Why DIY renovating is worth it. Beyond the finished result.

There is no way around it: renovating an area of your home without tradespeople is hard work. Really hard work. When kids are added to the mix it involves some creative parenting ideas and usually very late nights. Adding five children to renovating has been incredibly tough for Craig and I, but with finances stretched to meet the needs of our family, and needing a house big enough to (barely) fit us all, in a family friendly area, sacrifices have to be made. One such sacrifice is buying a house that requires renovating, and then doing these renovations ourselves. I do have to say though, that we actually enjoy the rush of it all. The Block would be easy in comparison!

While painting into the early hours of the morning, I kept myself awake chatting with Craig and thinking about many distracting things. One important thing that came to mind was: how does renovating by ourselves benefit our family? Below is a list that I created while finishing the undercoat in the laundry.

By the way, I'm loving the home we are creating and feel entirely blessed to have it:)

Benefits of renovating:

1) A finished result that suits our family perfectly. We don't have to put up with the perfect another family created. I researched and spent a huge amount of time deciding on plans for the laundry. Some compromises have had to be made to adjust the cost, but it is lovely compared to what it was before!

2) My children see a united front. Renovating is one very visual reminder that Craig and I are in this together. We talk about the whole project in terms of 'we' and I can tell they love it. We work together. We are very much on the same page and achieve something together. Teamwork and laughing and fun and discussions= relationship building. This is really important to the fabric of our family. Weekends away never ever happen, dinner out is rare for us, BUT we can spend a lot of time together chatting while renovating.

3) Renovating often requires learning new skills. These skills are often completely unknown and challenging. It is great for children to see their parents actually learning and failing and trying again. Parents tell their children that this cycle is worthwhile and this is one way for them to see it in action.

4) A break from the mundane. When life feels like it is all about the washing and meal preparation, a break can be as good as a holiday. Renovating will certainly provide this change in spades. In fact it will change the way life is done for a while!

5) It helps with the appreciation of what feels sometimes like a repetitive day to day life. Following on from the last point, altering the way general living takes place can help with realising how awesome the everyday mundane actually is. It's all too easy to take life for granted. Renovating can provide a swift reality check.

6) Sometimes people do things just to say they have done them. It's that 'I really did it!!!' feeling. Jumping out of a plane. Walking over a path of hot coals. Giving birth. Whatever! Renovating absolutely fits in here.

7) Renovators join the renovators club. All those who have renovated before will nod along empathetically when ever someone who is in the throws of renovating starts to speak. There is an instant bond amongst us, and we have a language all our own. Stories aplenty are encouraged and shared. The best part is that these stories are timeless and ageless, and can be told for years to come.

8) Renovating can help children to see true gender equality at work. So before Christmas there was a group that said parents shouldn't buy pink things for girls. Even if they like pink. Pffff! That is sooo going to solve everything, and telling little girls their favourite colour or toy is wrong will certainly make them feel empowered! (Insert sarcasm.) A much better idea might be to allow kids to actually see their parents living the way they say it should be. Want girls to believe women are capable of doing things traditionally labelled 'work for men?' Pick up a hammer. Or give tiling a go. All while dad gets the kids dinner and showers them ready for bed. Children believe and end up living what they experience. It all starts at home. And anyone who wants to like pink should be allowed to without being told it's wrong (down off my soap box.)

9) Renovating can show children what it is to be brave. It can be scary trying something new for the first time or stand up for what one believes is right. Kids know this for sure as they are trying new things all the time and are faced with many situations that challenge their own beliefs. Parents encourage their children, asking them to 'be brave and give it a go if you want to.' But how often do parents allow their children to see them do the same, stepping out into the new, challenging and difficult? Renovating will provide many opportunities for this.

10) Limits are found and a new appreciation for trades is discovered. No need to elaborate. Trades people, we LOVE you. Especially renderers. I hate rendering.

11) It is often cheaper. BUT that is only if the correct research is done, the work is done properly, trades are brought in for really tricky bits, corners are not cut, correct materials are sourced, etc. It's a lot of work and someone wanting a successful renovation has to be willing to put in the time and effort. It doesn't come easily. When everything is done correctly, careful budgeting takes place, extravagances are left out of the picture, and personal limits are acknowledged, it can be an experience that is kind to the bank balance. Probably.

12) It is just plain hilarious sometimes! It creates enough 'in' jokes to last for years. When life is getting far too serious (a.k.a. the school term) we only need to take a break from a "what are we going to do about this!" conversation, with a simple "remember when you....." Lightens the mood every time.

So renovating can be challenging (nice word for just plain hard, slightly impossible, work) but it certainly has it's up-side. Or at the very least I can tell myself that at 3am with a paint brush in my hand;)

Below are the Project Life pages I made about our Laundry renovation. For more on the renovation, look here for simple before and afters, or here for a detailed how-we-did-it version.

Jen.x