Upgrading your home takes a lot of planning and a lot of work. Every year, over 10 million kitchens are remodeled, meaning that there are many stressed-out homeowners and a lot of possible risks involved. To make your home upgrades go as smoothly as possible, you need to remember self-care during the process. Here are some tips to keep you safe, healthy, and successful in your remodeling.
Only Do What You Can Handle
It might be tempting to try to do everything yourself. But you should only tackle the projects that you know you can do. Otherwise, you run the risk of doing things wrong. Shoddy work can lead to new dangers in your home. You also increase your chances of dealing with an accident or injury since you are unfamiliar with the process. Budget for a professional to deal with things like electrical improvements, gas lines, or major construction projects to avoid the possible dangers involved.
Plan for Problems
When you’re remodeling, plan for the worst and hope for the best. Consider the things that might go wrong and prepare for them. Have a first aid kit available and check all your supplies every day to make sure that things like ladders and saws are working safely. Also make sure that everybody working on these upgrades is communicating with each other about what needs to get done. If you take a few minutes to prevent problems before they occur, you can avoid getting sick or hurt on the job. And if something does still happen, you’ll be prepared to deal with the situation quickly and effectively.
Get Necessary Testing Done
Even if you’ve owned your home for a long time, you should get things like lead and radon levels retested as you remodel. One in 15 US houses has radon levels that surpass the EPA’s safety standards, and you might never know that it is in your house. Bring in professionals to test for radon, lead, radiation, and anything else that might be a problem in your area. If the levels are high, you can take action to prevent yourself from getting sick.
Dress Appropriately for the Job
If you’re going to be doing the work yourself, make sure that you are dressed in clothes that are both comfortable and appropriate for what’s being done. Avoid open-toed shoes and wear sturdy clothes that won’t tear easily. Depending on the job, you’re going to need safety equipment as well. Things like goggles, gloves, and aprons can’t be ignored if you care about self-care in this situation. Wear them every time they’re required so you can avoid getting hurt due to neglect.
Take Breaks
You might want your remodel to be done as quickly as possible, but it is important that you take breaks during the process. Breaks are essential to both your physical and mental health, especially if the upgrades are getting stressful. Stress can negatively impact your immune system, leaving you vulnerable to sickness. And since cold symptoms can last anywhere from 48 hours to 14 days, you’ll likely be forced to take a break anyway. If the average person takes 10 days to recover, that is 10 days you won’t be able to work. Prevent this by scheduling breaks during your renovations and doing things that you find relaxing and enjoyable.
Self-care is an essential, yet overlooked, part of upgrading your home. You need to take care of yourself during the process or you’ll find that it gets more expensive and complicated. If you go into every part of it well-prepared and with scheduled breaks, it’ll go a long way toward keeping you healthy.
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