It can be exciting to look around your home and think of all the ways you’d like to improve it. Pinterest and Houzz are great ways to get the inspiration flowing, but they can make your home renovation list even longer than it was before! So how do we decide what to do first, and how do we get those bigger projects done sooner?
Whether you’re looking to remodel your whole house or you have a list of smaller projects to spruce the place up, having a method for prioritizing can save you time, energy, and brainpower. So let’s dive into how you can make this overwhelming feeling go away while also clarifying what needs to get done.
Create a List
Nothing can clear your head like a notebook and a pen. Even if it gets messy, unreadable, or doesn’t make any sense right now, take some time to jot down everything you’re thinking about doing. It might be best to include any other house members that might have a say in what goes on. Including partners can get you both on the same page, and they might think of things that you didn’t. They might also have a bigger problem with the location of the toilet than you do, and it’s critical to factor in their wants and needs as well.
As you create this list, you might start to notice that there are a few things that you want to do, but there are other things that need to be done. For example, you might really want to repaint the cabinets, but the leaky basement needs to be fixed. Once you have your whole brainstorm out on paper, start a new sheet and separate the projects by wants and needs. This doesn’t mean that the wants list isn’t as important; your enjoyment of your home is essential. However, separating them can help you identify which is which and prioritize them accordingly. Then, maybe one year, you fix the basement, and the next, you get to have more fun and create your dream kitchen.
Propose of Remodel
You now have a completed list that everyone who needs to be is on board. Now take each item on the list and identify what purpose that project will serve. To use the same example from above, the fixed basement leak will ensure no mold growth and water damage and provide you with a safe space to store belongings. The kitchen remodels you’re dreaming about can improve functionality, aesthetics and be a great way to add resale value to your home. If the resale value doesn’t matter to you, you can scratch that off, and if you don’t have a lot of things to store, you can scratch that off. Defining the purpose of each remodel will help you get even clearer about why you want to do it and how it will improve your quality of life in the home.
What’s Your Budget
This can be a scary one, and we don’t blame you. Crunching the numbers isn’t nearly as exciting as picking out backsplash tile or new appliances, but it’s vital to the success of your projects that you understand what you want to invest before you even get started. Your budget will also help narrow down which tasks you can take on at this time. For example, maybe you have enough to hire a contractor for a bathroom remodel but not the kitchen. These decisions can be challenging, but they can help bring your dreams into focus and set realistic expectations on what can and can’t be done right now.
Safety First
That baby pink bathroom from the ’70s is probably the bane of your existence right now, but as much as you might want to remodel it, that water leak in the roof is more critical. If there are any items on the list that are repairs to the home’s structural integrity, those need to be prioritized over aesthetic projects. That bathroom might be horrifically ugly, but it won’t be nearly as ugly as water damage throughout your whole home if you don’t get that leak fixed.
What you do and don’t do to your home is up to you. There are many “experts” out there that might suggest that you should always do what’s best for resale value or whatever projects other people are doing to keep up with the trends. But the most important aspect of your home is keeping it a safe and enjoyable space for you and your family to enjoy.
