Oh, yeah. I can completely relate. I find it's especially hard, at this time of year, to get motivated. Our kitchen has been 95% done for over a year (main install was early summer 2009; backsplash done winter 2009/2010, then no more progress as we battled other reno projects) and we are FINALLY getting around to finishing the pantry this month. Ive been living with open, door-less cabinets (filled with stuff) and a grimy plywood scrap counter with sharpie marker drawings on it all that time. It's true, your eyes start to not "see" it after a while. But if you are anything like us, once you start, and one little part gets "finished" (for us it was finally putting the trim on a new window) you will get excited again.

Here's what I do:
-make a list of the projects that are unfinished or that we want to do within the next 6 months.
-Sit down with DH and prioritize what should come first, re: what funds are available, weather, time available to work on it, disruption, etc.
-Re-order the list, then break the first project into steps to take. Thinking this through helps us to overcome that "AAAAHHHH! Where do we begin?!?!?!?" feeling :)

If it makes you feel any better, I've had, or am facing, not only the unfinished kitchen, but two total gut bathroom renos, three walk-in-closet renos, major landscaping projects including hardscaping and landscape stairs, living room renovation with tile and built-ins, chimney relining, building a deck and two porches, and I'm sure there's more. Talk about OVERWHELMED.

My DH was really burned out on stuff. Of course he'd procrastinated the tricky bits (how to make the cherry counter corner, how to fit it around existing cabs in a tight space, etc) and it had been hanging over his head for 18 months as a worry. But once he finished something (that window) and saw what a HUGE difference it made, he got motivated to continue. Which is good, because I have learned I can't nag/force him to do something or he gets reeeeeally resentful. Now everyday he says, "doesn't that look so much better?" and I feel like we're back on track :)

Good luck.

There's no motivator quite like the knowledge that 25-40 people will be using that space in two months. Invite a club for an event at your place with the kitchen available to for bring-your-own-entre cooks.

Worked for us! These are DH's special friends. We got doors hung, millwork around windows and doors installed, butcherblock oiled and fitted and the pieces firmly screwed down, niche over range redesigned and done, walls painted, and stools upholstered with about a day to spare (to clean balance of house). This was all stuff that we were doing just fine without functionally but which added much more to the finished feeling of the renewal project.

Now, I've invited some really harsh critics for 2 weeks from now--my high school friends. Will I get those lobby curtains hung in time? I sure better!
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Another good thing to do is set goal of great evening out--we can go to X once we get the Y done. I kept describing the food at X and how much DH likes it.

Also, haul out the calendar, mark in red the future dates of something you are planning to do (go to that wedding, fishing season starts, somebody's going to need you that week, whatever) and agree as to how much of the kitchen you can get done before you get distracted by that upcoming event. DH rashly promised not to go hunting or fishing until the project was done, so I can mention that old promise when I am in a nasty mood. Besides fishing opener weekend and trout opening weekend, the morel hunting season begins in late spring and he's a wild man during all that time.

Oh, and don't authorize ANY additional distracting projects. I'm fighting DH's search for a new engine for the MG right now. Save it, DH, save it for summer!

I promised DH that when the kitchen was done, the NEXT project would be to expand the shop. Seems every three years I've got to let a "hubby" project take front stage.

Though the insulated woodworking room we built inside the big shop was specifically for making the kitchen cabinets, so I'm not sure if that counts as a Hubby Project or a House project.

Right now DH and I are both pushing hard as we really want to have the kitchen done before he gets called back to work. We don't want the kitchen to go into 2012.

I also try to do at least a few hours of work a day - because even a little bit is way better than nothing. That seems to work best for me when I'm really burning out - I still get some done so I don't get totally discouraged, but I don't feel so dragged out either. And usually after not long (4-5 days) I'll get through to point that I get motivated again and can put in a whole day.

This is all great advice. Thank you so much. It was starting to feel a bit lonely in the "not much done club" especially when I keep seeing "we're finished" or "progress" posts.

After reading what you've written, I'm definitely beginning to feel the wheels turning.

Today, I'm going to start making lists. One is a list of small projects that I can do on my own. Next a list of the major things that need to get done. Then start the steps for the first major projects. Staceyneil, thank you for that bit of advice.

DH is definitely burning out, although it's not really from the kitchen. He travels a lot and has recently taken on more clients at work. By the time the weekend comes, he's so totally drained, he doesn't want to work on the kitchen. I really can't blame him for that. I'm not a nagger and I think he appreciates that.

We've got a decent chunk of money coming in next month, so we've both decided to funnel that into the kitchen. Together we've decided to hire out several projects. Perhaps, as you've said, having those things crossed off the list will motivate us as well.

Florantha, you're probably right about planning a big event to put on the pressure. If we we're further along, I might do that, but at this stage in the game, I think my list might be too long. That's definitely something to keep in my back pocket as we approach the finish line and need that push to finish the job.

Macybaby, I'm going to do as you suggest and do a little bit every day. For the past couple of weeks, my focus has been on planning my daughter's birthday party. Since our house has been out of commission, we had it at a restaurant. That's done now, so today and tomorrow, I'll be catching up on housework that I put off due to said party, then start back on the kitchen.

Thank you all again.

Did you see an earlier thread dealing with using SEX as a motivator? Not a bad idea, if you're up for it.

By the way, that club event I described was on the calendar for 5 months, since hunting season (natch). But it was the last 8 weeks that saw the extreme effort.

Florantha, yes I did see laxsupermom's post a couple of weeks ago ; ). DH has to actually BE here for that to happen LOL!

You have my complete sympathy. Having never owned a property that did not need extreme amounts of work, we consider remodeling not a project but a lifestyle. It's not like on the TV shows, that's for sure.

Hiring some of the work out will really help you a lot and you'll be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel soon.

We've learned to do a lot of work for 15 - 30 minutes at a time. It doesn't seem like much but MANY projects can be broken into small steps and you can always find a few minutes a day to fit in some work. By the end of the week there can be a surprising amount of progress. It doesn't seem very efficient but it allows you to keep some semblance of a normal life without getting burnt out.

Hang in there - it will get better!