Starting a renovation is an exciting process, but be sure to plan thoroughly before you pick up a hammer. This process can be expensive and messy. Take care to get your tools and supplies in place before you start. Also consider the four tips below to make your renovation run smoothly.
Renovate from the Top Down
Are you changing up the whole house or just one room? If you’re just doing the kitchen, work to renovate from the top down. If you’re taking out cabinets, do the uppers first. Once you take the doors off to remove weight, take down the casings. It’s much easier to lower upper cabinets to the countertop than all the way to the floor. View every room and every renovation project from this perspective for your safety and ease.
Use Plastic Sheeting Whenever Possible
This process is dusty and that stuff will go everywhere. If possible, pack as much as possible. If you can’t pack, cover your belongings in plastic.
Be prepared to tape the sheeting to walls and floors for the long term. Use painter’s tape to avoid tearing up the surfaces. This opaque plastic can also serve to provide you and your family some privacy.
Get out of Your Own Way by Packing and Discarding
Putting in some de-cluttering time before a renovation is crucial. To make your home as usable as possible during the disruption of a renovation, store or get rid of things you don’t absolutely need on a daily basis.
Also, take care when hiring a dumpster. Depending on where you live, putting a dumpster in your driveway may mean that you get to pay to dump your neighbor’s trash if they opt to fill the dumpster overnight. Don’t get the dumpster delivered until you’re ready to fill it and make sure you’ve got someone scheduled to remove your junk before anybody else uses it.
Build a Model
Are you moving walls? Get some empty cardboard boxes and build yourself a model of the new space. Stack the boxes to get a feel for where the new walls will be. If you’re adding closets or custom storage spaces, go measure the depth of your current closet and make sure you’ve got enough space allotted. These simple steps can reduce disappointments and frustrations at the end of the process.
Your home will feel brand new when this is done! Hang in there. The results will be worth it.
