A Year in Review: What kept us busy and out of trouble in 2020
As I look back at our year in review, I'm guessing not a single person would have guessed 2020 would have turned out like it did.
While there are so many things we lost in 2020, I also like to think of all of the gains and 'wins' we have had. I have been very blessed to have such wonderful clients and have continued to work throughout this year. Without my team of trusted trades and suppliers, I could not do what I do.
So what exactly did 2020 bring?
A Year In Review
January
While this project started prior to the new year, our Mid Century Vibe Project was one of my favourites. Not only because it was the son and daughter-in-law of very dear friends, but the project itself was spectacular. The Mister did a lot of the gorgeous work in the home (all of the cabinetry, 'feature wall', laying the hardwood floors, etc.) and the home went from being very dated to one that will be a forever home for my clients.
February
I was so excited to head back to Las Vegas for the Kitchen and Bath Show. It is THE one conference that I invest in and I've always looked forward to attending. I love seeing the new products, learning about new innovations and of course, seeing my design friends from all over the world.
March
Ahhh...the month where everything changed. While businesses were forced to close, we continued to safely work.
Just as the stay at home was ordered, we had just demoed two bathrooms for a family! Needless to say, they were extremely pleased to know that we could continue to work, but the calendar would have to be extended.
This month we also did a lot of planning for renovations to start...at some point. It was great to use this time to get everything organized, purchased, and ready to roll when we got the green light.
April
This month continued to be a month of planning - and a LOT of virtual meetings. Everyone was working from home but still wanted to take steps forward with planning. This was the introduction to e-design for us!
I also decided to write a blog series on Aging in Place. Writing this series allowed me to continue my learning and education in this field.
May
I think this month was the busiest I have ever had carrying out Exterior Colour Consultations in conjunction with SIS Exterior Renovations. We also continued to prep for new renovation projects as well as continued to shop for ones that were already planned. We knew that people were getting anxious and ready to get the ball rolling!
This is also the month where I planned out our own backyard project. Since we were not travelling, we were going to invest in some exterior work.
June
We had 5 projects running in the month of June. Everyone was tired of waiting to get work done. Needless to say, this was a crazy, busy month! In addition, I also turned the magic 50 and managed to get in quite a bit of golfing.
July
This month, we had 4 projects running with another 3 projects in the planning stages. Oh my...summer has never been busier.
August
We continued to have 4 projects running. It was becoming very evident that wait times for products were increasing day by day. Big breath in...
We were also in the midst of planning some projects to start and be completed by Christmas.
September
We were down to 3 projects running while working on planning and prepping for 2 more new ones.
October
Things were not slowing down for us. While 2 projects were running, we were gearing up for 4 more to start (at some point).
November
We started 3 new projects this month in addition to the two we already were already working on. We now had the Christmas deadline to meet!
December
While we thought we would have a little 'down time', that was not the case. For the most part, all of our projects wound down prior to the Christmas holiday season. The ones that did not wrap up were all due to delayed products. Ohh....I hate Covid! We also started one major project as our clients got possession of their new home a bit earlier than planned.
We also had our daughter move out into her first condo so specifying, ordering, and accepting deliveries kept us busy.
A Year in Review: Reflections
Sometimes I like to put all of our photos into a little video for our year in review. I haven't done that this year as we have a number of projects that we have not been able to photography yet.
As I look back at 2020, I'm still pissed off that we missed a couple of trips including our yearly treks to Maui. I have missed the beach, the sun, and the sand between my toes. I miss the Aloha spirit that hits you when you land. At this point in time, I'm not sure when, and if, we will be back.
But as the glass above is half empty, this glass is half full. This past summer, the Mister and I golfed more than we ever have. We walked the courses, we had many laughs, spent time with friends, and enjoyed seeing different parts of our provinces (British Columbia and Alberta). If only Alberta had the summer weather year round!
So as we approach 2021, I hope your year in review was as good as mine was. I hope that you consider your year a 'glass half full' year.
Speaking of glass half full, every Friday this summer I posted a feature cocktail on my Instagram page. By far, this is THE BEST drink ever! I'll raise my glass to you all and wish you a Happy and Healthy New Year!
