How to Prepare for a Renovation Project

Renovating your home is a lot of things; its fun and exciting, but it can also be a little scary and stressful. The upheaval of your space, having people in and out for weeks on end, the inconvenience of living without whichever space you’re tackling - it’s a lot! But in the end it’s so worth it. In this article we’ll give you some pointers to make the renovation as painless as possible.

First things first - take before pictures! Before doing anything else, get some pictures. Even if the current space isn’t something you’re super proud of, you’ll love looking back at them and showing your loved ones once the space is finished. It takes no time at all and is almost always worth it in the end.

GET ORGANIZED

This is a big one, folks. There are a lot of different ways you can get organized to minimize the inconvenience. Let’s break them down.

Renovation Space

This is a great time to make some decisions on what items are going to stay and which items are going to go after the project is completed. We recommend dividing your belongings into three different categories: keep, purge, and donate. Go through ALL the things - don’t leave anything out of this process. It’s best to start with your purge and donate piles. Get those items out of your home so they aren’t in the way.

For items you decide to keep, you’ll need to figure out what can be packed away during the reno and which items you need to leave out and easily accessible. For example, if you’re remodeling your kitchen - how many place settings do you need to keep out? Cooking utensils? That sort of thing. Be reasonable and realistic with what you absolutely need in order to keep the clutter low while everything else is in a state of disarray. Everything else should get packed away and stored in an area of the home that isn’t being touched.

Set Up Temporary Areas

This is most relevant for a kitchen remodel.. the mother of all remodels. Not having that space available to you for weeks or even months can start to take a toll. Find a spot in your home where you can set up a make-shift kitchen. A spare bedroom or basement are ideal for this. If it’s possible, get your hands on some smaller appliances; perhaps you can buy or borrow them from a friend or family member. Things like a mini fridge, microwave oven, air fryer or outdoor grill will allow you to cook at home without the use of a full range. Set up areas for food prep as well as for eating.. you may think take out can hold you over until the project is finished but it won’t be long until you’re craving a home cooked meal. Having this area available to you will take some of the sting out of not having your kitchen.

Documents

It’s best to come up with a system for organizing and storing all of the various paperwork that comes with a renovation. Things like receipts, contracts, manuals and product samples/brochures. You may think you don’t need to keep track of all of this, but it’s best to do so in case any unforeseen issues or questions arise. Once the project is complete you can go through and decide what can get tossed and what you want to keep (appliance manuals should be in the keep pile!).

SECURITY

There are a few things to consider when it comes to the security of your home. How will the workers get into your house? If you work full time or won’t be there for a chunk of the day, this is an important one to think through. Will you make copies of your house key or give them the garage and/or alarm codes? One good option is to purchase a lock box. You can keep it on the front door and only leave one key in there. Give them the code to the box rather than your security system. It’s also a good idea to keep track of your valuables. We aren’t assuming anyone is a bad actor or looking to steal from you, but peace of mind is an important consideration. Anything you can do to help yourself mentally is worth the time it takes to do so.

MENTALLY PREPARE

This is the other major factor when taking on a renovation project. We mentioned this before but it’s worth saying twice - it can really take a toll on us mentally and emotionally. It’s good to just accept that from the beginning and do your best to go with the flow throughout the project.

Let Go of Control

The people in and out of your home, the time the project takes with inevitable delays and monkey wrenches. Something is bound to get off track. Do your best to let it roll off your back if/when it happens and not let it ruffle your feathers too much. It happens to all of us - nothing is perfect and no project is seamless. That’s just not the nature of the construction industry.

Accept the Mess

The dust and dirt, the tools and supplies everywhere. Again, it’s just the nature of the beast. Letting yourself go crazy over it will just make the process harder. Be sure you have a space that is construction free where you can go to escape the madness. Keep doors closed when you can to minimize the spread of dust and debris. Cover furniture and roll up rugs if they’re near the construction zone - just think through the space and clear out/cover up as much as you can. You may even put down plastic walkways to reduce the chance of workers leaving dirty footprints everywhere.

Keep Your Eye on the Prize

When things get tough, just remember the why. The reasons you decided to take the project on and the reward you’ll get to enjoy for many years to come. Focus on all the things you can do in your new space, from organizing your belongings to decorating and enjoying it with your family. There is so much to look forward to! It’s a temporary inconvenience but you’ll say “Oh that was so worth it” once it’s all said and done, and you’re in your new happy place.

We hope you’re feeling more prepared to take on a renovation project! If you feel uncertain about the design aspect of your space give us a call - we can help! We’ll take the guesswork out of the process by coordinating some finish and fixture options for you. All that’s left to do is choose your favorite option for each item being replaced! We also provide designer recommendations if you’re still unsure choosing from our options. Check out the reset of our website to learn more about how we do design.