Ren-o, Ren-o, it’s off to the basement we go….
You have heard of the Vacation, then, of course the “Stay-cation”….now how about the “Reno-vacation.” No, not a retreat to sunny Cuba for the duration of a renovation but rather, the retreat to another part of the home during said renovation!
This week as promised, we briefly discuss the survival tactics of those brave hearted souls who decide to weather out the storm and live in their homes whilst undergoing the most invasive of invasions….THE KITCHEN RENOVATION.
A great deal can be learned when we retreat to the (hopefully finished) basement during a kitchen reno. For one, undoubtedly, man’s best friend, under “normal” circumstances is his trusted and true DOG! Introduce the upheaval of renovation into the world of that pooch and it would seem that all bets are off and it is every mammal for him/herself! Yes, in the renovation world, if you have decided to “live” in your home while a major renovation is going on, your best friend likely, is THE BBQ! Easy to work and loyal to the core, chicken, beef, fish and even lamb can all be cooked up on a weekend and carefully doled out during the week in various forms of sandwiches and salads. If you are “reno-vacationing” at home….make sure the BBQ is ready. At the very least, make sure your neighbors BBQ is ready!
The next thing you want to think about and plan out carefully is where you will keep all your dried goods and canned goods if you are doing a kitchen reno. A nice closet in the basement is great for that as long as it has a door on it to keep your dog or any teenagers from constantly raiding it! A bar fridge in the basement is handy but will soon overflow, move the “old one” to the garage. You will get more stair climbing than Edmund Hillary and loose a couple of pounds in the process, bonus!
” Our Black Lab is loving the renovation as well, mastering the art of people food theft from all the weird new places…”
A toast to the toaster! Make sure you have a good one of these and park it next to a microwave. Taken together, these things can lead to a severe flashback to University days, lead to more boring stories for your kids of your “glory days” and at the same time can serve as a lesson for the younger members of the family who will possibly soon have to fend for themselves, depending on how the reno goes, or if they are heading off to post secondary education!
Finally, who says that “Family Night” can’t be extended to almost every night of the week? Some people talk about much work a renovation is or how it disrupts your daily routine. Good! Let the experience take you in a different direction. You may just find that you get more from it than just a new kitchen or bathroom!
Finally, have some fun and relax. Renovations are dusty noisy events, but they do end in great results and more good times to come. If you start to waver and feel deprived, slide over to Rogers on demand or slap in a DVD of “Slumdog Millionaire” to put things in perspective and straighten yourself up. Enjoy the journey and here’s to another “Family Night” with some good ‘ol BBQ Chicken!
Cheers
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