Undertaking home improvements can be stressful enough at the best of times. Throw childcare into the mix and the strain undoubtedly multiplies.
It doesn’t have to be a chaotic, high-pressure situation, though. There are a few steps you can take to help you get everything done without worrying too much about the impact on your kids.
In an attempt to calm your concerns, we’ve put together some ideas that could make your life a little bit easier while your property is renovated.
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Plan meticulously
It may sound simple but mapping out what tasks you want to complete and when can be of huge benefit.
Not only will this help you keep everything on track, but it’ll also help your kids understand how long the process is going to last.
It’s worth considering the time of year that you want to commence work. By doing it in the spring or summer you’ll be able to make use of outside space for eating and relaxing.
That won’t really be an option during the winter.
Budget carefully
It’s important not to bite off more than you can chew when it comes to home renovations.
Work out what your outlay will be before you start the work so you know you can afford exactly what you want.
There’s always a chance of running over budget for a variety of reasons and a short-term loan can help make those unexpected costs more manageable.
Failing to budget properly could leave you having to live in a building site for a little while, which isn’t something anyone wants!
Make use of family and friends
If there is a particular day during which you know you can get a lot of work done, reach out to family or friends to see if they would be willing to look after your children.
When lockdown restrictions are eased there’s every chance that family members will be more than happy to look after your little ones for a short while, so why not take them up on it!
Failing that, you could organise a nanny or babysitter that you can task with keeping the children occupied while you get to work.
Get the kids involved
A survey by Checkatrade revealed that 35% of people in the UK disliked at least one of the rooms in their house, and it’s likely your kids will have an opinion on that front too.
If you’re keen to have them around during the process, ask them their thoughts on what they’d like to see change.
You could even get them to help out with simple tasks like painting.
They might welcome the chance to make some decision about the décor, though you can always restrict their input to choices about their bedrooms.