renovation ended, it was functional, but it didn't feel like "ours" yet. I was so over tackling home projects that I got my husband to take care of decorating ideas (which he shared so I could have input). With my husband as project manager, our kitchen was decorated within a week!

oh, thanks god! we're not the only ones! we had planned an addition to the house before our son was born & w/the contractor being 3 months late & the baby being 6 weeks early...i was in the hospital when there was no roof on our house! (in january!) well, we got through that, but it took almost 6 months to get the baby into his room. the new room is still packed w/the old office and art stuff (i swear, we'll get to it!) then we started on the downstairs-we painted & added wood floors throughout and a mudroom. it looks beautiful! well, except for the quarter round that still needs to be puttied at the nail holes, oh and the moulding needs to be caulked, right, and the beadboard needs to go on the island, and i definitely need to contact the painter to come touch up places where he missed. We also have no window treatments except for the tape-on ones in the front, oh & the laminate tape still needs to be applied to the lockers in the mudroom... the list goes on & on! i have considered applying to every show on hgtv et al to have it finished & organized. do you think they can do it in the week i have planned to be in ny on "what not to wear"??? glad i'm not alone!

My husband and I just got over the 20% funk on our basement remodel. So, currently it would be a dream to be at 80%! Our motivation to get back to work is clean-up week. The first week of May we get to put as much junk on the curb as we want and the garbage collector takes it away for free. We want to be done by then so we don't have that extra junk from the remodel still in our house next May!

I second the party idea. I am amazed at how much I get done when I know I need to have it done by a certain date and that people are going to see it. It doesn't have to be a big blowout - just a Pampered Chef party or something like that. Or inviting family from out of town to stay with you for a weekend - that'll do it too! While preparing your house for the party, make sure you have enough time after work to do it by getting takeout or making super simple dinners.

I bought my house 3 years ago. It had been empty for 2 years. So I spent the last 2 years painting most of the interior, re-doing 70s decor, and added an outside deck. Now, I have hit that brick wall. My to-do list gets bigger instead of shorter! Looking at the whole list just overwhelms me. My advice- pick something small to focus on- just the table for instance. You can do one small thing, it feels great, and then you can focus on the next small thing. I recently hung three pictures, but it felt like I did a lot more. Just one day, one project at a time. Best of luck to you!

We built a house 5 years ago and I am still working on the last, oh let's say, 5%. Never-the-less we are about to go through a kitchen renovation ourselves. I have had the same anxiety about the "dreaded 20%". I was however able to find motivation by inviting the people I wanted to be most proud of our home, my family, over for a weekend visit. We were excited to see them and really wanted everything "perfect". It worked so well for us the first time around we have told the contractor that we have a deadline for the weekend before the 4th of July. This has now become an annual event; and I know that at least once a year we will get our behinds in gear to get all the things done that we just don't have the motivation do any other time of the year. Good luck!

The party idea works and is fun! We've made several moves and what works for me is remembering nothing is permanent - sometimes you can get paralyzed with the decision. Worst thing that happens if you put up some art is you don't like it and you get something else! Army families (not me but friends) work hard to make their spot home-like quickly as they likely will be there just a few years. Best just to get started, find a few things you already have or frame kids' masterpieces (just from Michael's - not even fancy frames). And go buy the table since you know what you want but perhaps a decorator-type could do curtains and cushion so it's all pulled together. Keep counter clear except for a favorite thing and appliances and enjoy...Good Luck!

Go to a few expensive open houses and see how the kitchens are decorated. Most of them are "overdone", but you'll still get ideas that you can use in your own kitchen. Good luck!

Kristin - Plan a party for people that you want to impress! Just make certain that you give yourself enough time to complete the other 20%!.

Go away for the weekend out of the house. When you come back, your head will be clear and you will be motivated to finish, because you will be tired of looking at the unfinished things..... Get a friend to help..

I am guilty, guilty of the 20% phenomenon. How about taking a vacation at home? Last year I found that taking a week's vacation at home and planning one project a day was just what I needed. Each day I would execute one project from start to finish. Some projects were longer, some shorter, but they were completed. I had the rest of the day to enjoy the fruits of my labor and relax or do fun things. I even shared my "vacation" photos with friends since I was so proud of my finished projects! Needless to say, I've already planned on doing the same vacation week this year. This year's projects will include finishing the icing on my new kitchen completed 80% a year and a 1/2 ago!

Oh, that's rough, but just do it..mark your blackberry; one phone call a day and you'll free! Just do it! You'll that you did. I'm rooting for you.

With my clients, I always suggest at this stage of the renovation to do one thing a month and only that thing. So, for instance, make April your "furnace month." When you call your HVAC person to walk through how your system works, you have a whole month's schedule to fit him in. In May, work on your window treatments/cushions and nothing else. In June, call your painter. Your painter may not be available for 4-6 weeks, but it's easier to match paint to window treatments and cushions then the other way around. Finally, in July shop for your new kitchen table.

This method has worked successfully with my clients for the past 10 years. As part of our services, I give them reminder calls at the beginning of each month and a follow up "on task" call in the middle of the month. I keep them motivated by cheering them along. I also set up the order of things so that they aren't backtracking because they should have done one thing before another.

Good luck.

This is an EASSSY answer for me....hire a decorator!!! I have trouble making decisions, so, if my decorator has already "weeded" through fabrics, etc...It makes it sooo much easier for me! Now, just finding the RIGHT decorator might take a little time (and her/him fitting you into their schedule!) but I think it's well worth the money and YOUR time as well! Good luck and I'm glad to hear there is overall much happiness in your new kitchen! There were sooo many great comments on this post...man we are some pretty smart readers!

What is your reward of having a finished project? Let's name it . . .
Then work toward it.
Just like you listed them in your blog. Check them off the list in that order. No jumping around. One at a time. Things will start happening and before you know it. There will be no list. If you discipline yourself to only focus on the next one on the list, you'll be less distracted and you only have to focus on one thing at a time. How hard is that?
Note: Don't start any other projects until this one is finished. No new bathmats or seasonal handtowels. Not even a new wreath on the front door.
Most of us have been where you are. We feel you pain.

EASY! Plan a party! It will motivate you to get going!

I'm guessing you're pretty deadline oriented--never has a new issue of Real Simple look just 80% finished! I think the oft suggested party hosting sounds like a good solution because it gives you a deadline to work towards. Sometimes we need just a little pressure to get things done!

P.S. Staci, happy belated birthday! I'm just catching up on my reading (I'm graduating from college and moving to Atlanta in a week, so I'm lacking in leisure time!) and just read that I missed your special day--hope it was fabulous!

Try checking out Flylady.com. You can do a lot, just 15 minutes at a time. ;)

Lauren--thanks so much! Always great to be celebrated...if for only ONE day!
Congratulations on graduation! Much luck with the move to Atlanta. Hope we hear more when you get settled!

Hmm... no helpful hints here. My parents' entire home has been in the renovation process since just before the birth of my younger brother... about 17 years ago! So we have had a really long and stressful 50% problem on our hands for quite some time. Who knows maybe you will see us on Oprah one day as she attempts to FINALLY finish what they/we've started. Or, maybe we will be in Real Simple one month as they simplify and tackle our ongoing construction chaos. Hey there's something you could do Kristin... get the Real Simple gang to finish the 20%. They would undoubtedly do an awesome job and it would make a great story in RS! Good Luck, let me know if you all feel like helping us out with the rest of our 50%!

I agree that having people over will help jump start getting the work done. I also think hiring someone to help you is a GREAT idea. However, you don't really need a decorator at this point--you need more of a Girl Friday type. I.e. someone who can do a little bit of everything: make phone calls, be home when you're not, bring kids' art to the frame shop, run curtain ideas by you--hang art and curtains when time, etc. You want someone who is willing to do everything but the kitchen sink (no pun intended!), instead of someone who will worry about this-or-that not being in her job description.

We just spent 2 years, yes, 2 years renovating a house! We were so worried about moving in and experiencing the same thing that we tried to do as much as we could before we moved a thing in...Trim, paint, you name it. But I too, am TIRED and so the "icing" is barely there. All I can suggest is list, list, list. I went around every room and made a list for each room of what needs to get done and what I want to do in that room as far as decorating. This list is also organized by what I can do by myself and what my husband and I need to do together.
We try and set a project (or 2) a every weekend to chip away at it. We want to work outside this spring so we have decided to shoot for the list done by a certain date! Will it get done? Maybe, maybe not.....Grace for TODAY!!! Like everything else, its a process.

We didn't have a choice about remodeling our kitchen since a tornado went through it almost two years ago. But my 20% was really bothering me until I found this cute little lamp at Home Depot! I loved the colors and that helped me pull together the color schemes that I wanted. Then I found a utensil holder that was black wrought iron and the rest kind of took care of itself! Just started all coming together! I guess what I'm tring to say is be on he lookout for that one thing, be it a cushion, a piece of fabric... It will finally get your brain decorating! Good Luck!