RENOVATING WITH A TODDLER

Renovating with a toddler, yikes! Yep, today’s blog post shares our tips to help you survive and thrive. We know first-hand how challenging it can be renovating your home. Add a toddler into the process and it certainly goes up a gear!

I enjoy sharing a glimpse into This Home and how we’re laying down roots in Devon. However, it’s one thing sharing projects with the top interior hashtags, but why are we doing them right now? Well, we had our first baby during the start of the global pandemic and the anchor for us all was, and still is, This Home.

Putting it simply, making our home better is a priority. Our journey continues with Esme however we’re now seeing it through a different lens. We’re still finding the balance between our budget-friendly projects and our one-year old toddler who wants to pick up tools and join in! But, we’re learning a lot and to be honest we’ve changed our approach to renovation. For example; what projects we do first and accepting that our design aesthetic has evolved since becoming parents.

Now it’s time for a little heart-to-heart. Let’s start by lowering expectations on the pace of renovating with a toddler. No, lower. There you go. Now we’re ready to offer a friendly arm around and encourage you to keep growing. It was something I was asked about recently, so I was keen to share our learnings so far. Heads up, there’s no silver bullet. The good new is, it’s really not all despair. Here’s some of our key renovating mantras we’ve adopted along the path of parenthood.

Homes grow with you

Your home isn’t a fixed state. It ebbs and flows with you. We’re humans with layers and our homes are the same. Personally, I don’t believe a house or even a room is ever really finished. Yes, you just heard the grumble of my husband. Instead, I believe you improve rooms or items to perform better. When I’m planning to redefine a space or considering an item’s purpose it might not always look picture perfect. Yet, the change might improve how we live or use a room which is most important. The takeaway is that a space and its design evolves over time as we do. 

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Our renovation at This Home started off as a couple. However, when you update your home as parents it’s with a different mindset. For example, we’ve identified some ‘lost’ living spaces from Esme exploring every inch of space. The plan was always to revisit our living room and dining room to give it the real love it deserved. However, family life just spurred us on. As parents you ask different questions about a space and how it will work for you as a family. How will it continue to grow with us?

There’s a reason why we’ve prioritised our daughter’s Play Kitchen Makeover and a DIY Playhouse Project over adult indoor projects. She makes us grow. Renovating with a toddler is more than changing your home it’s also about improving your lifestyle. Be strategic about what you renovate and when. We’re adapting our surroundings to accommodate our little one, baby-proofing the house as she grows.

It’s pretty monumental becoming parents and it’s often those new experiences that trigger change in the home. I would say it’s equally important to accept your home for where it is right now and enjoy what it represents at that stage in your life.

Trends come and go 

It’s taken time to understand how we want to live here and even more so during the pandemic. By paring back rooms it’s helped show us who we are as a family. Some of the rooms were rarely enjoyed or only used to entertain formally once a year. While I do love the idea of having a more formal space to entertain in, we need every room to have a purpose. What we’re attempting is not likely to be on trend, but it’s about laying down the foundations to make This Home timeless. It will compliment Esme’s playtime as she grows and allow us to unwind in front of the telly and entertain family and friends. Essentially, everyday life.

There are very clever organisations and design professionals who determine colour, style trends and patterns that we should be using every year. If you want to know what we can expect to see dominate interiors in 2022 and what’s growing in popularity then head to the Nordic Nest for more details.

It’s a fascinating read and the only way I can relate is by looking at the industry I work in. In television nothing is ever really “out” forever with genres often coming in and out of fashion. Frequently, old formats are reinvented with a slightly different mould to make them fresh for a new audience. In interiors, while we may not want to live with a bright pink sofa for the rest of our lives, the bottom line is; buy items and design rooms because YOU love them. I’m personally delighted that the unpolished look is sticking around ;).

If it matters to you then don’t let trends effect your decision. Start pinning on Pinterest and hone in on what your style is. Don’t feel bad about loving that wallpaper because it’s out of style. You know what’s best for your home and family. 

I am not superwoman

Sadly not! Do you wish you had superpowers and a red cape too? If it helps empty the dishwasher, fold and put away the laundry (with kids it’s endless isn’t it!?) and generally keep on top of sh*t then I’m game. On a serious note, we were asked recently how do you tackle so many DIY jobs, take care of a little person and yourselves all while managing full-time jobs? Well to be straight up, it’s about survival. During the week our daughter is priority. Around her, us and our jobs I choose to pursue a passion. So, I use evenings and weekends when hubby’s back to tag team. If you’re in a position to then divide and conquer guys!

Another good tip is to schedule your renovations around your children. We planned a lot of our outdoor projects, like our Greenhouse Makeover and DIY Playhouse Project when we could all enjoy being outside when the weather allowed. At the same time, the inside got underway and we made the decision to get the professionals in. Quite frankly there’s only so many hours in the day and we need family time. Hopefully we’ll be enjoying the rooms in time to hibernate.

Finally, just accept that renovating with a toddler takes a really really long time. If your interiors project is only half done or barely began then give yourselves some slack. No matter where I look at the moment downstairs, there’s either contents of rooms piled up or one of Esme or Milly’s toys strewn across the floor (they look the same!). Chances are guys, the latest home interiors magazine isn’t about to burst in and photograph your home…Take a deep breath, remember you’re raising a child(ren), doing your best and you’re blooming rocking it!

Don’t bypass the journey

You might be asking when does this get better? Why did we start renovating with a toddler? Well, the answer is the same for both. There is no right time to parent or renovate! Just don’t rush the journey on either as you might miss the point entirely. 

Don’t wait to enjoy your home in its current form. Just like children don’t stay little forever. The requirements of your home inevitably change just like the sleepless nights turn into toddler tantrums. The same with home interiors, they require constant care and attention to keep them blooming so try embracing the different stages.

Finally, it’s important that we make one part of the weekend a down tools day and head out for some fun. Equally, I don’t feel guilty when we are doing DIY because we’re building a beautiful family home and sharing the value of hard graft with Esme! Just don’t forget the emphasis on LIVING.

Home is safe

No matter the interior or exterior state, to us our home means safety and we’re very grateful for that. A place that is restorative to keep us feeling inspired. Our aim has always been to create a home that we can feel comfortable and safe in. When Esme arrived that dial just got turned up. It’s the number one thing a child craves and I want our home to become a reflection of that. I don’t want any space in This Home to be ‘off-limits’ to her other than our bed during the night maybe!? Likewise, I don’t want to compromise on our personal style just because we have a young child. This Home needs to perform well for everyone. 

Depending on the age of your child(ren) why not involve them where you can. Before Esme turned one we were a big fan of the baby carrier. Now, we try to make Esme feel like she’s contributing with some of the projects. She loves cleaning up, so why not play it up. I think at some point it’ll be fun to get her some ‘work’ gear and her own tool box. Of course, everyone has different levels of comfort and I fully appreciate the message is tools are not toys. However combining the two safely we can show Esme that she can enjoy ‘working’ with us and that by working hard you can improve.

Whether you have kids or not, I’d definitely reccomend an ‘escape space’ that’s free from any renovation. That one room to help disconnect from the dust and debris. Retain your sanity and the home safe by keeping the reno work and living areas separate. For Esme, we’re using physical barriers as she’s a little explorer. Lastly, try and put your trust in the process.

Renovating with a toddler can be inspiring

Being at home more has made us question how we can stimulate our creativity when we’re not working or parenting. With Esme in the mix, we’re focussed on making our home a welcoming place for exploring and growing her mind. But us parents need to feel inspired too.

Hubby and I joked about hiding away items as Esme grows up. Before we became parents we had a silly thought and wondered if displaying our slightly obscure collections was still ok. But no, individual quirks should be celebrated. If we can show children how to be confident in who we are then it might actually inspire them to embrace themselves without fear of judgement. Why should we worry about the influence certain items we keep might have on our children? The truth is, a parent can be anyone and there are no rules. Or at least, it’s your rules in your house 😉

Think of ways you can make your home a more dynamic and fun place for everyone to live in. It could include adding more artwork to walls or shelves. Give little eyes something to take their imagination on a journey. Even better if you can pick up second-hand pieces or even give homemade a try. For example, there’s a love for books in this house and we’re making those more accessible in our plans. Hopefully they’ll have an inspiring effect on us all.   

Learn to grow

Doing something the wrong way is sometimes the best way to learn. It’s true for life and renovating with a toddler is the same. Show them it’s ok when things go wrong as we can always try again. Your home is a living breathing space so it’s natural for it to evolve but also to make mistakes a long the way. Becoming parents has seen us grow as well as our home with a teeny weeny bit more patience.

We also love a budget-friendly hack and these require a lot of trial and error. You’ll see what I’m talking about soon. Even so, renovating with a toddler can really challenge you as a couple. Regardless of the project size, big or small. There would be no This Home Grows without the hubby supporting my crazy ideas to grow us a better home together. So don’t forget to support each other.

Without really knowing it, I wonder if our childhood homes influence our attitude to our home and interiors. Do we let echoes of our past creep into where we live? It feels like a whole topic in itself to explore but in our house, the dog is allowed on the sofa, you don’t have to take your shoes off unless it’s muddy wellies and we embrace the muddy paw prints and fingerprints on the doors. A glance back into the past can help you better understand what home means to you.

Oh storage we love you

You quickly learn how to make a space work better for a little one. Just as you learn that storage is key! I remember friends saying this to us. Hubby and I embarrassingly had a lot of belongings before becoming parents. However, our approach has changed from seeing the sheer volume a tiny baby acquires. Suddenly, it grows into this mountain pile of “stuff! Now, I do a regular ‘stock check’ to reorder, declutter and donate items. I’m still precious about sentimental treasures, but it’s not useful or resourceful to hold onto everything. Less is more. 

I’m also fully prepared to admit that I respond better to clean and tidy spaces. Renovating with a toddler can throw you a little off balance. As a result, since becoming parents we’ve changed the way we structure our life and home. As well as sometimes taking my foot off the pedal and accepting that’s ok, I’m also letting some of the functional systems do the work. And you know what…it’s actually working!?

Sometimes the little things can get you through the big things in the midst of a renovation. The one that’s here to stay is baskets! Easily done with a few quick dance steps and instantly a room is tidied. Unsightly items that hang around the bedside floor can be hidden in them too. A few minutes spent each day putting everything in its functional space means calm is restored and my mind can relax. I can’t wait to go through our belongings downstairs. It’ll be a celebratory moment to cut out the clutter. The below image is only a small part of our current living arrangement!

Anyone can create a happy home

I’m not an interior designer or professional decorator and I have the utmost respect for both. Equally, I feel passionate that those without any design skills can still create a home to be proud of. Anyone has the ability to make their home beautiful. And today through so many different platforms there’s an even greater power to help each other create homes that work. 

The truth about renovating with a toddler

It’s not surprising that the transition into parenthood trickles down into adapting the spaces we live in. It’s just how we approach them that might differ. Combined with a global pandemic it’s well and truly changed how we’re all living and using our homes anyway.

We’re still learning about our daughter who seems to be taking on This Home at a rate of knots. However, we’re slowly understanding more about this new pairing as they grow. Indeed, the first greeting can be intense! Renovating schedules always go over, especially with a toddler! Slowly arranging your home’s design to allow for the mayhem of kids and life takes time. So buckle up guys you’re in for a ride.

I hope you find comfort in our outlook on becoming parents and editing your home to suit. It’s easy to forget in a world of picture perfect instagram interiors that a real home isn’t always camera ready. Families grow and change, just like homes. So look to people and projects that give you the motivation to try things out in your home. Renovating with a toddler is about adapting your home to accommodate the years of love and growth ahead. Yet, when we or Esme decide to look back on our home journey, what is truly important to see, is how we lived here. 

What’s your best tip, or memory of renovating with a toddler? Please share with us, so we can all learn from your experience.

Happy home growing!

Hols x