def do_stuff():
    """Does 3 things in serial"""
    def cb_stuff1(unused):
        print 'Doing stuff #1'
        deferreds = []
        for obj in self.objects.values():
            deferreds.append(obj.do_something())
        return defer.DeferredList(deferreds)
 
    def cb_stuff2(unused):
        print 'Doing stuff #2'
        deferreds2 = []
        for obj in self.objects.values():
            deferreds2.append(obj.do_something_else())
        return defer.DeferredList(deferreds2)
 
    def cb_stuff3(unused):
        print 'Doing stuff #3'
        return some_other_action()
 
    d = defer.Deferred()
    d.addCallback(cb_stuff1)
    d.addCallback(cb_stuff2)
    d.addCallback(cb_stuff3)
    d.callback(True) # just to trigger the chain
    return d