Living in a Remodel - It's Not For Sissies! How to Survive a Home Renovation (part two)

This is part two of a series on tips for surviving living in a renovation.

As I said before, the best and worst part about living in a remodel is that you are always there. That’s good because it’s convenient for working on the house. And it’s bad because it’s inconvenient to live in a construction zone.

Here are some tips that we have learned over the many years we have lived in unfinished homes that hopefully will help you survive living in a remodel.

Tip two is:

THERE WILL BE DUST

Do Your Best To Manage It

Notice I said manage it - not control it. There really is no way to totally control all the dust that is going to be flying around your home. But you can effectively manage it.

• Try to do as much demo as possible before you move in.

• Use your shop vac when cutting/sanding etc.. Hold the hose up to the saw, sander or other tool while it is operating to capture the dust.

• Use HEPA filters in your shop vac. You can get them for most shop vacs. Be sure to get the one that fits your particular model. Clean them regularly and replace them when needed. We even drape a damp towel over the exhaust of our shop vac to help minimize dust.

• Consider investing in a portable Air Handler or Air Scrubber. These machines use HEPA filters and can remove dust and particulates from the air in your home.

• Keep doors closed. Close off areas where work is being done. And close doors to all other rooms in the house.

• Turn off your furnace and A/C. All that dust will wreak havoc with your system. Not to mention it will just recirculate it to every room in your house.

• Store items in dust-proof containers. Keep linens and soft goods in plastic containers. I keep sheets, good towels, down duvets, etc in plastic bins with lids. Trust me, dust will even permeate your closed linen closet. To save space, use vacuum-seal type storage bags for items you’re not using on a regular basis.

• Use a lambswool duster
  

Lambswool duster

Every few days or so, go over everything in your living space with a lambswool duster. Don’t forget lampshades, books, TVs, and office equipment. Go outside frequently and shake it off and then go back in for more. I have found this is the quickest, easiest way to manage dust.

• Deep dust with a slightly damp microfiber cloth

Every week or so, wipe everything down in your living space with a slightly damp microfiber cleaning cloth. I use a spray bottle to lightly mist the microfiber cloth so it picks up all the dust.

Obviously, once your renovation is completely done, you will want to deep clean the whole house thoroughly.

But in the meantime, keep as much of a handle on the dust as you can so you can still be happy and healthy while you’re living in your remodel.

Here are the rest of the posts in this series:

(part one) CREATE A SANCTUARY SPACE

(part three) IMPROVISE STORAGE SOLUTIONS

(part four) YOUR SLOW COOKER AND MICROWAVE ARE YOUR BEST FRIENDS

(part five) TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF