Making changes to any room as part of the home makeover process is an exciting project but, naturally, comes with its fair share of challenges. It’s about making sure that we can ramp up the efficiency and practicalities of this project. What does it take to be more practical in the prep?
Gather Inspiration
The first part of the prep for a home makeover is to work out what you are trying to achieve with this project. How do you want to change the space and what is the goal of any changes? To help yourself get clear with this, it can be helpful to create a mood board where you can gather all your ideas and inspiration in a visual format. My favourite way to do this is by creating a specific board for each project on Pinterest. Here I will pin with joyful abandon all the images that speak to me and I try to focus on how I want the room to make me feel, rather than just how I want it to look.
Once I have everything on the Pinterest board so I can see it all visually laid out in front of me, I will then be more selective and pare everything back by removing pins that don’t fit neatly with the aesthetic and the feeling I am going for. When I’m happy with the results I will then create my own moodboard.
Only once you have a clear idea of the transformation you are looking to create with the home makeover should you move on to the more practical elements of the project.
Clear the Space
Clearing the space of any unnecessary clutter will make for a far more efficient process in this home makeover. But it’s not just about picking up everything and chucking it out in the hallway but, in fact, ensuring that everything that’s in this room is going to be fit for purpose. Decluttering and assessing each item is essential so you can decide if it belongs in the new space or should go elsewhere.
You can identify a temporary storage area for these items or if you have a lot that you need to move, it might be time for a storage unit. A standard storage unit can be as small as 10 square feet to over 500 square feet, so this might be the ideal opportunity for you to undertake a large renovation project and redesign a few other rooms in the process.
Implement a Systematic Approach
The task of redesigning a room is not just about the aesthetics but about taking a practical approach to everything. From the painting to the placement of furniture, you need to have a practical approach to ensure that you aren’t wasting precious time. Before you move any furniture, plan the layout of the space and its function. Consider factors like the focal points of the space, if there’s going to be a lot of foot traffic or anything else that can prevent rearrangements further down the line. When you are redesigning, you need to start from the top down.
So, if you are painting the ceiling, this will prevent any accidental spills or damage to freshly painted walls or furniture if you plan on keeping it in the space. But this is what furniture covers were built for! It’s certainly worth using them. Now might also be the ideal time to address any repairs or maintenance tasks that you’ve overlooked, like squeaky floors or small holes in the wall.
Work to a Loose Time Scale
Time scales are essential, but sometimes things don’t go according to plan. If you have set too rigid a schedule, you’re going to get stressed and frustrated. Instead, allow some extra time for unforeseen adjustments, but also divide this project into manageable milestones.
If you set aside one day for organising or decluttering, and then another for painting and repairs, and additional days for décor, you will stay on track and won’t feel as rushed.
The process of redesigning a room can be, quite frankly, a pain, but this is why you’ve got to cover these three areas. Efficiency is critical especially when we don’t have all the time in the world, and any room that serves a major function in the home can benefit from these practical processes. Redesigning a room should, ultimately, be an enjoyable process but guaranteeing a more streamlined approach to it will ensure you don’t go off the rails so much!
So what are your prep tips for ensuring an efficient and practical redesign of a room at home? Let me know in the comments below.