You’ve decided to renovate your home, but you’re not sure how to prepare. Once you’ve booked your contractor and the process is going to start, you might need to move out for a while or change the way you live in the home.
It can be stressful to live in a home that’s basically a construction zone. Take the time to pack up your existing space and either move out or move into another section of the home before the remodeling starts.
Should You Stay or Go?
Whether you stay in the home or you move out temporarily, depends on the project. It will likely be loud and dusty, even if the remodel is just one room. If you have a family member or friend you can stay with, that might be a good idea during a home renovation project. You might also consider an extended-stay hotel or a short-term apartment.
If you decide to live in your home during a renovation project, you will have to figure out which rooms you will stay in. You might need to figure out a schedule for the bathroom if you’ll be remodeling a different one. It can also be helpful to figure out how you plan to cook and sleep in the house during the project.
Plan Your Meals
The hardest thing to deal with, when staying in the home during a home renovation is cooking your meals. Often, you will do a kitchen remodel and the kitchen will be off-limits. This can eliminate many of the conventional ways to cook food.
However, you can still use an outdoor grill and a hot plate for simple meals. It’s also easy to order delivery or take-out food. For some, it might make sense to prepare a few meals ahead of time and have leftovers ready to go.
No matter how you plan to go about preparing meals, make sure you have a plan. Figure out what you will eat, how you will prepare it, and how you will clean up after.
Clear Out Items That Matter
When contractors take over your home to complete a remodeling project, you want to remove anything that matters to you. If you have heirlooms or special items to you, remove them and put them in another part of the house, or even in storage, if necessary.
While contractors will do their best to never damage anything in your home, accidents happen. Removing and protecting things is important before remodeling. You will also want to drape sheets over furniture to protect it from dust and dirt.
Plan for Pets and Kids
If you have pets and kids, make sure you plan for them. Maybe you have younger children that normally nap during the day. It’s important to know the construction schedule and figure out if you can stay in the house and still keep your kids on the right schedule.
You also want to make sure your pets and kids will be staying out of the work zones. Of course, the loud noises might not go well with pets, so you may need to kennel your pets during the project.
With these tips, you can better prepare for your next home renovation project.
