Coming up with ways to improve your home is one of the great joys of homeownership.
Actually making those improvements? Not so much, when you have furniture to move, plastic sheeting to hang, family and pets to keep out of the work area, and can’t use your water or power for hours on end.
Here’s some tips to make realizing your dream less painful:
– Call in a team of professionals. This definitely speeds up the process. Their experience, resources, tools and connections make for fast work done right the first time.
– Use a good calendar program. Not only will you know exactly what to expect throughout the project, you can coordinate your family’s schedules and events around the work being done.
– Make it a vacation. Make sure to schedule time to rest and relax! That may include slipping away to grandma’s or a nice hotel during the most disruptive work.
– Don’t go it alone. Ask for advice from friends, family and colleagues who’ve been through this before. Neighbors might offer laundry or bathroom access until your space is back to normal. Your contractor may have great tips on how to balance your family’s needs with the ongoing house projects – after all, they’ve seen plenty of other homeowners tackle life + home improvement.
– Delegate. Even if you’ve hired a contractor to handle all the details, managing a project takes time and energy out of your day. Call in the troops to assist with tasks that make life easier and your home more livable until the work is done.
– Celebrate! When the dust is clear, take a moment before plunging into the next project to enjoy the benefits of your dream come true. That memory will help keep you motivated when you’re in the middle of a full-scale renovation later on.
