Renovating
Happy Ever After: How to Achieve 'Closure' on Your Reno
The work is over, but you still can’t let go… Here’s how to make peace with the end results of your renovation
The builders have finally departed; the piles of broken tiles and heaps of brick dust have gone. You no longer have to stock up on endless Scotch Finger biscuits and instant coffee for thirsty work people. The house is at last yours, and yours alone. But instead of feeling unbridled joy at the fact your long-awaited renovation project is finally finished, something isn’t sitting right with you. In fact, quite a few things aren’t.
Perhaps the paint colour looks different from the test patch; the skylight is smaller than you’d hoped; the power points are plainly in the wrong place. Everywhere you look, you spot tiny niggles and snags that are just plain irritating.
There’s no getting around it, you’re suffering from end-of-project dissatisfaction, and everywhere you look you notice things that aren’t quite how you imagined them, or you’re mocked by your bad decision-making. Here then, is how to get closure on your renovation project. Start by taking a very deep breath…
Perhaps the paint colour looks different from the test patch; the skylight is smaller than you’d hoped; the power points are plainly in the wrong place. Everywhere you look, you spot tiny niggles and snags that are just plain irritating.
There’s no getting around it, you’re suffering from end-of-project dissatisfaction, and everywhere you look you notice things that aren’t quite how you imagined them, or you’re mocked by your bad decision-making. Here then, is how to get closure on your renovation project. Start by taking a very deep breath…
Formulate a plan
If you really, really, really can’t let it go, then have a serious think about what it would cost to rectify the things you don’t like – not only in terms of money, but further disruption, builder negotiations and stress.
If you do decide to make a change, draw up a budget and write a plan, so at least you feel you’re making progress. Otherwise, you’ll spend your evenings seething and lost in regrets, which isn’t healthy for anyone.
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If you really, really, really can’t let it go, then have a serious think about what it would cost to rectify the things you don’t like – not only in terms of money, but further disruption, builder negotiations and stress.
If you do decide to make a change, draw up a budget and write a plan, so at least you feel you’re making progress. Otherwise, you’ll spend your evenings seething and lost in regrets, which isn’t healthy for anyone.
Find home professionals to help you now
Don’t rush into all those finishing touches
This is a classic end-of-project mistake. Whatever you do, don’t
rush out and buy everything to dress your space from one shop in a fit of excitement. This is not the route to closure, as you’ll end up hating half the stuff and have less money to buy the (considered) things that will really help your new space feel part of your home.
The best bet is to live with your renovation for a while and go slow with your spending. You’re much more likely to end up buying things you genuinely love.
This is a classic end-of-project mistake. Whatever you do, don’t
rush out and buy everything to dress your space from one shop in a fit of excitement. This is not the route to closure, as you’ll end up hating half the stuff and have less money to buy the (considered) things that will really help your new space feel part of your home.
The best bet is to live with your renovation for a while and go slow with your spending. You’re much more likely to end up buying things you genuinely love.
Make peace with the way things unfolded
If you’ve had a difficult or stressful project, perhaps due to planning issues, tricky neighbours, mistakes being made or things not going 100 per cent to plan, find a way to let go of your anger about how much money and time these problems added to your project. Nobody’s perfect and, let’s be honest, planning issues are nearly always a nightmare. And, seriously, have you ever watched a TV renovation programme where they didn’t go over budget?
If you’ve had a difficult or stressful project, perhaps due to planning issues, tricky neighbours, mistakes being made or things not going 100 per cent to plan, find a way to let go of your anger about how much money and time these problems added to your project. Nobody’s perfect and, let’s be honest, planning issues are nearly always a nightmare. And, seriously, have you ever watched a TV renovation programme where they didn’t go over budget?
Practice patience
Is the fact that your tap is 8 millimetres larger than you’d pictured, or the paint colour you chose is half a degree darker than the tin suggested, bothering you? Then say to yourself daily: no one else will notice.
Also remember that, much like life itself, nothing in interiors is fixed, and there’s no law against deciding in a couple of years’ time that you were right, and you genuinely do hate that paint colour/bizarre tap. By then, you’ll hopefully have banked more cash and energy. In the meantime, you might just learn to live with it, or even love it.
Is the fact that your tap is 8 millimetres larger than you’d pictured, or the paint colour you chose is half a degree darker than the tin suggested, bothering you? Then say to yourself daily: no one else will notice.
Also remember that, much like life itself, nothing in interiors is fixed, and there’s no law against deciding in a couple of years’ time that you were right, and you genuinely do hate that paint colour/bizarre tap. By then, you’ll hopefully have banked more cash and energy. In the meantime, you might just learn to live with it, or even love it.
Hold back the clutter
One of the joys after renovating is stepping into a space that’s genuinely empty, without all the stuff that accumulates in everyday life. So whatever you do, don’t just slot that box of bits you haven’t opened for years straight back into your lovely new kitchen. Chances are that you haven’t missed all those things you put into storage a few short weeks ago (and were quite possibly glad to see the back of).
Instead, see your new room as a fresh start, a cue to get rid of your clutter. If this isn’t humanly possible, then at least make a start.
How to Kick-Start a Whole-House Decluttering Effort
One of the joys after renovating is stepping into a space that’s genuinely empty, without all the stuff that accumulates in everyday life. So whatever you do, don’t just slot that box of bits you haven’t opened for years straight back into your lovely new kitchen. Chances are that you haven’t missed all those things you put into storage a few short weeks ago (and were quite possibly glad to see the back of).
Instead, see your new room as a fresh start, a cue to get rid of your clutter. If this isn’t humanly possible, then at least make a start.
How to Kick-Start a Whole-House Decluttering Effort
Stay at home for a while
If you’re feeling sensitive or unsure about your finished results, then don’t torture yourself further. Make your excuses and don’t visit anyone else’s new kitchen/bathroom/living room for a few weeks, so you bed in with your design before seeing different possibilities.
Other people’s places always have a habit of seeming better than your own, but after a while you’ll hopefully stop automatically comparing, and be happier with your design choices.
If you’re feeling sensitive or unsure about your finished results, then don’t torture yourself further. Make your excuses and don’t visit anyone else’s new kitchen/bathroom/living room for a few weeks, so you bed in with your design before seeing different possibilities.
Other people’s places always have a habit of seeming better than your own, but after a while you’ll hopefully stop automatically comparing, and be happier with your design choices.
Tackle the last few niggles straight away
However much you love your finished renovation, and however amazing your work people were, there will always be a few minor things that aren’t quite right.
Don’t blow these out of proportion and let them overshadow everything else. Instead, set to work on your ‘snagging list’, whether that’s finishing off the beading around your wooden flooring, touching up dirty paint marks or filling chipped plaster around light fittings. (Or ask your builders to come back and tackle them if that’s part of your contract.)
At the very least, have a schedule for them, or you’ll probably never get them done, and they’ll still be annoying you in 18 months’ time.
However much you love your finished renovation, and however amazing your work people were, there will always be a few minor things that aren’t quite right.
Don’t blow these out of proportion and let them overshadow everything else. Instead, set to work on your ‘snagging list’, whether that’s finishing off the beading around your wooden flooring, touching up dirty paint marks or filling chipped plaster around light fittings. (Or ask your builders to come back and tackle them if that’s part of your contract.)
At the very least, have a schedule for them, or you’ll probably never get them done, and they’ll still be annoying you in 18 months’ time.
Get smart with storage
Too often we don’t factor enough storage into our rooms. This quickly means our lovely new space can be spoiled by random cardboard boxes and piles of things that don’t have a home. Having the right place to put your stuff can make a huge difference to how your home looks.
Rather than just focusing on new accessories and armchairs, try to allocate storage, or design/buy new solutions, so you don’t end up with too much stuff cluttering up other areas of the home too. There’s also something rather comforting about planning the insides of cupboards, and buying baskets and boxes…
Too often we don’t factor enough storage into our rooms. This quickly means our lovely new space can be spoiled by random cardboard boxes and piles of things that don’t have a home. Having the right place to put your stuff can make a huge difference to how your home looks.
Rather than just focusing on new accessories and armchairs, try to allocate storage, or design/buy new solutions, so you don’t end up with too much stuff cluttering up other areas of the home too. There’s also something rather comforting about planning the insides of cupboards, and buying baskets and boxes…
Move onto another room
OK, this one could be fatal if you get too ambitious. But if you’ve just had your kitchen done, say, and can’t reach closure on it, then think about your living room or bedroom for a while instead.
Shifting your focus to another area of your home, even if that just means buying some new cushions, can help you reach acceptance on the space you’ve just finished. In time, your renovation will hopefully just be part of your home, with the things that were annoying you blissfully forgotten.
Where to Start on Your Home Improvement
OK, this one could be fatal if you get too ambitious. But if you’ve just had your kitchen done, say, and can’t reach closure on it, then think about your living room or bedroom for a while instead.
Shifting your focus to another area of your home, even if that just means buying some new cushions, can help you reach acceptance on the space you’ve just finished. In time, your renovation will hopefully just be part of your home, with the things that were annoying you blissfully forgotten.
Where to Start on Your Home Improvement
Give yourself a well-deserved pat on the back
Remember how a few weeks ago you threatened to permanently decamp to the nearest hotel? How you despaired of ever having an empty house again, where you could wander around in a onesie eating crisps without bumping into a builder? Having work done can be exhausting and stressful, and it’s over. Congratulate yourself on having made it to the finish line.
Tell us
Have you found it hard to get closure on a project? Share your experiences in the Comments section, and join the conversation.
More
Read more stories about renovating
Remember how a few weeks ago you threatened to permanently decamp to the nearest hotel? How you despaired of ever having an empty house again, where you could wander around in a onesie eating crisps without bumping into a builder? Having work done can be exhausting and stressful, and it’s over. Congratulate yourself on having made it to the finish line.
Tell us
Have you found it hard to get closure on a project? Share your experiences in the Comments section, and join the conversation.
More
Read more stories about renovating
You know all those ideas you didn’t have the budget for, but secretly really wanted? Or the other things you decided against, but now, with the benefit of hindsight, desperately wish you’d chosen? It’s time to wave goodbye to them. Yes, all of them.
What we imagine in our heads never matches up to reality anyway, so chances are if you’d gone for those things, you’d be slightly dissatisfied with them too. And very possibly more stressed about money.
In a similar vein, throw away your original mood-board – comparisons with dreamy visions are not helpful to anyone.