Has your bedroom looked the same for years? Does it lack in design, vision, and personality? Maybe you’ve been busy working on the rest of your home and left your bedroom for last. Well, now the time is finally here that you are about to begin renovations so you can turn your dull drab room into something inviting, beautiful, and stylish.
But before you dive right in, there are some steps you’ll want to take to prepare the space for renovations. These steps will just ensure that the process can move ahead smoothly.
Does the Home Have Lead Paint?
The first issue to deal with is extremely important and serious. Before renovating, you need to determine if there is lead paint on the walls. A really simple way to tell is if your home was built before the year 1978, you can make the assumption that lead paint was used. It might sound disturbing to hear, but that material can release toxins in the air which are extremely dangerous to your health and can even be lethal. Lead paint needs to be removed by professionals with the proper training and equipment.
Pack Up Everything You Can
Depending on how extensive the renovation project is, you may find it useful to pack up everything you can. The heavy furniture will need to remain, but all the loose items can be temporarily packed up into boxes and storage totes. This is also a great opportunity to declutter as you go. There’s a good chance there will be lots of items you don’t want to put back in the room either because they won’t fit with the new look, or you just don’t use them anymore.
Move All Furniture to the Center of the Room
The next step is to move all the furniture to the center of the room. This will allow you to get to the walls with ease, and just helps you move around the room easier. It’s also a good idea to cover all the furniture with drop cloths or heavy sheets to protect the items from paint spills or drips, dust, and other debris during the renovation project.
Cover the Floors with Drop Cloths
Drop cloths and heavy sheets are also a good idea to use on flooring, again for the same reasons – protecting the floor from paint, dust, and debris.
Give the Walls and Baseboards a Good Cleaning
Before you start to paint the walls, baseboards, and trim, you want to be sure you’re starting with a clean slate. This means dusting and, if needed, cleaning the walls. Should you need to wipe down dirt and grime, often a warm damp cloth is all that is needed.
Fill Cracks and Holes in the Walls
Another step you’ll need to take is to fill any cracks and holes in the wall. Perhaps you had pictures and various décor hanging on the walls. If so, you’ll need to fill those in with putty, sand it to make sure it’s smooth, and then you’ll be ready to paint.
Let the Renovations Begin
Now that you’ve prepped the room, you can go ahead and let the renovations begin with much more space to move around.
