Home Design Upheaval: How Your Home Can Change In A Matter of Weeks

Make a Plan That Focuses on the Changes That Matter Most

Unless you want to hire a crew of home design professionals, you need to make a realistic plan that focuses on the changes that matter most to you. You have a limited amount of time and money to spend on your home design upheaval, so it makes sense to take a strategic approach. You can always tackle secondary issues next year.

How do you make a plan? Start by:

• Walking around your home’s interior and exterior to find things you would like to change.
• Making a list that prioritizes the things you want to change.
• Creating a budget that shows what you can afford to spend on renovations.
• Researching the costs of the renovations on your list and comparing it to your budget.

At this point, you should have a list of changes that you can afford. Now, you need a plan that shows how you can approach the renovation sensibly. Ask questions like:

• How much time will it take me to finish this part of the project?
• Can I accomplish this project in a weekend, or should I take time off work?
• Which part of the project should I finish first?
• Can I recruit friends to help with my home design upheaval?

If possible, make a step-by-step plan that shows what tasks you need to accomplish each day. Leave a little wiggle room, though. You will most likely encounter unexpected problems.

Prepare Your Home for Your Design Project

You need to prepare your home before you can start your design project. More often than not, preparing your home means:

• Finding storage space for items that could get damaged during renovations.
• Packing items into boxes.
• Labeling your boxes so you know what they contain.
• Removing all the furniture and other items in rooms you want to renovate.
• Hanging plastic that prevents dust and other debris from escaping each room as you work on it.

You will probably also need to purchase supplies for your renovation project. The supplies you need will vary depending on what you want to accomplish. Typically, you can expect to buy:

• Painter's tape.
• Paint rollers.
• Paintbrushes.
• Paint trays.
• Drop cloths.
• Drywall filler.
• Sandpaper.
• A crowbar, hammer, and similar tools.

If you’re not sure what items you need, talk to someone at your local home supply store for recommendations. They should know enough to help you find everything you need to finish the project.

Look for Ways to Save Money Without Sacrificing Quality

Practically everyone wants to save money during their home design upheavals. You shouldn’t sacrifice quality to save a little money, though. Taking the cheap route will probably cost you more money in the long run.

Some reliable ways to save money include:

• Doing as much of the work yourself as possible instead of hiring contractors.
• Recruiting handy friends to help you.
• Selling items that you know you don’t want to keep.
• Deciding whether you can use some older items in new ways.
• Shopping around to get the best deals on the things you need to buy.

The ways you save money will depend on what you plan to do. Regardless, always look for creative ways to keep expenses low. Remember that you can always count on a quick internet search to give you ideas.

Select Furniture That Will Look Terrific in Your Renovated Home

New furniture will probably play a role in your home renovation. What’s the point of adding new lighting and replacing cabinets if you don’t update your furniture?

Before you search for furniture, look at your floor plan to determine what will work well in your home. A small room might need small chairs and a table. A larger family room could benefit from the best sectional sofa that fits your budget.

As you explore your options, you’ll find a wide range of prices. Plenty of affordable furniture options look great and will last for years.

Schedule Breaks to Keep You and Your Family Sane

Two or more weeks of home design upheaval could start to drive your family a little crazy, especially if they’re trying to get ready for work and school in partially functional bathrooms and kitchens.

Schedule breaks that will keep you and your family sane. Maybe you take an evening and go out for dinner or just a short drive to a nearby town to get out of the house. It doesn’t solve the problem, but everyone gets a few hours to recuperate. When you return to your project, you will have more energy and dedication than you did before you took a much-deserved break.

You can update your home in just a few weeks' time. What project will you start first?