According to the results of consumer surveys conducted by the Home Improvement and Research Institute (HIRI) and The Farnsworth Group, published by Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies, the rise in home renovations during the COVID-19 pandemic can be attributed to several reasons:
First, homeowners revealed they suddenly have plenty of spare time in their hands as a result of remote work orders from companies. Second, people are doing DIY-style renovations and home maintenance to save money. Third, they are trying to avoid contractors as a COVID-19 precaution. Fourth, they are at home more often, either due to company orders or because of their personal choice.
If you’re among the horde of homeowners who are planning to do home improvements through renovations and general cleanups, you should secure some things first to guarantee a hassle-free project.
Here are five of these essential residential cleanup and renovation must-haves you need to keep in mind:
Large bin/dumpster for your project’s debris
Renovating a home or doing a general cleanup both produces a lot of debris that needs to be collected and placed in one place before being hauled to the nearest landfill. If you’ll be doing any of these things soon, then you need to have something to put your debris into.
Fortunately, there are companies that offer roll-off bins for rent at affordable rates. You may choose from different-sized bins depending on your specific needs and budget. The good thing about such rental companies is that they can drop off the bin in your front yard and then just wait for your call when it’s time to pick the bin up. They’ll also take care of transporting the debris to the local landfill, so you won’t have to worry about anything.
A temporary storage facility
Whether it’s a renovation project or just a yearly general house cleaning, you still need to safeguard your furniture, artwork, and other household items while work is underway. As such, be sure to prepare a temporary storage area where these items can be safely stored.
You can use your garage or put up an outdoor tent that is properly covered to temporarily house your valuables. Depending on how long your project would be, you could either set up perimeter lights to deter potential theft or just hire a unit at the nearest storage facility.
Vacuums, big and small
If you’re worried about dust and other allergens causing respiratory problems in your family during and after your planned renovation or annual cleanup, then you need to invest in both a heavy-duty vacuum and some portable ones.
You should use your large vacuum to clean up the floor and your furniture pieces, while the hand-held vacuum (much like the ones used in cars), should be perfect for hard-to-reach nooks and crannies.
These items will take care of the dust and other minute particles that got lodged within fabrics and crevices inside the house. With all the allergens gone, your family can breathe well and not worry about getting respiratory illnesses caused by these minute particles.
Boxes and garbage bags
You can make your cleanups during and post-renovation easier if you have plenty of boxes and large garbage bags to put all the debris from the project. With these essential supplies, you won’t have to take out trash one by one, since you can place them in a box or garbage bag at once and then take that single box or bag out and into the dumpster or trash bin outside the house.
All it takes is a quick trip to the local supermarket or hardware supplies store to get the right quantity that you need for your project. You can reuse the boxes and bags as many times as possible, so you can save big instead of dumping them outright after just one use. It’s not just economical, but also environment-friendly, so be sure to reuse the items as long as they’re still in good shape.
Air purifier
It’s not enough that you’ll dust and vacuum your floor, furniture, and other items and areas inside your home while your renovation or annual house cleaning is underway and right after. Keep in mind that there are plenty of microscopic allergens that may not be easily sucked up by even the most powerful vacuum.
The easy remedy to this problem is to buy an air purifier. This handy home appliance will help keep indoor air safe for occupants to breathe. It’s relatively cheap and you’ll get years’ worth of benefits from it, so it’s a pretty wise investment to make.
With these five essential items, you can look forward to a hassle-free and health-safe renovation or cleanup project.
