Are you getting ready for a major home renovation this summer, looking forward to the result but worried about all the mess and disruption doing a number on your sanity?
Or maybe your home has needed an extreme makeover for years, but you’ve been putting it off for precisely this reason.
Moving out entirely for the reno is an option that allows the work to be completed faster, but it would break many a budget and add another layer of chaos while making it harder to track progress. q
The good news is it’s entirely possible to continue living your daily life throughout the arduous process with a little patience and creativity.
CHOOSE YOUR CONTRACTOR CAREFULLY
The general contracting company you choose clearly should be licensed, bonded and have good references, but you should be comfortable that you will have good communication with the lead reps you will be working with. You will want to be able to coordinate your calendars, work around delays and cooperate when conflicts arise.
DECLUTTER AFFECTED AREAS
This often includes most or all of your house, given the repercussions of having to set up a makeshift kitchen in the living room or shifting from one bathroom or bedroom to another. It’s a great time to take stock of your stuff and sell or donate things that won’t serve a purpose in your like-new post-project home!
KEEP LIVING AREAS WELL-DEFINED
Don’t let construction work seep into the rooms you’re scrunching your life into, and take whatever measures you can to keep dust from work areas from drifting into your living areas, like taping sheets of plastic across open areas and using HEPA filters and vacuums.
HAVE A BATHROOM STRATEGY
Keep one bathroom available at all times (or temporarily relocate if you can’t), and if more than two or three people will be sharing one work up a schedule for congested times in the morning and evening. Keep only the essentials out to create more room and creatively use space in adjacent rooms for additional storage.
EMBRACE OUTDOOR LIVING
If there’s no work going on in your yard, move as much of your life out there as you can. The possibility of doing this is part of why summer is the most popular season for these projects, so consider moving your meals and your microwave outside.
HAVE AS MUCH FUN AS YOU CAN
Make it feel like an adventure, which is especially easy with kids. Have a family (and friends, if you’re up for it) slumber party while they’re sleeping in the living room, or let them camp in a tent or build forts out back. Let them know you appreciate how they’re handling all the disruption to their lives.
ACCOMMODATE THE WORKERS ANY WAY YOU CAN
Having bottles of water and snacks available and ordering the occasional pizza can go a long way in keeping subcontractors’ morale up, while fostering communication about how the project is progressing and staying out of each other’s way.
