Renovating is an exciting journey that can lead to designing your dream home. It’s ultimately rewarding, but the path isn’t always easy. Renovations can increase tension and make everyone in the house feel slightly on edge. Here are some ways to keep your family from going crazy while renovating your space.
Get Out of Dodge
If you can afford to relocate during the renovation process, you should get out of the house while the remodeling occurs. Vacation time is excellent for remodeling — contractors love it when you’re out of town. They can typically get their work done faster without the family residing in the home.
If you need to stay in your house during the renovations, consider asking friends or relatives to have your kids stay over to ease their stress. No matter how much you try to prevent it from happening, routines get out of whack during renovations. Kids thrive off of structure, so ensure they stay on track as much as possible.
Getting out of dodge can also help the builders work better. They — and you — won’t have to worry about potential hazards to the inhabitants, like stray nails on the floor.
Stick To Your Budget
Often, unforeseen circumstances out of your control cause you to go over your budget. There’s nothing you can do about that. However, there are many ways that you can prepare for renovations to ensure you stick to your budget and spend your money wisely during this transition.
Put your needs first and then add the things you want later. Consider the upkeep of your renovations in addition to installation — if you want it, you can revisit it when you have more funds available. Effectively communicate with your contractors to ensure you get the best price for your renovation. Budget constraints can ensure you stay on track and not splurge on fixtures or other hardware you didn’t foresee before demolition.
Doing so can also keep your family from going crazy. When a project goes over budget, it can cause a lot of stress for parents, which can then affect the kids. To keep everyone in a healthy mindset, stick to the plan and revisit unnecessary improvements later.
Clean Your Space
Preparations can go a long way in the renovation process. Ensure your home remains as clean and clear of debris as possible during the renovation, especially if you reside in your home during the process. Dust can settle in every crack and crevice in your house and enter the air ducts.
Seal every inch of your ventilation system and turn it off during renovations. Use heavy plastic sheeting to cover doors and openings dust can enter from and wrap any windows you aren’t going to open for ventilation. You can form a path into the house with woodchips to limit mud spreading. Place cardboard on your countertops or other flat surfaces to ensure they don’t get scratched or damaged.
You could also consider getting an air purifier to clean the air of dust particles floating around during renovations. Impurities like formaldehyde and VOCs can cause significant damage to your health if you don’t take the necessary steps to allow proper air circulation and purify the air as much as possible.
After renovating your home, dust can settle for up to two weeks, so ensure you stay on top of cleaning. Change your home’s air and furnace filters and routinely clean your floors. Clean them, vacuum with a wet dry vac, and follow up with your regular cleaning and vacuum.
Protect Your Health
Exercise is an excellent way to relieve stress and boost your immune system. With your routine off balance, you will likely experience stress and discomfort until you are back in the swing of things. Participate in daily exercise to reduce anxiety and boost your mood.
Spending time in nature can also help release some feel-good endorphins that will minimize the effects of anxiety renovations can cause. Being outside increases the oxygen levels in your brain, which boost serotonin and improve your mood. Exercise is also a fantastic outlet for negative feelings you may experience from being crammed into a room with your loved ones or the prolonged time renovations can take.
Eat as healthy as you can during this transition. Preparing meals in advance can ensure your family doesn’t live off of takeout and go over budget. Eating fast food can also make you and your family not feel your best. Put your health first and ensure your family stays healthy during this stressful process — it will be worth it when the renovations are complete.
How To Stay Sane During Renovation
Renovating your home can increase its market value and make it last longer. However, with a big remodel comes a lot of changes that can drive your spouse and children nuts. Take advantage of these tips to keep your family sane during your renovations and ensure you live happily ever after in your new — or newly remodeled — home.
p.s. Related posts:
My House is Featured in New England Home Magazine!
Picture Books for Kids Who Like To Build
How to Prepare to Move Your Aging Parents into Your Home with You
Why Having a Home Library Is Easier Than You Think
Upgrading From Child to Tween Bedrooms
To examine any book more closely at Indiebound or Amazon, please click on image of book.
As an Amazon and IndieBound Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
My books:
Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World
- Junior Library Guild Gold selection
- Selected as one of 100 Outstanding Picture Books of 2023 by dPICTUS and featured at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair
- Starred review from School Library Journal
- Chicago Library’s Best of the Best
- Imagination Soup’s 35 Best Nonfiction Books of 2023 for Kids
Amazon / Barefoot Books / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Scholastic / Signed or Inscribed by Me
