Creative Burnout in Home Projects? Here’s How to Reset
It’s been a while since I’ve gotten raw and personal with y’all because… well… when you’re stuck in a rut, you just want to crawl into your shell to process your thoughts for a while. (Or at least that’s what I do.)
After 12 years of DIY projects (and a lot of paint-splattered clothes to prove it), I hit a wall.
Two years ago, I faced a level of creative burnout that honestly blindsided me. Projects that once sparked excitement started to feel like chores.
Even sitting in some of our rooms made me feel overwhelmed and, truthfully, a little defeated. Ever been there? I’m relieved to say I’m starting to feel that creative spark all over again. But it hasn’t come easily.
If you’ve been stuck in a season where you can’t seem to muster the energy or inspiration to tackle your home, friend, you are not alone.
Home burnout is sneaky like that—it creeps in when you’ve been running on empty and suddenly everything about your home feels like too much.
If you’ve been feeling that creative fatigue too, here are some things that helped me slowly climb my way out of it—and might help you too:
15 Ways to Overcome Creative Burnout in DIY Projects
1. Admit you’re in a burnout phase.
The first step is simply acknowledging it. You’re not lazy. You’re not failing. You’re just human. And that’s okay.
2. Take a break and rest.
It’s okay to hit pause. Sometimes the best thing you can do for your home is nothing at all. It’s easy to let the feeling of inadequacy creep in as you’re scrolling through beautiful homes on Instagram or TikTok. But it is humanly impossible to go at an HGTV marathon neck-breaking pace 24/7.
Creativity thrives after a period of rest. (I’ve used The 5 Minute Journal to give myself mental clarity in bite-sized pieces.)
3. Re-evaluate your home goals.
Are the projects you’re working on still aligned with how you want to live in your home? It might be time to reassess. Write down a priority list starting with the most important to focus on areas of your home that cause you stress and evaluate how to improve it using what you already have.
4. Embrace imperfection.
Not every wall needs to be Instagram-perfect. Real life is messy, and that’s okay.
5. Celebrate small wins.
Even filling a picture frame with a family photo you love counts as progress. Celebrate it.
6. Look for “quick wins.”
Do a project that takes an afternoon and gives you that instant gratification hit—like spray painting old planters or switching out cabinet hardware.
7. Focus on one room (or project) at a time.
Multitasking your way through an entire house will only fuel the overwhelm. Avoid the temptation to bounce around the house doing various projects in multiple rooms. Stick to working on one room at a time. When you’ve gotten a room to a place you feel good about, then you can move onto the next.
This is how Robert and I have worked 99% of the time on our projects because it prevents us from taking on more than we can handle.
8. Create a stress-free zone.
Pick a corner or room in your house that feels peaceful and make it your retreat. No tools or displaced clutter allowed in that area, especially if you’re in the middle of a room remodel.
Related: 5 Ways to Create Sensory Integration at Home for Reduce Stress
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9. Leave your house.
Sometimes the best way to love your home again is to step away from it—take a walk, visit a friend, or plan a little weekend getaway.
Our family even planned a “staycation” at a hotel just 20 minutes away for a weekend to set boundaries when we were in the middle of a messy bathroom remodel and it was exactly what we needed.
10. Communicate your needs to your family.
Your home is shared space. Let your household in on how you’re feeling and how they can help. Have a family meeting. Make a chart to assign household tasks to everyone. Whatever you have to do to communicate that your home is overwhelming you, don’t stay quiet about it.
11. Find balance.
Do things that have nothing to do with DIY—read a book, dance in your kitchen, learn how to bake your favorite dessert. But I have one caveat for you: resist a screen at all costs. Avoid the doom scrolling on social media. That won’t help. Unplug.
I’ve been spending time on a Goodreads rampage lately, and it has been so good for my mental rest.
12. Connect with other DIYers.
Finding community with others who “get it” can reignite your creative spark. (Shameless plug: DIY Decorator School is a great place to do that.)
13. Declutter a room, closet, or drawer.
When your space feels lighter, your mind will too. Choose just one drawer or closet, set a timer for 20 minutes, and start decluttering. Then check in on yourself to see how you feel.
Related: Organizer Secrets to Declutter Your Home Quickly
14. Experiment.
Try that bold paint color you’ve been eyeing. Shake things up. Sometimes a little bravery can bring back the fun. When I stepped outside of my comfort zone and started choosing bold paint colors to refresh some of our tired spaces, it ignited a creative fire in me.
Related: Our Favorite Paint Colors Recommended by Designers
15. Identify the Root of Your Stress.
Are you stressed about your finances? Take on a $0 DIY project (I promise they exist).
Are you stressed about a style identity crisis? Maybe give ChatGPT a whirl to “try on” some ideas.
Are you stressed about conflicts lately with your spouse when you’re doing home projects together? Here’s our Design Lab Partner Workshop to help.
And if you’re stressed because life is busy and you’re physically exhausted, listen to your body. A perfect home isn’t worth your sanity. Because I’m telling you, a home is hardly ever “finished”. Stop beating yourself up trying to chase it. Creativity isn’t a constant steady stream; it comes in waves. Don’t force it.
If there’s anything I’ve learned over these past couple of years, it’s this: Our homes are more than walls and furniture. They’re the backdrop of our everyday lives. And the way we feel in our homes affects our emotional and mental well-being in big ways.
I’ve become (maybe oddly?) pretty passionate about navigating the ups and downs of creative burnout, especially after going through it myself. Over the past couple of years, I’ve explored so many different ways to reignite that spark.
Some methods might seem a little unconventional, and others can take a bit of time and patience, but every single one has been surprisingly impactful in helping me feel more inspired and at ease in my home again.
Even if you only try one thing from my list and it helps you reconnect with your love for DIY, that’s a huge win in my book. I hope this gave you some fresh ideas to work through your own burnout season with a little more grace and encouragement.
