If you are planning a remodel or currently living through one, that means you’re a bit closer to finally having your dream home. While a remodel can be an exciting time, it can also be frustrating, especially if you are living in the home while completing renovations. You can survive a home renovation with a little planning and a bit of ingenuity. Here are a few simple ways to make your remodel a more pleasant experience.
Simplify your life
Try living simple: One of the easiest ways to reduce stress during a remodel is to keep it simple. If you are renovating your kitchen, keep the bare minimum (only supplies you use every single day) on hand. Only keep items in the home that you need. Put everything else in a storage unit. Forget baking cupcakes or birthday cakes (that’s what a bakery is for) stick to the necessities! This allows you to maneuver around the area much easier and cuts down on cleaning in that area of the home.
If you are renovating a bedroom, pack away seasonal clothing, décor and any other items that aren’t must-haves.
Create a different space: Find a new space to do what you used to do in the room you are remodeling. For example, use the guest bathroom (or the shower at your gym) while your master bathroom undergoes work, or sleep in the living room while workers complete your bedroom.
Kitchen space can be tricky. Since you will not be able to use your stove for the majority of kitchen renovations, you may have to get inventive. Use an outdoor fire pit or barbeque, order lots of pizza and Chinese food or prop your microwave up in the bathroom.
Whatever you do, designate zones to keep some semblance of order in your home. Have a plan before the dust starts blowing.
Make use of the space you have: If you can, move large furniture items that need relocating to a garage or another area that’s out of the way so it does not interrupt the rest of the home. You may consider storing other items offsite to limit interference in your daily routine.
Seal off work zones: Aside from offering safety for kids (which we talk about below), sealing off work areas with plastic sheeting will save you hours of dusting and may just keep you a little more sane! Check out this helpful blog about how to seal off work areas properly. Plastic sheeting and tape can help keep your home clean and allow you to maintain a bit of normalcy during the entire process. Make sure to seal vents too. If you or someone in your home suffers from allergies, this can help alleviate irritation from the dust.
Focus on function: Your home is going to be a bit rough for a while. That’s okay. Go with the flow. Focus on function instead of perfect organization. If you have kids, this can help relieve some of the stress on them as well. If you need to keep your refrigerator in the living room, go for it. If you have to hang your clothes from the shower rod, bring it on. Just have a tactical plan so that your home still feels at least marginally organized.
Protect your stuff
Stay Safe: This is important for anyone, but doubly important if you have children in the home. Depending on the type of work you plan to do, there could be exposed wiring, tripping hazards, power tools and toxic material galore. Take steps beforehand to keep your kids and pets safe.
Consider sending pets to stay with a family member or friend and install child gates to prevent your little ones from wondering inside. Better yet, keep kids out of the home while active work is going on and block off the area in the evenings.
Store your valuables: You’ll probably have a lot of foot traffic in your home unless you plan to do the entire renovation yourself. Keep your valuables safe by renting a safety deposit box or a storage unit. Secure jewelry and personal documents away from the house.
As a side-note, you may want to consider storing any fixtures you plan to reuse off site. This will keep them from being damaged or accidentally thrown away.
Create a file: During your renovation, you will need to keep track of important information. Create a safe zone for important paperwork and documents relating to the project. A filing cabinet or thick document box will work fine.
Documents to keep on hand include:
• Project specifications
• Any contracts
• Schedule
• Pre-construction agreement
• Order changes
• Estimates
• Construction Plans
• Permits
• Other correspondence
• Notes and questions you have
Living through a renovation can be trying, but it isn’t impossible! Take a few preparatory steps, lower your expectations and look forward to the moment you get to bask in your newly renovated property!