Are You Rushing Your Renovation Timeline? What My Delays Are Teaching Me

The Jenny Lane Project | MIA Contractor

When I started planning updates for our split-foyer home, I had Pinterest boards, saved Instagram posts, product links, and a tidy mental schedule. It was going to be methodical. Motivated. Efficient. But like most things in life that are worth doing well, our renovation plans haven’t gone exactly to plan. Has your renovation timeline ended up in a black hole too?

In fact, they haven’t really gone anywhere at all—our contractor hasn’t sent a quote, and we’re weeks behind the timeline I originally envisioned. And surprisingly? I’m okay with that. This is the season I’m learning that a healthy home journey isn’t about how fast you get there. It’s about building the life you want to live along the way.

Why Our Renovation Timeline Stalled

We’ve all heard the phrase “you can’t rush quality,” but no one talks about how disorienting it feels when progress slows to a halt—especially when you’ve already mentally moved into your “after” photos. Our foyer is no exception, every time I enter the door I’m hit with the image I conjured in my head. What’s worse, I have begun adding design elements to the list that are probably way out of our current budget- wood paneling and molding details anyone?

I could not have been more excited about the mood board for the foyer. After all, it was the first one I ever made for a real project. The color palette, the materials I found, and even the new front door were are perfectly inline with the English county house style I am aiming for- can we take a moment to acknowledge how difficult it is to make a split foyer look like anything other than a split foyer? But here we are, at the bottom of a long client list for our contractor and facing feeling stuck in limbo until we finally hear from him again and know our renovation timeline. He warned us, he had a lot of estimates to get through. Throw in the fact that he randomly takes “working” trips to Dubai and I’m not quite sure when this project will get done.

What am I doing in the mean time? Life rerouted me toward things I could control: barn chores, seasonal rhythms, small upgrades. The slow was frustrating at first—but it started to feel grounding somewhere over the last couple weeks so I’m embracing it.

Are you planning your home with the seasons of your life—or against them?

The Reality Behind Real-Life Timelines

Bloggers, influencers, and TV shows collapse months of mess into a five-minute montage. What exactly is their renovation timeline? But in real life, renovation is: dusty, nonlinear, occasionally disheartening, and held together by patience, phone calls, and often… Plan C.

If your home feels like it’s stuck in the “before” phase while everyone else is revealing their “afters,” know this: You’re not behind. You’re building something real.

And I get it—I’m not immune to the thrill of a stunning before-and-after reveal. The sparkle of the “after” makes me want to wave a magic wand over my own house… if only that were a thing. Lately, it seems like every post I scroll past is another guest bedroom reveal with perfect lighting, flawless wallpaper, and freshly fluffed bedding you can practically smell through the screen.

Meanwhile, my guest room is a retired pull-out couch nestled in a shrine of Packers memorabilia in our lower level. If it smells like anything, it’s probably a locker room—definitely not clean linen.

Still, I’ve learned to pause in those moments of comparison and remind myself that a slow, curated life has its own magic. That’s where the character and charm come in. I want to walk around my home and see me—not a magazine ad.

And let’s talk about this: Have you heard of betterment burnout? It’s a thing. As someone still recovering from ICU nurse burnout (which, trust me, takes time), the idea of burning out from trying too hard to “improve” felt almost laughable—until I realized I was teetering on that exact edge.

According to Psychology Today, betterment burnout happens when our pursuit of self-improvement leads to fatigue, frustration, and a growing sense of unfulfillment. We think we’re making progress, but we’re actually draining ourselves in the process.

So if you’re feeling tired of the “always be better” message, you’re not alone—and you don’t have to optimize your house, your habits, or your life all at once to be worthy of rest.

Where are you comparing your timeline to someone else’s highlight reel?

The Emotional Architecture of Home

There’s a quiet grief in the gap between what you envision and what you see. But that doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong. Home isn’t a checklist—it’s an experience. And the emotions we carry through renovation matter.

I’ve learned to “renovate my relationship” with my house in the meantime:

• I light a candle (or turn on the candle warmer) even in an unfinished space
• I add a thrifted touch or swap out lighting I can afford- currently the light for the foyer is being used as a very lovely cardboard cat tree. I think it really adds something special to our bedroom.
• I give love to a corner that used to be overlooked

What part of your home feels neglected because it isn’t finished—and how can you make it more livable now?

A Slower Way Forward

I used to think slowness meant laziness. That pausing was a failure of motivation or discipline. Now I think it means listening. Listening to my body when it’s tired. To my space when it feels unsettled. And listening to my instincts instead of outside pressure.

If I had rushed this renovation timeline, I would’ve made different decisions—ones based on trends, aesthetics, and what I thought would “look good” online. I would’ve picked finishes that photographed well, not ones that actually supported the way I move through this home every day. The delays gave me something I didn’t know I needed: space to reconsider. To ask better questions. To get clearer on what truly matters.

Do I want this space to look impressive—or to feel safe and nourishing?
Do I want this room to be “done” fast—or to function with ease for years to come?

In the stillness, I started making different choices. Ones rooted in sustainability, function, and emotional flow. I thought the waiting would break my momentum—but it actually refined my vision. Because sometimes the most powerful design decisions come not from rushing to the next milestone, but from pausing long enough to notice what your life is asking for. Stillness has become visioning space.

If you stopped pushing your timeline, what would you hear more clearly?

Redefining Progress in The Jenny Lane Project

This isn’t a home makeover blog. It’s a life makeover—from the inside out. The Jenny Lane Project was never about flipping a house in a year. It’s about: reclaiming health, rethinking priorities, and designing a slower, sweeter life from the foundation up

Here’s what’s coming (eventually):

• A calming entryway
• Smarter storage
• Outdoor integration that honors barn life
• And yes, maybe one day—a quote from the contractor

In the meantime, progress is still happening—quietly. In how I show up inside this unfinished house. How I speak to myself on the hard days. And in how I choose to rest, even when the to-do list lingers.

The stress I used to carry about the space itself has softened. I know change is coming. Pieces are already in motion. I don’t need to obsess or strategize right now—because the intentional groundwork has been laid.

And that feels liberating. To know that, for this season, the mindful part is done. I can breathe, wait, and gather strength for whatever comes next.

What This Means for You

If your renovation timeline is stalled, or your energy is being pulled toward other parts of life, that’s okay. You don’t have to wait for a renovation to feel good in your home. And you certainly don’t need to be “done” to feel proud of what you’re creating.

Maybe the next best step isn’t a contractor—it’s a cup of tea, a conversation, or a deep breath.

What’s one small change you could make this week to feel more grounded at home—even if your plans are delayed?

Home isn’t just a finished product—it’s how you live and feel in your space every day. Progress can be quiet. Gentle. Intentional. And just because no one else sees it yet doesn’t mean it’s not real

If this resonates with you, I’d love to keep the conversation going. Comment below or sign up for our newsletter.