10 Tips for Surviving a Renovation Mess

It's particularly important to plan ahead when your renovation involves the kitchen or bathrooms. If you know you won’t be able to cook for a few days, prepare meals ahead of time or have a plan for choosing healthy takeout. For projects that involve bathrooms, try to leave the toilet in place for as long as possible to make life smoother for your household. And always have a Plan B: Keep family members or close friends on standby who will let you do laundry or shower at their place if you run into an issue that will extend your project’s timeline. If the kitchen or bathroom situation is particularly dire, or if it's just getting old, consider treating yourself to a night or two in a hotel, where you can shower, relax in a dust-free environment, and keep up your morale.