How to Stay Sane During Your Renovation - Part One
If you’re considering a major renovation such as your kitchen, bathroom, or closet; mental health is probably low on your list of priorities. But a major renovation equals major stress on you and your family. As a design consultant, I’ve seen the “ugly side” of renovations where mental health was not a priority. I often play the role of therapist and have had clients have major breakdowns because they become overwhelmed with anxiety. I’ve come up with a few tips that have helped my clients keep their mental health a priority during their renovations. In part one, we’ll discuss the general rules of thumb. Then, we’ll explore tips you may have not heard associated with renovating in part two of this mini blog series.
- Am I in a Place to Renovate?
Let’s face it: renovating is stressful! Your house is being invaded by strangers who you’ve trusted based on their vision and reputation. Too much stress on even the most mentally sound person can lead to a breakdown. So, before you go ripping apart your primary living spaces, consider the stressors already existing in your life. Are the kids about to go back to school? Are you starting a new job? Are you caring for a sick loved one? Are you grieving the loss of a close family member or friend? Are you having relationship difficulties? Are you going back to school for another degree? You can certainly handle a well-planned kitchen or bathroom renovation with some preexisting stressors, but if your stress level is already high, renovation may push you over the breaking point.
2. Is My Renovation Well-Planned?
If you’re a follower of our blog, you’ve probably noticed how often we discuss the importance of planning. That’s because this point can never be overstated. If you have every decision made in advance down to your countertop edge detail and your grout colors, you’ll go into your renovation with confidence. One of the biggest stressors of remodeling is knowing you have a ton of decisions to make during construction. Unlike in the planning phase, where you can go at your own pace, waiting until construction starts means you have hard deadlines to make lasting decisions that will affect your house. This alone is enough to send even the most grounded person into a panic. Now, imagine only having a few days to decide. A well-planned remodel equals a stress-free remodel!
3. Pace, Pace, Pace Your Planning
There are so many decisions to make during the planning process, just planning itself can send someone into a downward spiral – especially if you don’t have an experienced design team holding your hand. Pacing means taking the planning process slow and giving yourself permission to take breaks. Set time lengths for your planning and resist the urge to stay up all night researching. Also, set breaks during planning and construction that you stick to no matter what. Maybe no construction talk or planning on Sundays, which are typical off days for construction crews. Creating breaks to do something other than think about your renovation will reduce your stress level significantly!
4. Keep the End Goal in Sight
Once construction starts, your end goal will keep you motivated even when progress may seem slow or uneventful on the job site. Make a list of everything that frustrated you about your old kitchen, bathroom, or closet, and take plenty of before pictures in all the previous rooms’ disorganized glory. Focusing on what led you to renovate will make you more tolerant of the process. In addition to reminders of the past, you’ll want reminders of the future! Keep pictures of your new design and color palette near your before pictures to remind you of what you have to look forward to. Focusing on the positive is a great boost to your mental health!
I hope these tips will help you have a relatively stress-free renovation. Stay tuned for part two where we’ll discuss more in-depth tools you can carry with you in many areas of your life. And as always, if you’d like to work with a team who takes the stress off your plate, renovate your kitchen, bathroom, or closet with Mayflower Construction!
