There are few messy situations in a household that can be compared to home remodeling. Even the most basic works such as repainting the walls require a lot of planning and thorough preparation. You have to think about where to move your stuff (or at least how to hide it from the mess), then what to do with your household members while you renovate, and also how to do this as fast as possible while maintaining a stress-free atmosphere.
In order to make this experience a bit easier for you, we’ve listed some of the best ways to go through home remodeling without losing your nerves. Keep reading to find out how to stay clean, organized and safe during a renovation.
Finish the day with a swipe
Of course, things are going to get messy because this is an essential part of every renovation, so don’t think you can avoid this. However, the best way to keep things as clean as possible during this period is to actually clean everything you can at the end of each day. Firstly, you should remove all used materials, close all opened paint buckets and wash the brushes. If you are remodeling the infrastructure as well, make sure to gather all the waste in one corner, stash it in some baskets or garbage bags and throw it all out.
If you keep piling up trash, thinking that it’s going to get messy tomorrow again anyway, you’re not doing yourself a favor. Even everyday vacuuming is a good idea, because accumulated dust, debris and other building material can cause you breathing problems. Make sure to wipe the surfaces too, because all the effort you put in staying clean while the work is being done will save you a lot of time afterwards.
Isolate the area
When we say you should transform the remodeling area into a quarantine tank – we mean it. This area should be strictly isolated for several reasons. First of all, toxic waste that is produced while using paint, gluing laminate or tearing down walls can pollute the air, making it really bad for children to breathe (especially if they already have asthma or other lung problems). Secondly, you should enable moving around the house freely without compromising the work that is being done in this area, and also avoid spreading the filth further through the house.
Finally, this area is mostly loud and noisy, so you should somehow soundproof your home to prevent the wrecking sounds from spreading all over the neighborhood. Putting up the “Sorry it’s noisy, we’re remodeling” sign is only a courtesy, but keep in mind that people can still hear the noise and try to keep it down to a minimum.
Drive your stuff to a safer place
If your remodeling area is a room full of furniture and small décor elements, then it wouldn’t be a smart move to leave it all in that order. Even if you don’t damage anything, the dust and debris easily find their way into the furniture, leaving you with an unhealthy breathing atmosphere.
The best way to go would be to physically transport your stuff to another location until you finish remodeling. You can hire a truck and drive your stuff on your own wherever you find it convenient. Opting for the Budget truck hire service provides you with a range of truck options, so you can easily find the one that is just the right size.
Clean your way through
As well as cleaning afterwards, you need to find a way to stay clean during the work. One of the ways to do this is to make a sort of safe path through the area, which is especially recommended if the remodeling area is a transit area of your home. Laying down boards or plywood sheets on the ground is a great way to prevent spreading dirt from this area all around the house. If you are laying down new flooring, then don’t choose wide boards, but position them vertically so that you only occupy the space needed to cross from one end of the room to another.
A great way to avoid spreading the mess is also to cover everything up. Plastic works best, because it doesn’t absorb anything and leaves your furniture intact and dust-free. Hanging a plastic doorway can also be a good idea to prevent dust from spreading all over the house. Having a cleaning mop, a dust sweeper or just a regular cloth always nearby will help you stay disciplined and take a swipe even over the protected areas every time you walk through.
Always keep in mind that once you finish remodeling, things aren’t going to become clean instantly. You should think about making this space a living area again as soon as possible, so cleaning your way through it while you remodel is the right way to go.