While it’s exciting to finally be having your home renovated the way you always wanted, home construction can disrupt family life. To get through it with as little stress as possible, certain adjustments must be made. Here are three useful tips for keeping up with family life.
1. Alter Meals Preparation During a Kitchen Renovation
When you’re having a kitchen renovation, it can be challenging to make wholesome, home-cooked meals. It’s also more difficult to sit down as a family to enjoy those meals. There’s no way around it; you must be prepared to lose access to some parts of your kitchen at least part of the time. Here are some tips to get through a kitchen renovation:
- Invest in a slow cooker or air fryer. These appliances can be set up anywhere there’s an outlet, including in a bedroom, bathroom, or living room. Pick up some frozen fresh vegetables and meat and toss them in the slow cooker in the morning for a home-cooked style meal at supper time. Or, toss your favorite foods into the air fryer for freshly-made meals any time.
- Stock up on paper plates. Don’t assume you’ll have kitchen plumbing or access to your dishwasher. Be ready to dine on paper plates for a while until your dream kitchen is finished. Don’t forget to pick up plastic knives, forks, and spoons, too.
- Use bottled water dispensers. Pick up some 5-gallon bottled water jugs with the built-in spigot. This will provide you with fresh water for cooking and drinking while the kitchen renovation is underway.
2. Hang Plastic Sheeting
No matter how careful your builders are, there’s going to be airborne dust kicked up from the home renovation. You’d be amazed at where it can land; even on the second floor when the renovation is all the way on the bottom floor! To minimize the dust, pick up some painter’s plastic sheeting from your local hardware store. This comes in wide and long lengths that you can use to cover doorways between where the renovation is occurring and your family’s living areas. You can tack it up with thin nails or thumbtacks and then tape in place along the sides with masking tape.
3. Maintain Kids’ Routines
Kids need routines to feel safe and secure. Minimize routine disruption by keeping morning and bedtime routines. If your renovation is happening in a kid’s bathroom, have them do their morning routine in your bathroom or the guest bathroom. Place all their personal supplies like cartoon toothbrushes, flavored toothpaste, etc. in the new spot. When it’s time for bed, you may have to read bedtime stories in the bedroom that’s not being renovated. For instance, if storytelling usually happens on the couch, let kids snuggle in with you in your bedroom while you read. The point is, don’t omit the routine; just adjust it to a new location.
Your home’s renovation will go as smoothly as possible when you choose Diamond Hill. Our crew operates with care and consideration for your peace and enjoyment during renovations. For more information, please contact us today.
