How Do People Survive Home Renovations?

Many people dream of the day they can start their home renovation projects.

They dream that their contractor will start work and their whole house will look like new in a few days.

What they sometimes don’t realize, however, is that a home renovation can be a very long and very stressful situation to get into.

You might get halfway through your renovation and start to wonder why you ever decided to go ahead with this project.

So how exactly do people survive their home renovations? In the end, it comes down to a lot of planning and organization, as well as a lot of patience.

Fortunately, there are some tips and tricks that can help keep your stress to a minimum.

By the way, before I get too far here, if you want to connect with other homeowners and builders and get more great ideas for your home to make your space the best, join my free private Facebook group , Reshape Reality here.

To stay or not to stay?

One of the first questions you need to ask yourself is whether or not you plan to stay in your home during the improvement projects.

If you are only doing a small project, such as a kitchen renovation or a bathroom renovation, there should be no problems with your living in the house during this time.

However, if you are planning to do a major renovation project, such as a whole house renovation, temporary relocation might be the best choice for you and your family. It will save you a lot of headaches and stress, the noise and drywall dust that will suddenly take over your house.

If you decide to stay elsewhere during your construction projects, the only stressors you may have are living out of a suitcase and possibly putting up with your in-laws, if that’s where you live.

But if you decide to live in your home throughout your remodeling projects, you’ll suddenly find yourself sharing your space not only with contractors, but also with construction debris, building materials, and drywall dust.

This was one of our biggest challenges during our own remodeling project.

Everything was always covered in dust.

There were people constantly in and out of our house.

It was a major disruption to our lives, but we survived, so don’t fret!

There are some simple hacks and survival tips that can help you survive this chaotic time.

Get rid of clutter

Renovation projects are an ideal time to get rid of any clutter that has slowly accumulated around your home over the years.

You’re going to have to clean and tidy the area anyway, so why not go ahead and get rid of some old junk?

If you’re hoping to make some cash from any old furniture or clothes, you can always hold a yard sale.

You’ll be surprised how many people will be interested in your old stuff! «One man’s trash is another man’s treasure,» as the saying goes.

If you don’t want to add the hassle of a yard sale on top of the hassle of a major renovation, you can always take your old stuff to your nearest drop-off location.

There is also the option of renting a storage unit to store any belongings you want to keep.

We rented a loft from Uhaul that sat in our side yard where we stored things while they worked on our house.

While this will add an extra cost to you, it’s also the safest way to keep all your belongings clean and safe from the mess construction is sure to make.

Clean frequently

As with everyday life, it’s usually easier to clean more often than to wait until the mess is big and do a huge area clean.

This is no different when you have a major remodeling project underway.

Picking up the area and doing a quick clean will help you start fresh every morning and you won’t believe how much easier it will make your contractors’ lives.

Remember that these cleaning sessions don’t necessarily result in a perfect, shiny area, but they will help make everyone’s life a little easier.

Plan ahead for rooms you can’t use

Whether you’re planning a complete home remodel, a short kitchen remodel, or a bathroom renovation, you’ll more than likely find some rooms in your home sitting idle for a while.

If you plan to stay in your home during the renovation, there is major planning that will need to be done to avoid closing these rooms.

If your kitchen is going to be unusable for a while, there’s always the option of cooking meals ahead of time or dining out every night until construction is complete.

However, there is also the option of setting up a makeshift kitchen with a stove or microwave.

You may also need to find a place to store everything from the kitchen cabinets if they are going to be torn down and replaced.

If you’re renovating your bathroom, things can get a little more complicated. One of the most important things to remember is to try to keep your toilet intact for as long as possible.

If the toilet needs to be out of order for an extended period of time, you might consider talking to family members or neighbors about using the bathroom or shower in an emergency.

Another more creative option is to use your gym membership for more than just exercise equipment.

Most gyms offer free showers, and if your shower isn’t working, why not drive to the gym and take a quick shower?

You pay for it, after all.

Always remember that a hotel is a great idea for a night or two, just to get everyone clean, showered and well rested. After that, you can go home and wait for the contractor to tell you that your house is yours again.

Protect your things from dust

The remodeling process is one that will leave behind a lot of drywall dust and general dirt and grime.

If you can’t move your furniture, the best thing you can do is try to protect it from all the dirt that will be flying around your house.

One option is to place plastic wrap over all your furniture; This way, dust and dirt will only land on the plastic and not on your newly upholstered sofa.

You may also want to consider placing plastic sheeting over carpet or along a path for contractors to walk on. This can help prevent additional dirt and even footprints from being embedded into your carpet, also preventing any additional cleaning you will need to do at the end of your renovation project.

If you decide to stay in your home full-time while it’s being renovated, it may be wise to section off the home little by little as the contractors work their way through your improvement projects.

Designate a specific door for contractors to use, saving a separate door for you and your family to use. Next, section off a room or an entire section of the house by hanging plastic sheeting from the ceiling.

This room or section can be used for sleeping, entertaining and using the toilet. You and your family may feel a bit cramped temporarily, but you’ll all be away from the construction dust that will be floating around the rest of your home.

Separation from the construction area can help guarantee your health. If your contractor comes across lead paint, asbestos or mold, your family will be much safer behind your sheet metal wall.

Use your calendar

As soon as your remodeling project begins, you’ll start wondering when it will end. Encourage open communication between you and your contractor, and they will be open with you about the schedule of events and any changes to that schedule.

Encourage your contractor to feel comfortable noting any changes on a special calendar for the renovation project.

A construction project is full of many milestones and even more unexpected changes.

Sometimes a contractor can’t give you a time frame until the project actually starts. Surprises are part of the contractors job, and you never know what you might encounter during a project.

This open communication and using a calendar can help you avoid the stress of any unknowns during your project.

With transparency between you and your contractor, you’ll be able to better plan your home’s sectionalization, which was mentioned in the last section.

You will also be better able to provide the correct materials or any additional materials that construction workers may need.

Working with a calendar can help make your life much more organized during renovation projects.

Relax and unwind

Everyone deserves some time dedicated solely to relaxing and unwinding, and that’s no different just because you have a renovation project going on.

Try to find some quiet time each evening to do something you enjoy, whether it’s watching your favorite show or reading the newest book from the library.

When we were going through our remodeling project, our evening after the builders left was our golden time to relax and reconnect as a family.

Since I work from home It was easy for me to take advantage of this time and spend quality time with my family.

If this doesn’t work for you, then try to find other ways to relax. Maybe you could go out to dinner with friends, schedule a massage, or maybe meet your neighbors and watch a movie at each other’s houses.

Whatever you choose to do, make sure you take care of yourself and take time to relax.

The last thing you want is to not be able to decompress and relax because the renovation process itself is stressful enough. You don’t need any extra drama while trying to complete a major renovation project.

Don’t forget to include your pets! They deserve their special time too. The constant presence of strangers in your home is disruptive to them too, so make sure you do a good job of taking care of them.

Next steps

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