Home renovations can be a tricky thing. There’s seemingly endless planning and review that goes into the whole thing, there’s all the clutter and chaos that results, and there’s a lot of second-guessing along the way. Sounds familiar, right? It doesn’t have to be like that, though, and all it takes is a little planning and foresight before you really get down to business. There’s some steps you can take to get any room ready for any home renovation project, from a minor redecoration to a major rebuild of a room, and they’re not going to be nearly as hard as you think: Put the pen to paper Not that any of us guilty of this, surely, but the best step 1 for any redecorating plan is to...well, figure out exactly what the plan is. Are you just moving some new living room furniture into the den, or is the plan more complex than that? Are you repainting or remodeling anything? Will you be able to use the room while it’s being worked on? Is the project big enough that you’ll need to call in outside help—real help like a contractor, not just your tallest kids when they’re home from break? Asking these questions first and mapping out what needs to happen when is going to save you a lot of heartache going forward. Consider how the space will be used A big part of renovating a space in your home is making sure your ideas still work in the space you’re doing them in. For example, tearing apart your kitchen to make room for more counter space and kitchen storage is a viable option that still fits with the goals of the room you’re renovating—laying down a ton of plush carpet in the kitchen, however, may not. You’ll be much happier with everything in the long run if you make sure your goals are compatible with the space you have to work with, and vice versa. Always leave free space If there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s that the layout of a room can vary drastically as the renovations continue, and you’ll always need a little...wiggle room. Make sure to leave empty space in any room you work on, as this can make the space feel larger and leave room for additions or changes down the road. You never want to feel ‘locked in’ after a renovation is completed, and this will give you the chance to change your mind later. Declutter as needed By now you’re probably at the point where you need to start tearing the room down as it is and getting everything in place for the work to be done. While you do this, take the time and ask yourself if there’s anything in your room you can get rid of. Old magazines or newspapers, souvenirs from vacations that are just taking up room, toys your kids have outgrown or remotes to TVs you don’t own anymore, and the like. Inventory everything as you go to help better figure out what you can get rid of and what you need to keep—and everything you do decide to keep should be stored on basement shelves in the meantime to keep it out of the way of the work being done. Accessorize last During the decluttering phase, you might be tempted to start thinking of smaller decor and accessories for whatever room you’re overhauling, but try to fight this temptation as long as you can. After everything unnecessary has been taken out of the room, give yourself time to see the finished product and make up your mind as to what needs to go where and what you might want to get rid of once you see how it all looks together. It’s going to be much easier to add to a space than to remove from it, and you might find yourself changing your mind as the project goes on. This will help everything look more cohesive when you finally get down to it. With these steps in mind, your next big home renovation should go more smoothly than ever before!