How to Live Through a Home Renovation
Having your home renovated is an exciting time
because you get to see all your plans come to fruition, but when you
have to live in the home at the same time it is being renovated,
life can become frustrating. What can be done to make things a bit
easier and save your sanity? Get organized before it starts.
Firstly you will need to pack away all non-essentials, especially in
the kitchen. You may even need to set up a kitchen in another room
if your kitchen is being pulled down. In this case, you’ll need a
table to keep all your small appliances like the electric kettle and
toaster on. Make sure the table is near a power point. If you
usually bake cookies and cakes, forget doing that during
renovations! Store bought cookies will do for a time. Get a plastic
dish to wash up in and a tray to drain your washed dishes on.
Leave out just enough crockery and cutlery for the family to use.
You certainly won’t want to entertain during renovations. Label all
the boxes so you know just where everything is for later. It’s a
better idea to have an inventory book to write it all in then you’ll
just need to label the boxes A, B… etc. Another idea is to tear out
the inventory page and tape it to the box when it is packed, because
you just might lose the book.
Furniture may need to be packed into a spare room. If access to
wardrobes and cupboards will still be necessary, make sure you leave
enough space to get to them. A narrow aisle with just enough room to
open the drawers or doors will do. Anything that you are sure you
won’t need can be stacked at the back of the room. Larger furniture
can go in first, then you may be able to stick smaller items or
boxes on it.
There is sure to be lots of dust coming from the renovations and it
will permeate the whole house, so pack away your bric-a-brac, even
in the areas not being renovated. Throw old blankets or sheets over
sofa and easy chairs, even if they are being used. This will prevent
the dust being ground into the fabric. Don’t be too fussy about
cleaning up every day unless you have allergy problems.
Pack away most of the children’s toys, just leaving out their
favorites. They will get used to having less and getting them back
after it’s all over will keep them busy while you unpack your own
stuff. If you have toddlers, confine them to a place away from the
tradesmen and their vehicles. Hard plastic mesh kept in place with
some garden stakes would create their own safe play space outside.
If the renovations are extensive, consider hiring – or better still,
borrowing a travel trailer and camping in the back yard.
About the Author: D. Benjamin is the owner of
iapsales.com LLC - a family business specializing in HVAC products. We
are distributors of
Qmark Heaters,
electric tankless water heaters,
bathroom heaters,
patio heaters, electric heaters,
portable air
conditioners & electric towel warmers. Shop on line at
www.heateroutlet.com for these great home improvement products.
Iapsales.com LLC was established in 2003 and is the sister company to
Innovative Air Products located in historical Exeter, NH. We are a 2nd
generation manufacturers’ rep firm dedicated to providing residential &
commercial heating, ventilation and air-conditioning equipment. We offer
a great selection online at the lowest prices anywhere. We can also be
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