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You are here: Home / Decorate / Home Improvement / HOME RENOVATION SURVIVAL TIPS TO SAVE YOUR SANITY

HOME RENOVATION SURVIVAL TIPS TO SAVE YOUR SANITY

Today I’m sharing the wisdom of my dear friend Heidi, who recently completed an extensive home renovation project.  Her family of four lived in their home during the renovation process, which brings with it certain…um…challenges.

I asked Heidi to share her home renovation survival tips with all of us today. Got a home renovation project in your future? These tips are sure to save your sanity!

 

Home renovations are messy and chaotic for sure! But there are steps you can take to preserve your sanity. Read my top home renovation survival tips ! #RefinedRooms #homerenovation #homerenovationtips #homeimprovement #DIYhome

 

HOME RENOVATIONS SURVIVAL TIPS

 

1. MENTALLY PREPARE FOR CHRONIC CHAOS

 If you are the type who likes everything “just so”, you will seriously need prepare yourself mentally for the temporary change in lifestyle that goes hand-in-hand with living in a “Renovation in Process” environment.

Mentally prepare for chronic chaos - one of 6 home renovation survival tips from Refined Rooms

You will need to adopt the mantra that “this too shall pass”, and regularly remind yourself that the end result will be worth it!

Mentally prepare for constant environmental chaos - one of 6 home renovation survival tips from Refined Rooms

 

2. TAKE STEPS TO MINIMIZE THE SPREAD OF CONSTRUCTION DUST

If your project involves drywall installation, carpentry work, or painting, there will be dust. Sawdust. Drywall dust. Paint spray dust…EVERYWHERE.  The dust migrates all over the place; you will find it in just about every room of your home. Although construction dust is inevitable, there are things you can do to minimize it.

Take steps to minimize construction dust - one of 6 home renovation survival tips from Refined Rooms

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience (which means if you make a purchase after clicking a link I will earn a small commission, but it won’t cost you a penny more)! Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

 

Heidi suggests packing away items that you will not need access to during the renovation process, in order to prevent them from being coated with construction dust. Also, consider investing in magnetic air vent covers to use in the areas of your home that are not being renovated. Another good practice is to seal the doorway between your living area and the renovation area via heavy-duty plastic drop cloths.

Zipwall is relatively new product on the market for containing construction dust. Although Heidi’s contractors didn’t use Zipwall (nor have I at the time of this post), many DIY bloggers swear by it.

3. ESTABLISH YOUR STORAGE AREAS IN ADVANCE

Renovation projects require the removal of the “stuff” that typically lives in the space…furniture, appliances, home decor, etc. You will need a place in your home to serve as a temporary holding area for this stuff while the project is underway.

Heidi was fortunate in that she had several areas available for this purpose…a large area in her basement, as well as a spare bedroom.  If you don’t have room onsite for temporary storage, explore options such as relocating items to an offsite storage unit/family member’s home, or investing in an onsite temporary storage unit (e.g., PODS).

Map out temporary storage areas in advance - one of 6 home renovation survival tips from Refined Rooms

 

Determine temporary storage areas in advance - one of 6 home renovation survival tips from Refined Rooms

 

4. PREPARE TO MAKE DECISIONS QUICKLY

You will be flexing your decision-making muscle on a daily basis when you undergo an extensive home renovation. Paint colors, flooring, cabinetry, lighting and counter top selections…oh my! Selecting finishes can be a daunting process for the average homeowner. You will often be called upon to make decisions quickly so as not to hold up contractors.

Begin your research as early as possible so that you are in a good position to make those critical decisions when it’s time to do so. If you lack confidence in the design department, enlist the assistance of a professional or a trusted friend who has a knack for design.

 

Prepare to make decisions quickly - one of 6 home renovation survival tips from Refined Rooms

 

5. ORDER MATERIALS ASAP

Be vigilant about ordering all materials necessary for your renovation as soon as possible. You never know when you will be faced with waiting for a backordered item that will prevent your project from moving forward.

Once your project is at a standstill, the contractors move onto other projects, and it can be a painful process as you wait for them to incorporate your project back into their schedule.

(Waiting on the arrival of these windows held her project up for months)

order building materials ASAP - one of 6 home renovation survival tips from Refined Rooms

 

6. THINK TWICE ABOUT DIY-ING IT

You might be tempted to take on certain aspects of the renovation yourself, in order to save some cash. It makes sense to invest your sweat equity if you have expertise in a particular skill like electrical, plumbing, or drywall installation.

If you are not an expert, you may want to think twice about DIY-ing it. Heidi regrets their attempt at drywall patching (see below), and wishes they would have left this piece of the project in the hands of the experts.

Dont DIY projects when you don't have the skills to do right - one of 6 home renovation survival tips from Refined Rooms

 

BONUS TIP!

Heidi’s final word of advise to me was to avoid letting your kids make paint color selections, or you might just end up with Kermit The Frog green in the hall bathroom! Of course, I learned this lesson awhile back with my daughter’s room.

Don't let your child pick wall colors - one of 6 home renovation survival tips from Refined Rooms

So those are Heidi’s home renovation survival tips in a nutshell! Stay tuned for the reveal of Heidi’s new and improved abode!

There are sooo many moving parts to keep track of during a home renovation project. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the details…deadlines, budget, and design decisions. Having a system to keep your project(s) organized is a must. 

Check out these tools for organizing your home renovation!

 

Image Credit: © Depositphotos.com /@mrsiraphol

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Decorate// Home Improvement23 Comments

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Comments

  1. Kristy J. says

    April 29, 2020 at 1:48 pm

    You should have a system to organize everything, I second the motion. Having a messy place could duplicate the work and maybe delay the deadline. Thank you Natalie for sharing your friend Heidi’s tips.

    Reply
  2. Interior Renovation Singapore says

    April 29, 2020 at 12:34 am

    Great survival tips. Thanks for sharing it with us! Will definitely try out these tips.

    Reply
  3. Sophia Jackson says

    March 4, 2020 at 3:30 pm

    Very impressive .. I really appreciate your work, you explained it very well.

    Reply
  4. Jenna Hunter says

    February 25, 2020 at 6:03 pm

    My aunt is thinking about remodeling her home so that it can look a lot nicer and can be more streamlined. She really wants to make sure that she can get some help after the remodel is done so that she can get a professional to help her clean. I liked what you said about how she should try to minimize the dust in the area and seal doorways.

    Reply
  5. Shad L. Boyett says

    February 19, 2020 at 7:35 am

    I thank you because the article has told me something new. I really didn’t know there are sooo many moving parts to monitor during a home redesign venture way you explain is very easy to understand.

    Reply
  6. Priya Dharshini says

    February 12, 2020 at 5:18 am

    I totally agree with the chaos we have to handle with the dust. Such informative survival tips.. Thanks for posting this article, Natalie.

    Reply
  7. home remodeling dutchess county, ny says

    February 2, 2020 at 11:16 pm

    It’s important to be mindful of what could arise when remodelling a home on your own. Referring to experts is a great idea. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  8. David Johnson says

    January 30, 2020 at 5:21 pm

    Thank you for explaining that on a daily basis you’ll be making decisions. My house is around forty years old and I want to look into renovating the kitchen. We’ll have to hire the right contractor.

    Reply
  9. Lisa says

    January 29, 2020 at 10:09 am

    Great article! Thank you so much for educating us on this! I’m in the remodeling business myself and I love reading blog posts like this. Thanks again!

    Reply
  10. CER Custom Renovations says

    January 23, 2020 at 11:20 pm

    I love this post!

    Reply
  11. Access Doors and Panels says

    January 21, 2020 at 2:26 am

    Home renovation is messy and chaotic. These steps you can take to preserve your sanity.Keep up the great work! Thank you so much for sharing a great posts.

    Reply
  12. Johnny McCarron says

    January 15, 2020 at 2:15 pm

    Ah, I like how you recommended that I begin researching my home remodel as soon as possible so as to make informed decisions. We’d really like to get our home renovated and remodeled. I think we should probably start researching remodeling contractors now.

    Reply
  13. Tori Raddison says

    January 8, 2020 at 11:37 am

    It’s a good idea to pack away things that you won’t need so that they don’t get covered in dust while you build. That stuff gets everywhere if you let it. I’ll have to be extra careful while we’re renovating our kitchen.

    Reply
  14. Darrien Hansen says

    January 3, 2020 at 11:24 am

    It makes sense that you should pack up some of your belongings during the renovation project to ensure that they don’t get dusty. My wife and I would like to add some drywall to our living room, but we are worries that our antique table will get damaged in the process. We’ll put the table in our attic while we look for a contractor to help us with our renovation.

    Reply
  15. Sam Li says

    December 18, 2019 at 10:18 am

    I love what you said about preparing yourself mentally for a home renovation. Home renovation services ought to be performed by certified contractors. My best friend is looking to renovate his entire home, so I’ll help him find the best company to work with.

    Reply
  16. Red Dog Plumbing says

    December 1, 2019 at 2:31 am

    Home renovation is very important to give your home a new look. During home renovation project there are many factors which need to take care in your home . As that is the plumbers will help with more difficult projects like carving out a sparkling new bathroom, adding a shower on the kids’ floor or running lines in your new kitchen, roof plumbing, blockage drain an more.

    Reply
  17. Callum Palmer says

    November 30, 2019 at 2:35 pm

    We are doing a remodel of our house in a few weeks. I’ll for sure follow your tips here as they would help us out a lot. We also might look into hiring a professional since they would have the proper tools and equipment to get the job done right.

    Reply
  18. Megan Adler says

    November 6, 2019 at 4:47 pm

    My husband and I are thinking about remodeling our house and we want to prepare accordingly. I love that you mentioned that you should reconsider doing certain aspects of the renovation yourself. My husband is a big DIY fan but in this case, I think it would be best to leave it to the professionals.

    Reply
    • Natalie Gallagher says

      November 8, 2019 at 1:36 pm

      Good luck with your project Megan!

      Reply
  19. My Bath says

    October 17, 2019 at 8:19 pm

    Thanks for sharing an informative post.I really enjoyed it while reading your article

    Reply
  20. Mindy Jollie says

    July 29, 2019 at 2:00 pm

    I like what you said about being prepared to make quick decisions later in the process. I imagine once things get going on a home renovation that you need to keep that momentum going. My husband and I are hoping to renovate, so we’ll have to keep that in mind when we work with a contractor.

    Reply
    • Natalie Gallagher says

      July 31, 2019 at 1:28 pm

      Good luck with your project Mindy!

      Reply
  21. Braden Bills says

    March 5, 2019 at 11:47 am

    I want to make sure that I get my home renovated nicely. It makes sense that I would want to consider hiring a professional to help! That seems like a good way to ensure that it’s done properly. It would also help save me from a lot of stress in the long run.

    Reply

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