6 Ways We Can Cope With Renovation Stress

Tuesday, June 28, 2022

 

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The stress of moving house is something most of us have to get to grips with at some point. If you are upgrading to your dream property, it's very likely you will have to make a few tweaks for it to be the property you imagined, and, of course, when it comes to renovations, they disrupt your normal routine and can be very stressful. So what does it take to cope with renovation stress?
 
Set a Clear Budget

One of the biggest issues is not setting the right budget. Additionally, not being clear about how you will pay for everything is of the utmost importance. Many people opt for personal loans as a way to get more available cash and you can learn more about personal loans to get an understanding, but you've got to think more about how you will use the variety of funds available to you. You might see your funds disappear quicker than they should, which can be very stressful. Therefore, setting a budget but also having a contingency fund is going to keep you level-headed.
 
Breaking Down the Process

Renovations can take up a lot of your time and your budget, so it's easy to let them take over your life. But breaking down the process into compartments can help you minimize your stress. There's a lot to consider when you are renovating: should you do the renovations yourself? What type of builder or contractor can you realistically afford? Are you going to be able to spend time with your family? The last point is so important because if you are focused on upgrading the property to make it perfect, is this going to be to the detriment of your family life?

Instead, the best approach may be to look at the process as part of a working day. On a Saturday, when you are not working, you can put a certain amount of time into it, but when you are finished, you can focus on the family rather than thinking constantly about the right fixture or paint sample. It's not easy, especially when we have access to our phones, but if something enters your mind, write it down on a piece of paper and put it to one side. These are all things that you can come back to later, especially if this is your forever home. If it is your forever home, in many respects, you have the luxury of time, and this way, it's going to keep you sane rather than you constantly worrying about the perfect paint pot.
 
Do Not Nitpick Every Detail

When you are on the hunt for the perfect space, you can get preoccupied with the details. After all, if you can't find the perfect paint color, how is this going to be your dream home? But this is where you would your partner needs to discuss things in great detail and understand the things you will not budge on, but also the things that aren't perfect. Flexibility is not just ideal for the renovation process but it can help save a lot of arguments. Sometimes, there will be instances where the contractor can't get you the material you want for your worktop, and this is something completely beyond your control. You may want to change the contractor, but if they can't source the material, it's unlikely your other contractor will. Therefore, you've got to understand that flexibility is the name of the game. Compromise is also crucial for the sake of your home and your relationship.
 
Work Together (and Apart)

If your children are old enough, you can get them involved in the process. Renovations can be stressful but it can also be an amazing time to reconnect with everyone, just as long as you are happy to slow everything down. Choosing the right project that the kids can help out on, such as a wall stencil or creating some art for their bedrooms is an amazing family project that doesn't just create memories and a connection to the property, but it's also an amazing way to remember why you are renovating the space in the first place. Because after all, it's not just about you: it's for everyone. Spending some quality time together as a family to slow everything down can help to relieve the tension so you can get through this.
 
Use Vacation Time

If you are lucky enough to have vacation time, this is so important. You may think that it's better to try and save up your vacation time so you can get away from the space and do it every weekend. But renovating a property involves getting to grips with the projects and understanding what everybody's jobs are, and then doing it. This is something that can't be done over the course of the weekend, so you got to get that momentum going.

What better way to do this than to block book a week where you can focus on either one massive task or a handful of small ones? Because if you are spending a lot of your time outside of work hours trying to renovate everything, it's going to burn you out. You don't necessarily need to use all of your vacation time, but figure it out based on the tasks you need to complete because this will reduce your stress levels.
 
Have a Routine (and Stick to It)

Renovations can be incredibly stressful because they eat into your life in so many ways. If you are renovating the exterior, this could put your home out of action for a while. Or if the kitchen is being done, this means you're not able to have those home comforts. Keep to the schedule, because you know there is going to be an end goal in sight. There will be times when projects run over, in which case, you need to be realistic and add approximately 25% to that estimated time.

We have to be flexible, but in order to cope with renovation stress, we've got to be practical. It's certainly not an easy thing, but we have to remember the bigger picture. It's for an amazing reason, so keep that in mind.






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