Lessons Learned from Our Own Home Renovations

Our covered patio-- lots of good family movie nights out here.

Home renovation isn't for the faint-hearted. It disrupts your usual family routines and comes with the added stress of making countless small decisions.

A few months ago, we chose to list our home for sale and realized we needed to complete some projects we've been planning to tackle over the past couple of years, like the usual kitchen and bathroom updates.

We renovate for a living, so this should be easy, right? Without emotions involved, choosing paint colors, tile combinations, and lighting packages for our clients is straightforward. However, when it came to making decisions for our own home with the intention of selling it, my head was swimming with doubt.

Here are some actions we took (and some we didn't but wish we had) to simplify the process for the entire family.

1. PAPER PLATES.

Seriously, best thing we did! We happened to have a dishwasher that wasn't working through the entire renovation but even if it was functional, this makes life so much easier. You don't have to load dishes or put them away. You'll be happy this is one less thing you have to do in a day. Go to Walmart and get the big stack of plates, bowls, silverware, and cups. If you don't do anything else on this list, trust me on this one.

The afternoon sun in this primary bedroom gives me life.

2. TRUST THE PROCESS

When I pick colors for a house, I am more analytical to get my top 2-3 colors then I will go with my gut. And I gotta say, the process has worked so far in my favor for my personal projects. I research the undertones, read tons of blogs for experiences of how the colors read in different lights and situations, and I get to every last google image until I have seen the end of the internet.

We decided to paint the exterior of our home and while I had given it some thought, the deadline to select a color scheme snuck up on me. I made the decision within an hour, no paint samples. And I felt good about it until I saw the first side of the house painted-- and I panicked. Painting the exterior of a home is very expensive. And I feared I had made a major mistake.

I kept going back to my inspiration images, asking my painter and asking my husband if I could change it. I couldn't sleep at night.

And then my husband said, "I think you have made some really good choices. Just trust the process. Wait until it is all up and it will come together, you'll see."

And it did. Which brings me to my next point...

Exterior paint selections included Sherwin Williams White Duck on the siding, Sherwin Williams Brindle Fawn for trim and porch ceiling, Sherwin Williams Urban Bronze for the cedar posts.

3. TRUST THE PROS

When you are overwhelmed with emotions and doubt clouds your mind, ensure you have someone reliable to support you. Find a trusted professional to assist you in making sound decisions when you're stuck in indecision. Professionals bring extensive experience and can offer a more objective perspective than Aunt Gertrude, who, let's face it, tends to be critical of everything.

New tile from Lowes and Delta faucets for the secondary bath remodel.

4. MAKE IT EASY ON YOURSELF

This isn't the ideal moment to experiment with new recipes, unless it truly brings you joy. I have several very simple, quick, and tasty meals that we've prepared repeatedly over the years for dinners. It required no effort to serve dinner. And when it seemed impossible to even manage that, we opted for takeout. We anticipated doing this from time to time and planned for it in our budget.

At the end of a long day of decisions, people in and out of your house all day, strangers in your space, it is good to sit down to a meal together as a family. Just know your limits and give yourself some grace.

We also went to a laundromat a few times. With dust everywhere, doing laundry on-site wasn't feasible for a couple of weeks. To avoid falling behind and feeling stressed, we decided to take everything there and finish it all at once. It was such a relief!

This window spot had me feeling like a houseplant wanting to soak up all the sunshine.

5. REMEMBER: THIS TOO SHALL PASS

At the beginning of a renovation, a month or two of work doesn't seem too daunting. However, as time passes, a month can start to feel like a year. You'll find yourself surrounded by layers of dust, unfinished construction, and your kitchen or bathroom items packed away in boxes, making it difficult to find anything. This can lead to feelings of frustration or irritation. Here are some tips to help alleviate some of that stress that may start to build up.

Take a walk.

Go on a date night.

Keep at least one room spotlessly clean and make it your haven away from the chaos.

Have a family movie night in the one clean room.

Get good sleep each night.

Make an effort to shut down your thoughts about the progress and process each day by a certain time and take the time to focus on your family.

Breakfast nook at our home with the skylights

What else do you recommend? What are some practical tips for making it through a home renovation with your sanity in tact? Comment below!