Publication date: 06/17/2011

Dad's organization, attitude still resonate

As we celebrate Father's Day this Sunday, it's always good to reminisce about the things you did with your dad while you were growing up. As a kid, I loved going to the hardware store with my dad, Bob Haege. I realized at an early age that when my dad went to the hardware store, he had already made a list of all the things he needed for his project.

When it came to any project around the home, my dad was extremely organized. When he did a project, he first looked at the task at hand, determined what he needed to accomplish it, gathered the necessary tools and materials, and then stuck with the project until it was complete before moving on to something else. His organization skill is something that still resonates with me today.

Many of my dad's project skills were honed as a staff sergeant and combat engineer in the Pacific Theater during World War II. He was involved in building roads and runways for the Army.

Our first house in Oak Park was built during the post-war boom, but we couldn't move in until the sidewalks were poured. Since there was a shortage of labor, my dad organized the other men in the neighborhood to pour concrete so the families could move into their homes. That type of home improvement camaraderie was very common in that era. It helped give entire neighborhoods a sense of pride.

When he saw the condition of the playground at nearby Tyler Elementary, he mobilized his neighbors once again. With military precision, he not only designed, but coordinated fundraising to build a new place for all the neighborhood kids to play.

Watching my dad work around the house, I marveled at how he made $1 work like $5 when it came to home improvements. If he was going to saw something, he "measured twice and cut once," as the old carpenters saying goes. He didn't waste any materials or need to re-do something, so he saved both time and money.

This "education" provided by my dad eventually led me to a career in the home improvement industry with Sherwin-Williams, where it was my job to solve problems for painting contractors and educate them on paint systems. I loved to help people learn about products and processes. That eventually led to my job at ACO where I developed an educational program for employees called the "Paint Advisor."

Both my radio show and this column are an extension of my love of home improvement education. But even today, I realize that much of the advice I give is still based on the wisdom of my dad. That's why you often hear me say, "Prior planning prevents poor projects." That was the motto my dad lived by whenever he did any projects, and it is just as important today as it was in the 1950s.

A big part of his organized approach was to make sure you finished a project completely before moving on to the next one. If you don't follow this simple rule, you never seem to finish anything around the house. Many people don't analyze a project to know if it will take two days or two weeks to finish. As a result, they get frustrated and never finish it or it takes months before they get back to it.

That's why I always say the most important question to ask yourself or a contractor is "When will it be done?" Do this before you use the most important tool in your toolbox: your checkbook. Before you can brag about it, you have to get it done.

As you can see, my dad was a huge influence on me growing up, and I have passed on these life lessons to my son, Eric. I am proud to say that he has adhered to this organized approach when doing home improvement projects around his home.

So this weekend, think about the things your dad taught you growing up that have stuck with you after all these years. I will certainly be thinking about my dad and how his wisdom still shapes my life.

Note: This article was accurate at the date of publication. However, information contained in it may have changed. If you plan to use the information contained herein for any purpose, verification of its continued accuracy is your responsibility.

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