How do you Find the Time?

I see so many people posting about their wood stacks and piles and how they are abiding by the 3 year plan and then some... I guess if you're kids are old enough to help and maybe out of the house you can focus on some of life's chores that I can never seem to get ahead on... or maybe some people on here just are better at time management than me.

But ultimately, I want to gain way on my wood stacks but I NEVER and I mean NEVER have time to do it. If I'm not working overtime at work or on the baseball fields with my three boys or working on projects at the house, I can work on wood. But no matter what I do, I feel guilty not doing something else... any one of those things I previously mentioned. Oh, and somewhere between all of that I need to find time to spend with my wife... it's a never ending cycle... not having time. And I know everyone else finds themselves in that boat, and my hat is off to you if you're in my position (father of 3 young children, husband, responsibilities at work and at home) and still find time to tend to wood.

 

If you don't "make time" to do something, you'll never get it done. Of course, life has it's priorities that must be adhered to.

Maybe you're trying to do too much work at once? There's some saying about one bite at a time and you can eat a whole elephant.

 

I have thought the exact same thing many times. I can definitely relate to what you are saying sir.
Yooper is right about prioritizing it just seems like day to day stuff is always getting added to the bottom of the to do list.

 

Do you have wood onsite to process for firewood? That can be a huge timesaving. If you do, then a GTG can get alot accomplished. Several holders with chainsaws can make alot of noise. If there's a splitter onsite, even better. You don't have to do it by yourself.

I didn't get on the 3yr plan until well in my 50's. It was alot of effort buying logs and CSS'ing. Once there, one has to make the conscious effort to stay there.

Of course, you need to have the space for wood racks.

 

When the kids were home, we made it a family affair when we could. Get everyone involved if possible.
If the overtime is taking up too much of your personal/family time, cut it back.

 

When my 2 boys moved out it made a big difference. When they were home we were at the diamond 8 months out of the year.

A fast custom splitter was a game changer. I get wood through my job, so that eliminates scrounging time. My wife and I only spend time together once a week and that only costs 5 minutes. ​

 

This is wisdom talking.

 

I hear that, my two older boys (9 and 7) play in their in house leagues and are also on tournament teams and I'm the head coach of both the in house and tournament teams. Baseball is something I know and it's a passion we all share together, so I don't regret the time it takes, because it's good valuable time... but it doesn't heat the house.

The boys are starting to get good at helping me with firewood chores, but still need to be checked on and monitored... This is one of the first weekends I've had free in months and I'm going to put them to work. I own 6.5 acres so we have the room, it's just that 6.5 acres creates it's own set of chores on a daily basis.

 

Yeah I understand. Cherish the baseball time, because it’s gone before you know it. Way more important than firewood. I also have a decent chunk of land, so there’s always something to do. I didn’t get ahead on firewood until baseball was over.

 

You are not alone by any stretch, so many of us are in the same position as you. I can directly relate, I have a very busy and full life right now at age 45, in fact I feel I am struggling a bit with it all.

My new position at work demands more of me than ever before in my career. Some days I wake up thinking what did I get myself into. Lot's of stress and responsibilities, but I challenged myself and here I am for now

I have three kids, 12, 9, and 5 boy do they keep us busy between those ages. Sports, dance, school, school activities', friends, play dates (I hate that word), etc... all me and my wife seem to do is taxi them around suburbia 7 days a week. It's flat out overwhelming, and frankly frustrating at times however I do not want to deprive them of being involved in activities and we feel it's really good for my son, he needs it. As they get older more activities, requests, and more money.

Weekends come and I am exhausted more now than ever, I recently really try to make Sunday and relaxing day. We attend Church, usually make a home cooked meal, or I'll smoke something, eat early, and try to enjoy the time together, otherwise I'd be knee deep in doing something or a project. Don't get me wrong sometimes you just need to put some work in on Sundays. Weekends also bring family events such as parties, birthdays, relatives in town, etc... seems something is always going on between our two families, lots of cousins, aunts, uncles, etc.... This time of year is brutal with the holidays and two of my kids have birthdays smack in the middle between Nov and Jan.

Hoarding for me is being in the right state of mind, you have to be ready as most of my wood collection comes from public listings so you've got to be Johnny on the spot, ready and willing. If your not ready to drop everything and grab a load you will miss out. My last scrounge was a CL listing, few blocks away, timing was perfect, up and out with the truck for a nice truck bed load of oak. But that's rare I can drop what I am doing to run out and load up wood and unload it back at home.

If any advice I can give is just collect a little at a time, it all adds up, do what you can when you can do it and or the opportunity presents itself otherwise you will stress out trying to do it all. For me it's a hobby, for fun! OR if you can swing getting a big load at once so you feel you are ahead. I did this last year with Chipdrop (It actually worked) a solar company dropped off a load in front of my house I believe it was close to 2 cords, it was a ton work but I was able to chip at it on my own time and it really helped put me ahead so I didn't feel that pressure.

 

Well, with a 3 year old and a 9 month old, this is how I find the time... I don't.

But, I still feel ok about it on balance because now that I am at the 3 year mark (or maybe 2.5 year mark) I'm feel a bit less stress about it all. Even getting a little bit ahead takes off some pressure.
It's like eating an elephant. One bit at a time.

 

Personal priority is what it is.

 

Unfortunately, there are so many priorities that take precedence over firewood hoarding. And it is something I love to do, so it's not like i'm pushing it to the side because it is a chore for me, I simply don't have the time... I even have loads of wood cut and stored at my dad's property but need to split it and bring it to my house... and on top of all the regular day-to-day activities, my wife has no problem adding projects to the list. Just this year she decided she wanted chickens... and I'm no carpenter but I'm also not completely incompetent, so I converted an old horse stable into a chicken coop, and am currently in the middle of making a chicken run just outside of it...

my current predicament is do I hoard wood, or do I build my hearth and install the wood stove, because at my new house the Stove is not even installed yet, but I plan on heating with wood this winter!

I guess I was just venting, and curious if some of you that are in my boat have some secret that you're willing to share... basically, family comes first, then work, then day to day priorities and household chores that have to be done, then wood is a distant last...

 

I don’t even have my house built yet and am putting 6-8 cord per year up. I have about 19 cord laying on the ground to buck and split.

but I also know stuff like the red elm I just finished splitting is going to take 20-30 months to properly season.

we don’t plan on building until 2026.

So I HAVE to start putting up wood now.

wood is your heat. How much more primal does winter comfort need to be?

 

I made close to 6 cord last winter working only on the weekends. Usually 4 or so hours per day. I have way more wood than a friend who has way more time to make it than I do. I get zero available light M-F the entire winter (work takes it all).

How about making firewood a Family Activity?

1. Spend time with loved ones
2. Outdoors
3. Great Exercise
4. You'll have something useful to show for efforts

 

This is something we have done, and I'd like to do this winter... was hoping to do so more often this past summer but we did not. The boys like scrounging around the firewood, they ask what tree it used to be, or when we're going to burn a certain stack, etc. Usually they end up getting out my hand saw and try to cut some rounds by hand... which is all right, learning to love the woodpile starts with a simple saw and sense of accomplishment. And I get to be right there with them...

 

It's a battle for sure. Once you're there though, staying ahead is relatively easy. Get a year's worth every year to maintain. For me I have to get it a little at a time, when the opportunity presents itself. For others, getting a huge log load all at once and going into a CSS marathon over the course of a few days makes more sense. At least that method frees you up the rest of your time. It should be an enjoyable pursuit, but not something that completely consumes you, taking over your life and causing turmoil at home. You have to make the time to do it, but do only what you can without letting it take away from the other things that need your attention. You can only spread yourself so thin. If getting to that 3 year mark is just not feasible right now, shoot for 2 years ahead and stick to faster-drying species.

 

Getting to that level of "inventory" is hard. My situation is completely different. I'm 54. No kids at home. I don't burn a stick but I sell. I'll do about 25 cords this year, all nights and weekends, after my FT job, using a box store splitter. I never have more than about a 6 month supply on hand. I'll buy 5-10 cords of oversized splits, most of which I need to resplit. The rest I process start to finish. How does it get done? I don't have time to binge watch TV or scroll on my phone while eating a leisurely dinner (not suggesting anyone here does that). I work ALL weekend other than during church or if we have other family activities. It's somewhat exhausting and I have almost no free time. But it's also very rewarding. My customers absolutely love coming to my firewood stand to get quality wood that they can't make themselves and have no problem paying me to do it. Sum it up to say you have to be all in or you'll probably end up buying wood from somebody.

 

IMO you’re doing a great job. You’re getting the important stuff done, and making the most of your time with your kids while they still want to spend time with you. I’d kill to have one more hour with my son when he was 9yo, or daughter when she was 4yo, etc.

Could you dial down the coaching? I understand the benefits, but maybe it’s time for someone else to step up for a season or two? You could put some of that time to coaching your boys 1:1 — they’ll benefit more because your attention won’t be spread out and you’ll get higher quality baseball time. Or be an assistant or position coach?

Some unsolicited advice: take more pictures of your younger boys! Lots and lots of pictures and videos and voice recordings. We didn’t do enough and now I regret it.