Renovating your house is nowhere near an easy task, imagine adding kids to it. There are many risks associated with living in a construction zone when you have kids. However, the process is totally doable and your kids can even benefit from it.
Here are some tips to renovate your house when you have kids.
-
Have realistic expectations about the whole process
Not only should these expectations be for yourself, but for your kids as well. House renovations are a daunting process, and each day might look different. You don’t want to expect to finish things at the exact planned times, because sometimes processes can get messier than expected.
According to Boyar’s Kitchen Cabinets, a firm near San Diego California, a Cabinet Door Replacement should take around 15 minutes if done by a professional. This is a simple task that could be realistically scheduled in your timetable since it doesn’t take long, however, for something like tile replacement, you should have a broad estimate.
Also, make sure that you explain the process to your kids and let them know that things will be messy for a while so they don’t get nervous. Explain to them how this process will affect the household for a while, and that you will be occupied with this for a while. Show them pictures of what you expect the house to look like after the renovation so they can get excited about it.
-
Try not to rush things
It is completely normal to want things to end the day they start. But in reality, renovations take a long time, especially with a family living in the home. That is because it limits access for tradespeople and because you need to clean the construction places daily to make the house livable. Even though it slows down the process, it saves a ton of money because you don’t need to make alternative living arrangements.
Also, make sure that you don’t rush into living in places that are not completely done yet. For instance, if you are painting a room, make sure it is a hundred percent dry before you put the carpets or else you will risk ruining the work.
-
Safety comes first
There are very important things to keep in mind like turning off electricity, power and gas lines when there is construction work at the house. Even better, you can leave the kids somewhere else if there are major things happening. Things like fumes and heavy machinery since these things involve very loud noises and debris that could be very harmful for young children.
There could fall hazards also that you need to talk to your contractor about. You can either block off these areas or ensure that your kids don’t have access to it, especially if these areas are tempting to play in.
-
Try to include the kids in the process
Letting your kids know about what is happening is not only important to help them set expectations of what will happen in the house during this time, but also to keep them excited about the changes happening. To keep them excited, ensure they know the strategy and what will be the final outcome.
What is even better is to let the kids have a say in the design and planning. This is beneficial for their development and makes them feel like their opinion is valuable and that they have an important role in the household–this makes them less likely to complain because they feel like it is their responsibility as well.
-
Strategic planning
Yes, that’s right. Deal with the situation like you are strategically planning for a project at a firm. You want to know what exactly you want to do and when (while of course setting estimates to be more realistic about timings).
Make sure that you start with a living space for the whole family to finish first, so that when you do the most disruptive things like the kitchen and bathrooms, you at least have a livable place to stay in.
-
Organization is key
To have a successful renovation, organization is key. Before you start the process, you want to make sure that things are packed and labeled so that after the hassle, you don’t have to go through another hassle of trying to find things.
You can start by decluttering your space, store precious things well to protect from the process, and explain to your kids why you will have to store their toys away so they don’t take it as a punishment. You can even let them choose one toy to keep during the process.
-
Try as much as you can to keep the houses’s routine as it was
Of course, your routine will not be the same and so is your kids’. Trying to maintain the same routine you normally have during renovation is unrealistic and will drive you nuts. However, you can try to keep some things normal through timing. Since you strategically planned your renovation, you have an idea of when the most disruptive processes will happen. You want to plan your regular tasks during the least disruptive times.
For the kids, you can do that by keeping their bedtimes and regular activities at their normal times which will give them a sense of normalcy and that things are not as chaotic as they seem to be (even if they are). Even if you take the kids away for a few days/weeks to get things done.
-
Try to keep yourself positive
With the chaotic environment, irregular routine, and problems arising during the renovation, it is easy to get overwhelmed and feel like you shouldn’t have started this in the first place. However, you should keep reminding yourself of the final outcome to help keep a positive attitude.
You can look at it like it’s a fun project for the whole family, not as a daunting and unwelcome project. It is also a chance for the family to spend more time together since you will have to stay in places that are still livable together.
