Steps 1 & 2

1. Define the Project

The project objectives all lead to the final objective, these series of objectives should be specific as this increases the chances of leading to a specific outcome. Vague objectives eg. ‘to improve wardrobe doors’ are not really measurable, so always keep objectives as specific as possible.

Objectives can be broken into three primary headings:

• Time Objective - All significant stages of the project must take place no later than their specified dates, to result in total project completion on or before the planned finish date.  Late completion of the project will not be satisfactory to any stakeholders. Good time management is essential as for eg. if a project start date is delayed this can cause the finish date to be postponed and that can have a flow on effect to a budget ‘blowout’.
• Budget/Cost - Budget is an essential and major part of any project and the project should be preferably kept under budget but definitely not exceed the authorised project funding. As almost all projects are undertaken for financial gain on their completion, but even without the profit incentive the cost objective is still essential due to the fact that there will be some limitations on funds available. One of the worst outcomes of funds running out is that of projects having to be abandoned before completion therefore all of the time, money and effort invested in the project would be forfeited and written off.  
• Performance and Quality - it is your responsibility to ensure the project meets those objectives and you are accountable for this.  Responsibility for quality is shared by all team members from the top management downwards.

2. Create a scope document

The scope forms the boundary of your project.  It is the part of project planning that involves determining and documenting a list of specific project goals, deliverables, features, functions, tasks, deadlines, and budget. Basically, it is what needs to be achieved and the work that needs to be done to deliver the project. If you don’t define what it is the likelihood is that it will grow and grow as the project progresses - from small project to huge project. By documenting each project goal and identifying tasks the scope of your project becomes clearer.

Documenting in as much detail as possible each task you need to complete will make it clearer the amount of time you need to allocate to each step.  This will help determine how long the schedule for the project will be.

Adding in as much detail as possible about each step is essential to capturing the smallest details that could be missed along the way, which may become delays later on in the project.

Planning Your Project:

In order to create our new Instructional Videos, we needed to purchase some equipment.  The range was overwhelming and we soon realised we needed a project planning system to ensure that we got what we needed within our price range and were able to achieve the outcome we desired.  What a learning curve! Over the next couple of weeks, this series of blog posts will share our major learning with you in the hope that you, too, can achieve your project goals.  These are things we found important to think about.  Please note, the depth described in these posts will probably be more relevant to our builder and carpenter clients, but could certainly be adapted to a home project.

8 Essential Steps of Project Planning

1. Define the project, including the objectives and understand your client’s expectations
2. Create a scope document
3. Describe the product and define the deliverables
4. Identify your team and other stakeholders
5. Make a schedule
6. Create a workflow which includes milestones and implementations dates
7. Communicate Effectively
8. Include & create work/life balance

Tune in next week to check out the first 2 steps on my list, then over the next couple of weeks I will post more steps....

Moving Forward

We often receive enquiries from potential customers asking if we have a display of our products.  We are now excited to say that a display is in the pipeline & should be ready to view later this year.

We’ve also decided to create some videos for our website that will walk our customers through how to install our products and give them an overview of how beautiful and functional they are when finished.

With all this change occurring, one of my favourite quotes from Martin Luther King comes to mind:

If you can’t fly, then run
If you can’t run, then walk
If you can’t walk, then crawl
But whatever you do
You have to keep moving forward!!

And Spacemaker certainly is moving forward!

If you would like to find out more about our products and services please visit our website www.spacemakerwardrobes.com.au.

Free delivery between 29th August and 15th September!

We are offering free delivery from the 29th August to the 15th September 2013! Visit our website at www.spacemakerwardrobes.com.au to place your order now!

Custom Wardrobe Designs

We are asked regularly if we create custom designs. The answer is: yes! We can customise any of our existing designs or we can build something completely unique just for you. That's why we created our new Custom Wardrobe Design section on our website. Read on for more information:

What is the best procedure for creating a custom wardrobe design?

• Visit the brand new 'custom wardrobe designs' section on our website here:  http://www.spacemakerwardrobes.com.au/wardrobes/custom-wardrobe-designs
• If possible, take some photos of the space where the wardrobe is going to be installed
• Send us accurate measurements of the wardrobe opening (width, height, depth)
• Let us know what you want by using the wardrobe planner Excel file available for download on the custom wardrobe designs page.

Design ideas:

For design ideas, visit the following links:

• Wardrobe designs
• Door styles

How to measure

Don't know how to measure your wardrobe opening? Check out our how to measure guides here:

• How to measure wardrobe openings
• How to measure wardrobe door openings

We hope the above resources help you to create your perfect wardrobe design. If you have any questions or need any advice, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Happy Easter

Spending some time working on DIY (do it yourself) home projects over the Easter break and needing some inspiration for your built in wardrobes, walk in wardrobes or sliding wardrobe doors? Visit our website at www.spacemakerwardrobes.com.au to see how our storage solutions may be able to help you!

We would like to wish you a safe and happy Easter.

From the Spacemaker Wardrobes team

Clear your mind... and your space!

Life is so busy these days, it’s easy to become surrounded by clutter. Perhaps it's those magazines that keep piling up, or the seemingly endless supply of McDonald’s happy meal toys that spew forth from the kids room but we all have ‘stuff’ in our life that does not need to be there.

In Feng Shui, clutter is stagnant and confusing energy that blocks the flow of events in your life.  It’s true, we often have those ‘hot spots’ around our house that seem to attract clutter.  Unfortunately, as clutter builds, it becomes harder and harder to get on top of.  Feng Shui experts recommend doing a ‘deep space clearing’ at least once a year, but in the meantime, many suggest creating harmonious environments where everything has a place.

It is much easier, for example, if the family knows that mail belongs in the office in-tray to train our habits to put it there immediately, rather than it becoming lost in a pile on the kitchen bench.  Similarly, even the smallest of children can assist in preventing clutter if they know that the toy box at the end of the bed is where their stuffed toys live when not in use.  The key is reinforcing behaviours until they become habit; not allowing those trouble spots to build clutter by applying the contemporary Feng Shui practise of space clearing immediately and often.

By creating positive habits, and embracing the flylady’s principal of ‘just do it now’, we can keep our spaces clear, ensuring positive and harmonious energies in our homes.

Let us know if we can help you de-clutter your home - visit our website at www.spacemakerwardrobes.com.au to find out out more about our storage solutions!