To Do Lists

So many of us are avid list makers. See Carla's angsty post about her list making habits HERE!  I used to feel like Carla does when she doesn't get every item done on her list. But a few years ago I somehow managed to shift my mindset about my impossible to complete list. Whatever doesn't get done I put at the top of the next day's list. It'll all get done (or not) eventually.

At this time of year I usually have several lists going at the same time: one for school (not working on that one at present), one for home and one for PEI. Today I was feeling a little panicked about all of the things I need to do over the next few years to get my PEI home just the way I want it. The panicked feeling was about how to fund all of the things I need to get done, for example:

• new septic system - the current septic system is OLD, no one really knows how old. It still works as can be evidenced by the very lush green lawn in a certain area of our acreage but a septic system is not something you want to replace AFTER it breaks down so that's at the top of the list. Once a new system is in place I'll likely never have to replace it in MY lifetime.
• install a woodstove and all that goes along with that such as tiling the floor where it will be sitting, install a steel liner in the chimney and check to make sure the chimney is in good repair, perhaps remove a wall or partial wall
• purchase several cords of hardwood
• build a deck
• level the driveway: this involves removing topsoil, inserting shale, covering with pea gravel and probably a few other things I'm not familiar with!
• lots of items to purchase like a riding lawn mower, furniture, washer/dryer, freezer etc
• hardwood ceiling on the front porch
• plants: native trees, shrubs, perennials
• tankless water heater (solar?)
• new fence

There are also a couple of larger items I want/need to do: renovate the tiny kitchen and build a barn/wood shed/gardening shed. THAT money will come from what I can save over the next two years.  But I wasn't sure how to fund all of the smaller projects.....then I remembered my RSPs! Once I retire I will stop contributing and start withdrawing to the tune of $5,000 per year. I will have to deduct $500 from that (10%) for income tax leaving me with $4500 per year to complete all of my "extra but necessary" projects. 

I am SO glad I've got that figured out. It means I can't do everything at once but how could I anyways? The first two plus the tankless water heater are the most important, then we'll work away at the rest. 

I think I can do this...