House projects and kids – sounds messy and stressful, right? It’s not uncommon for parents to be hesitant about doing remodeling projects around their home when there are kids running around. Such adventures often bring a lot of risk of injuries, as well as increased stress for parents. That’s why you need to be pragmatic and have a great strategy if there’s an upcoming house renovation coming your way. There are certainly great ways to keep your kids involved and safe, and not lose all the nerves – and we’ll share some tips to help you do that. Check out how you can make your home projects kids-friendly and give your home a new shine. 

Home renovations – child-proofing the project 

Let’s talk safety first. This should be a top priority when it comes to home renovation with kids running around. There will be all sorts of hazards in the house, so it’s important to be as cautious as possible to prevent injuries. Here are the best tips to do that. 

See if the kids should be in the house 

Firstly, identify the potential risks and dangers that the renovation will involve. These may include different hazardous materials, tools, toxic fumes, and similar things. Maybe your home won’t be a suitable place for kids after all. If there are too many hazards lurking around the house, it may be wiser for you to move out for a while. Experts at triple7movers.com advise it’s often better to stay with your family or friends or rent a place for a bit until the work is done. If you have a professional to help you move things around this can turn out to be a lot easier and most importantly – safer scenario. 

Sharp, toxic and dangerous tools should be out of reach. 

Talk to your kids 

If you decide everyone stays in the house after all, be sure you inform your little ones about the work that’s going to happen. Tell them about all the renovation steps, and what items or areas will be dangerous for them to touch or run close to. Even though small kids may not grasp all this information, it’s better to try to explain potential dangers after all. This may minimize the chance for them to get hurt. If they know something is dangerous there’s less chance for them to go there and touch hazardous items. 

Create work-free zones 

When you’re doing house renovation with kids, you can make it a lot safer if you divide your home into zones. Places, where work happens, should be clearly separated from the safe zone. Put up barriers to keep your little ones away, especially if you have babies and toddlers, but also pets. Use baby gates and similar items to prevent their access to the danger zone, but also focus on making safe areas more attractive and fun for them. This way they won’t have the need to go to the work zone but they’ll be occupied with toys and other attractions. Finally, separating the work zone from the rest of the house with a layer or two of polythene sheeting that’s sealed on the sides will keep the dust from the rest of the home and minimize health risks, as well as cleaning time. 

Don’t leave trash behind 

Kids love playing with plastic bags, wraps, covers – all the leftovers that might be laying around when you’re doing a renovation. These are a huge choking hazard, so make sure you remove all the trash and work leftovers immediately. Don’t leave anything unsuitable for kids behind so they can easily find it and try to play with a hazardous item. 

Keep cleaning products out of reach 

Renovations are messy, that’s something you can’t avoid completely. This is a time when you’ll do more cleaning than usual, which increases the chances of kids reaching for cleaning supplies and trying to drink chemicals or something similar. Make sure you keep the cleaning supplies far out of their reach and switch harsh chemicals for a more natural option to minimize dangerous fumes. Also, make sure you air the house frequently, as all those cleaning supplies as well as paint, glue, and other renovation supplies are producing dangerous fumes. 

Keeping your kids involved 

Keeping your children involved in the home renovation project will surely help the time pass by quickly and keep them occupied and away from dangerous items. The activities will depend on the age of your children, but you should certainly pick things you can do together, so they feel important and included, but also have fun. 

Let them make decisions 

From a certain age, kids can be involved in decision-making, especially if you’re renovating their rooms. They can choose colors, pick wallpapers and help you with the way you’ll rearrange the space. Even though these might be small decisions, letting them be involved in the process will help them feel valued and important. 

Let kids make age-appropriate decision and keep them involved in house renovation. 

Alt.tag: mom and daughter choosing paint for house renovation 

Fun mini projects for the win 

Kids love making things, and being creative – even if it involves making a mess. You can let them do mini-projects that are suitable for their age, always ensuring they’re safe. Painting a piece of furniture, letting them create art for their room on a blank canvas, etc. Let them be part of this and have some fun. 

Let them ‘renovate’ with you. Alt.tag: a girl painting a cardboard house 

Allow kids to help you out 

You can always keep your kids involved in house renovation by allowing them to help you out where’s possible. Some age-appropriate assistance would include handing over some small and safe tools, ripping the old wallpaper, cleaning up, and more. Even though you would probably rather do everything on your own, letting them be part of the project will surely help with their self-esteem and overall mood during renovations. 

Final words 

The truth is, house renovation can get messy. But it shouldn’t stop you from keeping your kids involved – just make sure they are safe and you’re good to go. Making this a family project will surely help you bond and make some fun memories together.