Welcome back to our DIY remodel series where we share some of our greatest tips and tricks to help you have a smoother DIY renovation! The final installation of our DIY renovation series is all about helping you understand how to prepare your home for its renovation and getting your project underway. While it is important to stay organized during the entirety of your renovation, this is a VERY important time to keep all of your ducks in a row! Things will start to get crazy as your home goes from finished, to unfinished, to finished again. Try your best to stay calm and just remember the mess is temporary and your vision is the light at the end of the tunnel. If you are still needing some assistance after you have completed our blog series, feel free to check out our website to learn more about how we can help achieve your vision!
The first step of this lengthy portion of your renovation is to clean and organize. It is always a good idea to do a deep clean and purge before the start of any renovation. This means cleaning over, under, and around everything. Nobody likes to clean, but you will thank us later when you can show off your before and after photos sure to make every jaw drop! There is no better time to get rid of unused items that have been collecting dust than at the start of a big renovation. Only keep items that you use on a daily basis, special occasion, or if they bring you joy. Downsizing your belongings before a renovation will also make the “putting back together” process of the renovation a lot easier.
Once you have everything cleaned, start taking before photos. When it comes to photo taking tips, we recommend playing into the natural light of your home and then using in house lighting as accents. Take some practice shots to make sure your lighting levels are good. After you are happy with your lighting, start taking pictures from ALL angles. Your home will never look the same after you take down that first wall or change the light fixtures. We always say, the more pictures the better! This ensures that you will be able to show off just how awesome the finished project is.
Now that you have before photos, it’s time to start packing and preparing your space for the renovation. Move the items you will still need on a daily basis to a zone in your house that isn’t being touched by contractors or saw dust. If there are things that can be packed away, we recommend creating a document to help you know what items are in what box and where that box is located. This will make your life so much easier if you find yourself looking for an item that was packed away because of your renovation.
After packing up the space, it’s time to protect all the areas of your home that you don’t want to be touched or damaged during your renovation. Cover up or lay plastic sheets/ tarps over any floors, walls, lighting, or furniture. The next step in this process is the demolition and it is very important not to destroy anything unintentionally other than the parts of the renovation plans.
Over the next few weeks or months, depending on the size of your renovation, you will see your space transform. Take progress photos, clean as you go, and try your best to stay organized. Remember it is important to stay in good contact with all contractors on the project. Over the years we have learned communication is key when it comes to renovations. It is also important to make at least weekly budget checks. While checking up on your budget, it is always a good idea to make sure you are paying invoices and bills on time. This is the best way to maintain great relationships with all parties working on your project.
As your project comes to fruition and your renovation has been completed, make sure to take those after photos! Move all of your belongings back into the space and make it look as nice as possible. These photos will most likely be taken at a time when your space is the newest and cleanest it will ever be. Take pictures from the angles you did in the before photos and don’t forget to incorporate our lighting tips!
I hope you feel a little more prepared to take on your own DIY renovation. We want to thank you so much for reading along during our DIY Renovation Tips and Tricks Series. If you have any questions we can assist you with or have a topic you would like us to cover in a future blog, please reach out to use via email office@elizabetherindesigns.com and let us know what it is! Need more assistance with your project? Visit our website here for more information on our residential design services. Connect with us on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date with all the latest tips. Have a beautiful week and remember to never stop striving to achieve your vision!