Children are the light of many of our lives. And they give many of us a new purpose. But there’s no escaping the fact that they can make some things more difficult. And home renovations can be one of those things.
Home renovations are complex at the best of times. There’s dust everywhere, contractors coming in and out, and often, bathrooms and kitchens that are out of use for extended periods. So it’s no surprise that having little ones running around can add to the headache renovations bring about.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. Here are 5 simple tips to help you survive a home renovation job, even with kids running around your feet.
Image by Ivan Samkov via Pexels
- Be Strategic
Making a plan for your renovation will help you overcome all the difficulties. Even if you do have kids around. If you’re renovating, you want to plan to get as many jobs done as you can while your house is already a mess. But you’ll have to get tactical about the order of the renovations you need to achieve.
Many of the rooms in our home are working spaces. And that means that cutting one of them off for renovations can be incredibly disruptive for family life. So always try to have one working room available for family use. Doing the kitchen or bathrooms all at once will make your life difficult. Work on updating them in steps to keep the disruption to a minimum.
- Set Expectations
One of the most important things about making sure your home renovation goes smoothly for the whole family is to set clear expectations at the start. Things will get dirty, daily routines will change, and items won’t get put back in the same place.
Explain the process to your kids before any work begins. Letting them know what disruptions they can expect will help them deal with any work that needs doing. If they know how they’ll be affected, then they’ll be able to take it in their stride. Showing them pictures of what the finished product might look like will help get them on board with the whole process. Getting them excited and keeping them that way helps them accept the renovations with ease.
- Organise Everything
Good organisation is key to getting anything done with kids around smoothly. Pack everything properly and label it, so you know exactly where everything is. Organisation can also help you identify places where you can easily cut costs on your home project.
Start by decluttering your space and safely tucking away the kids’ toys well before you break ground on any renovations. Of course, anything that isn’t a necessity should be stored safely away to protect it from dust and harmful fumes. Especially when it comes to your kids’ belongings. But before you get rid of all their precious things, discuss why it’s happening with your little ones.
Explaining why things are disappearing lets them know it’s not punishment and they will get them back. Participate in some clutter-free games and family game nights, so you still get to play as a family unit. Let them pick their favourite toy to stay with them during the renovations. You can even task them with looking after it and protecting it from the harmful dust and fumes home refreshes can create.
Need help figuring out your home renovation costs?
- Include Them
Nothing makes home renovations with kids harder than not letting them in on the secret. When it comes to your bundles of joy, you can make life easier simply by making them a part of everything that goes on. Because it’s their home too. Knowing that there are exciting things to come positively affects them. And they’ll be more understanding of the mess and what’s expected of them during the process.
Go the extra mile and let them have a say in the design of their shiny new home. It can be as simple as having them pick out their own bedding. But even the smallest gestures feel big to our kids.
Looking for painters in London?
- Don’t Rush
Facing a home renovation with kids around is a stressful task. Even with all the best-laid plans and months of preparation. So you’ll be tempted to rush through the project thinking that it’ll cause less stress for you and your family.
But you’ll have to stop and listen to your team of architects, contractors, and painters. Rushing them through their work will have them resent you and cut corners on the job. And cutting corners opens the door for mistakes. Which will have you fixing big jobs for years to come. So don’t cut corners. And most importantly, don’t rush.