Renovations can get crazy, fast. Nothing is in its usual place; life feels chaotic; and, no matter how small or large the project, it always requires a big cleanup operation. But don’t let cleaning turn you off your dream renovation. Take the hard work out of your post-renovation cleanup with these five tips to have your renovation as good it deserves.
- Save Time Now, Clean After
Renovations are messy – as soon as your home improvement project starts, any cleaning that you have done will be swiftly ‘undone’. So, in the month or two leading up to your renovation, don’t waste time with your usual monthly deep clean. Save your time and energy for the aftermath.
Once the project is complete, you can dedicate a whole day to cleaning the space from top to bottom.With the renovations done, and all of your walls, floors and surfaces spick and span, your home will have a new lease on life.
- Clean-Pack-n-Cull
A renovation project is a great opportunity to take stock of your worldly possessions and introduce more order to your life. Before the project begins, sort through your belongings and clean any dust or grime that may have settled in.
Even if you are just doing a small renovation project in one room of the house, treat it as though you are packing for a move. Pack your possessions away and, as you go through the room, cull unwanted possessions.
Don’t simply toss your dusty trinkets and unwanted “collector’s items” into random boxes. Be systematic. As you sift through your stuff, clean things as you go. And if you come across something that you can’t be bothered with cleaning, it’s probably time to toss it.
Once the renovations are finished, returning your clean possessions to their designated drawers, shelves and tabletops will actually be fun.
- Wrapped In Plastic
When it comes to household mess, prevention is better than a cure. By preparing your space wisely, you can minimize the mess and chaos that comes with home improvements.
Are you painting, tearing down walls, sawing through beams or cutting concrete floors? If your renovation project is likely to generate lots of sawdust or debris, you should mask the entire space with plastic drop sheets – all of it: walls, floors, and cabinets.
Depending on the scope and scale of your project, choose a drop sheet thickness that will protect your surfaces. If you use thin, flimsy drop sheets, secure the edges with masking tape to ensure that the space is completely sealed and your surfaces are safe.
- Tradesmen: Friend Not Foe
If you are tackling a major home renovation project, you will need to rely on the expertise of a tradesman or two. Every seasoned homemaker knows that tradies are notoriously messy. You can sometimes count on them to do a good job. You can always count on them to leave behind a mess.
But don’t resign yourself to that. If you provide your tradies with the right tools and accessories to clean up after themselves, you might be pleasantly surprised. A little encouragement and preparation can go a long way.
Have your supplies ready and waiting for their arrival: doormat, sturdy trash bags, dustpan and brush, washcloths, rags, mop, broom, and vacuum.
- Call In The Professionals
Renovations provide a good time to get that long overdue deep clean out of the way.
You can handle the superficial cleaning yourself but don’t cut corners on getting the important cleaning done right – outsource some of the slog. There will be some cleaning tasks that require more professional expertise and equipment.
Look around – is it time to spruce up those surfaces? Do your blinds need a little love? Have you been putting off shampooing your upholstery, steam-cleaning your carpets, or polishing your floors? Now is the time.
It’s easy to find competitively priced contractors online who can knock over those tasks quickly. Once the deep cleaning is done, you will have a clean slate and you can get on with enjoying your newly renovated space.
Author Bio:
Katie Hume is a blogger, digital marketing specialist and community manager for Airtasker, a community-based marketplace. People post and receive offers from Airtasker for house cleaning in Australia. Katie is a great cook and also enjoys interior design, especially DIY. Living next to the beach, she’s always there (on weekends) swimming, catching up with friends or volunteering as a lifesaver.
