Keeping track of renovation plans without losing your mind

“Nothing survives the dust storms that come with tearing out 100-year-old plaster.”

Can definitely relate to this. The dust gets everywhere, no matter how much plastic sheeting or tape you use. I’ve tried the erasable markers on tile and glass - worked okay for quick measurements, but you’re right about the ghost marks. Even after scrubbing, there’s always a faint line left behind. Not a huge deal if you’re painting over it, but if you want things spotless, it’s annoying.

I’m with you on the analog notes. I use a cheap spiral notebook and just dedicate one to each project. It gets beat up and covered in grime, but at least I don’t care if it gets trashed by the end. Tried digital checklists, but my phone ends up as filthy as the rest of the house.

Honestly, I think losing a few notes is just part of the process. As long as the main stuff makes it through, I call it a win.

Honestly, I gotta push back a little on the analog notes thing. I used to swear by spiral notebooks too, but after losing one to a rogue paint spill (and another that just vanished into the drywall void), I switched to snapping pics of my scribbles with my phone. Yeah, the phone gets gross, but at least the info survives when the notebook doesn’t. Plus, trying to decipher my own handwriting after a long day covered in dust? That’s a whole other nightmare...

I get where you’re coming from - my first week, I tried keeping a running list on sticky notes. Big mistake. They ended up stuck to my jeans, the dog, and one even made it into a paint tray. Now I use my phone’s voice memos when my hands are too messy to type or write. Not perfect, but at least I can replay what I meant when my brain’s fried.

Sticky notes are a trap, I swear. I tried color-coding mine - thought it’d help keep things straight - but halfway through demo day, the blue ones were covered in drywall dust and the yellow ones had paint smudges everywhere. I switched to snapping photos of stuff with my phone and just scribbling notes on the pics. Not the most organized, but at least I can see what I meant when I wrote “fix that thing by the thing.” Voice memos sound smarter, honestly... might have to give that a try next round.

Can’t tell you how many times I’ve stuck a note to a wall, only to find it in a pile of sawdust at the end of the day. Tried those fancy project management apps too, but half the time my hands are too grubby to touch my phone. Honestly, voice memos might be the way to go - at least you don’t have to worry about your handwriting after a 12-hour shift.