10 Tips for Living in a DIY Home Renovation
Between the dust, clutter, torn apart rooms and the business of completing projects in your spare time, living in an active DIY renovation project can be frustrating and exhausting. But don’t fret! These 10 tips will help you to maintain your sanity during that messy demo and reno stage.
While it is an incredibly happy time, living through the process of a home renovation can be quite challenging, especially for us fellow DIYers who prefer to do most of the work ourselves.
I learned these ten tips through my own experience living through DIY projects and I hope they help you get through the chaotic time with a little bit more ease.
1. Have a “reprieve” space
Have at least one room that stays in order.
Depending on the size of the renovation and how much you’re doing yourself, this alone can be challenging, but it’s so important to have that one space at the end of the day where you can just relax away from the clutter and dust.
It doesn’t matter what room: your bedroom, kitchen, dining room, you choose! It will usually be the room furthest away from your project. Keeping an area clean will help you feel a sense of calm and will give you a place to escape the chaos and relax at the end of the day.
Everyone needs that for our sanity and mental health. Especially during the added stress of a DIY renovation.
We have a small house. During our bathroom makeover, our tools and supplies tumbled out into the office, living room, foyer, and kitchen (don’t do that). The closet was a mess too because I couldn’t keep up with the laundry during all my projects. 😆
BUT our bedroom was clean. That room that I am SO THANKFUL that we gave a temporary makeover to last spring. Check out how we did it here.
It has been our calm away from the storm. Thank god for that comfy couch and new bed, uncluttered floors and our kitty to keep us sane.
2. Declutter
Renovations imply clutter. It depends on the project you’re working on, but between tools, boards, hardware and décor, it can easily take over your entire home.
When doing our bathroom renovation, we had a tub in the kitchen and drywall on our living room floor for much longer than I would have liked.
Don’t live like we did.
Instead of spreading all that clutter over multiple rooms, designate one room or space in your home for all the stuff. Maybe you have a spare bedroom, office, garage space or basement.
You may have to reorganize a bit, but keeping the clutter contained will help to save your sanity.
Especially if you can keep it behind a closed door.
Home Depot buckets are great for storing a lot of tools in minimal floor space. And you can hide that bright orange behind the closed door when you’re done working and simply pull it out again when you’re ready.
Trust me, you do not want to live with two vessel sinks taking up precious floor space in your kitchen for weeks.
3. Clean
This may seem obvious. But I don’t mean to keep a spotless home. Because that’s about impossible. There are some things that just don’t get clean during a renovation. Time is limited and the dust is endless.
But you can work to minimize the dust and debris by keeping on top of it as it happens.
Stop your work periodically to clean up your workspace. It makes the job much more enjoyable and will minimize the chance of that dust getting to the rest of your house.
It can also potentially keep an accident from occurring. Less nails on the floor means less nails through your foot!
Splinters, too. I hate splinters.
Keep a broom and butler in the space you’re working in right along with the rest of your tools.
It certainly depends on the job, but this simple tool can be a lifesaver if you’re doing any major demo or reconstruction.
Try to keep up with a somewhat regular dusting and vacuuming schedule in the remainder of your home, especially in the area surrounding your DIY.
Completing the daily chores can make a big difference too: dishes, laundry, making the bed, etc.
I know as a DIYer and full-time employee, it can be difficult to manage everything. But coming home to a somewhat-clean home at the end of the day is incredibly helpful for our overall wellbeing.
4. Create dividers between rooms
In the same vein, having a way to block the dust from your project to the remainder of your home is a fantastic way to prevent a dusty house in the first place.
Hang up old bedsheets between rooms or to act as a room divider during the process of an especially dusty job, like demo or sanding drywall spackle. The sheet will trap a lot of that dust and keep it from entering the rest of your home.
I ordered a few flat sheets” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>These came in a pack of 6, so I kept some for the bed and used the rest during our bathroom renovation to block the dust.
Simply hanging one up with thumb tacks between the bathroom and the living room saved SO MUCH DUST from entering our main space.
It also blocked some of the view during the demo phase. So when hanging out in the living room, our to-do list wasn’t staring us down the entire time while we relaxed with soft pants and Netflix.
They were also incredibly handy to protect the new tub and keep it clean while working above it as well.
Other uses can include covering your furniture to keep them clean and dust-free, creating an area for tools off finished floors, or used as a drop cloth to protect surfaces while painting. (Note that they aren’t as thick as regular drop cloths, so extra measures may be necessary depending on the project).
It’s a simple and inexpensive way to keep your home just a little neater.
5. Always triple your timeline
Of course, it depends on the project, but there is always a hiccup. Always something that goes unplanned or awry.
Assuming that your DIY will take three times as long as you think will save you some heartache and frustration.
Maybe you’re unable to get all the supplies you need or are unable to get a sub-contractor in on time (COVID certainly affected both issues). Maybe there’s a problem with plumbing or electrical, or a mistake was made that requires you to backtrack.
Maybe you’re shorter on time than you expected because you’re juggling work, family, home and all your other daily responsibilities.
And sometimes DIY projects just take longer than expected.
I thought for sure I’d be able to tile my shower in one day. Wrong! Make that four.
Or paint the bedroom in two days. Try a week.
Fitting in DIYs around your life can be challenging, but it is always completely worth it.
Whatever it is, planning for the delay will help you emotionally prepare for it. Sure, it’s annoying. But if you plan delays into your project, it won’t be a surprise, which will help you keep the right perspective and a good attitude about it.
More on this in a bit…
6. Plastic sheeting
This one only really applies for a bathroom renovation, but it’s too good not to share.
If you only have one bathroom (as we do) and are in desperate need to refinish it but don’t want to have to shower at a friend’s house every day, you’re not out of luck.
This simple trick will allow you to retile that shower while still being able to shower in it 95% of the time.
(We showered at my mom-in-laws only once during the entire process. Which was much longer than expected 😂)
The thick plastic will line your shower walls, keeping any water from getting behind it and allowing you to continue to shower even during the renovation process.
Keep in mind that you shouldn’t hang it immediately after jobs like tiling or grouting, as those typically require 24 hours to dry. If you hang the plastic over it, it will impact the dry time, and potentially make a mess by spreading the mortar/grout everywhere.
Also keep in mind that if you tile all the way to the ceiling, you will no longer be able to hang it as the wood needs something to attach to.
You could try duct tape on top of your tile, but there’s no guarantee that the tiles won’t shift out of place by the weight of the plastic (especially when it’s wet).
What I recommend is if your tile job will take several days (as mine did), keep the very top unfinished so you can continue to hang your plastic and use the shower.
We are putting the wood crown molding back in the shower where it came from, so we left about 2 inches at the top of the shower untiled so that we would still be able to get a nail in the wall.
When you’re ready to work on the shower, all you must do is pull it down off the staples. Yes, this will make a hole in the plastic but there will be ample room to staple in other areas. We used ours for about two months, taking it down and putting it back up, creating new holes each time.
When you’re working on the shower, you can simply store the liner in the bathtub (if you have one), which will protect the tub while you’re working above it.
It is an amazing tool that will allow you to live a somewhat normal life, even through a renovation.
7. Plan out your days
Planning out your project days and allotting the required time to your project will help it move along more quickly and easily.
Take your ever-growing to-do list and put it in order chronologically.
Then, figure out approximately how much time it might take you for each project and time block it.
If you only have a few hours after work, that might be a good time to prepare for a project.
Make sure you have all the required tools and perhaps make a trip to the store after work so you don’t have to run out on project day. You could also prepare your materials or make a more concrete plan.
Cut your wood or tiles, put an extra coat of paint on that piece of furniture you’re working on, measure out your drywall, figure out where you want your lighting.
Breaking your project up into manageable “chunks” will make it less overwhelming and time consuming.
This way, when you get to Saturday (or whatever your project days are), you can start right into it instead of taking the extra time to prepare.
And maybe you won’t spend your entire Saturday working on DIY projects (even if it is a favorite thing to do!)
When you fill your designated time with the DIY project allotted for that day, you will quickly move down your DIY list and complete projects more quickly (which makes life a little bit more manageable).
8. Don’t Stop at the 98% mark
I know I’m not the only guilty DIYer of almost completing a project and then moving on to the next.
I know how it is. We get excited for the next project and are simultaneously burnt out from the current one. So those little details like uncovered light switched and paint touch ups are ignored.
Try to avoid this temptation and finish what you started. You’ll gain a sense of accomplishment that comes from finishing and you won’t have to stare at the last piece of wall without molding for months.
It will also make for happy partners.
9. Mindset
Focus on gratitude and the (eventual) finished project.
So many people are dreaming of doing what you’re doing. Most people will never own a home, let alone renovate it. You’re living in someone else’s dream.
Sure, it’s hard to be grateful when you’re going through it. Especially when it feels like the entire house is falling apart all at once.
But a simple change in perspective out of self-pity and into gratitude can make all the difference.
Keep in mind: the finished product is right around the corner! Imagine yourself relaxing in your new tub, or waking up in a brand-new bathroom, or cooking that amazing holiday meal in your gorgeous kitchen. It will happen. Have patience.
A sense of humor helps too.
Try telling people to ignore the giant bathtub in your kitchen. If you don’t laugh, you’ll cry. And there’s no crying in DIY (jk, of course there is! 😂)
10. Don’t “should” all over yourself
“I should be working on the kitchen,” “I should be fitting drywall,” “I should be painting the vanity.”
Sometimes we all need a break. Take it and enjoy it. If you feel tired, rest, and know that that is exactly what you “should” be doing.
I know for me, when I have a project going on, I feel like I cannot stop. Like I should be working all the time to complete it, but that’s not healthy.
Us DIYers cannot go straight from working at our job to working on our home, sleep and repeat for an extended amount of time. It’s too much and you will burn out.
Sometimes we just need to take a break.
But when you are taking that break, remember that you are exactly where you should be. If you take a few hours break, but that whole time are beating yourself up for not working, are you really resting? Nope.
No wonder we’re always tired.
Always take care of yourself first, and then get to work. 😉
Recap.
Keep these few simple tips in mind to survive a DIY renovation.
- Have a reprieve space
- Declutter and clean
- Create dividers
- Utilize plastic sheeting
- Triple your timeline
- Plan your days
- Don’t stop at the 98% mark
- Have the right mindset
- Don’t “should” all over yourself
Let us know what tips you have for maintaining your sanity during DIY projects. We can always use a bit more of it!
