Children are Great Home Helpers!
Source:
Pixabay.com
7 Money-Saving, Kid-Friendly Home
Renovation Strategies
When it comes to home renovating,
saving money, and children, most people simply hire a babysitter while they
work on a DIY project. There are fun ways to ditch the babysitter and save
money by including your children as little home helpers.
Every home project should be aimed at
increasing home value. Without cutting corners, make the most of your next
project by taking advantage of the situation. Make your next home renovation
project enjoyable, lucrative, and family-friendly with these child-centered home
renovation activities.
Project
1: De-Stash for Cash
Enlist
your children to help with the renovation ‘clear out’. Save money by listing
unwanted items on Craigslist,
and have them help you decide what to list and for how much. Your children will
love throwing around some old toys and home items, it will bring in some extra
cash, and save you the headache of bringing unwanted items to the donation
sites. Need help with the Craigslist process? Check out this guide.
Project
2: Play ‘Shop Owner’
Children
love to play ‘shop’ no matter what age group. Let your kids be a part of the
renovation process and save some money by having a yard sale, and putting in
some of their items, along with some of the renovation cast-away items up for
sale.
If
you’re shopping for items to install or food for a quick meal, visit your local
co-op for eco-friendly, lower cost items to bring into the home, and include
them in the choosing and purchasing process.
Source:
Pixabay.com
Project
3: Play Decorator
When
choosing what materials to use, or what colors to paint a room, invite your
child’s input. Beforehand, let them know they are participating in a group
decision, and you want everyone to make a vote. Helping to decide what will go
into the home empowers them and helps build ‘teamwork’ experience.
Moreover,
depending on the project, you can also allow your children to pick one aspect
of the renovation project that is ‘theirs’. Choosing one item for a new room,
for example, will provide valuable critical thinking experience as well as
decision making practice.
Project
4: Enjoy the Chaos
Renovations
can be a difficult time for everyone involved. Turn a chaotic situation around
by embracing it. Rather than escape the house for fun excursions during the
renovations, save some money by taking advantage of the mess.
Have
an impromptu living room camp-out, complete with tent, flashlights and ghost
stories. Plan a fort-building session with painting tarps, stepladders, big
buckets and pails and other safe items you can find, either in the area about
to be renovated or in another room entirely. You can always
organize
later!
Source:
Pixabay.com
Project
5: Construct and Destroy
Home
DIY renovations can be fun, cost effective and very rewarding. For your DIY
projects, give the kids some items that are safe for them, in a safe space, to
allow them to feel what it’s like to use their hands, get dirty, and have some
construction fun. Check out this resource for more fun
tutorial ideas!
Children
learn from every experience they encounter. Take advantage of this process for
them to learn about tools and the rewards from a job well done. Let them find
their plastic toy hammer, and hand them an extra plank of wood. Let them smash,
pound and be loud! Give them a paintbrush and some paint and let them paint on
the wood at a safe distance while you work. Talk to them about what you’re
doing and why. Let them put on safety goggles, put on work boots and, even get
them an apron to be a part of the home construction project.
Project 6: Rent Your Extra Rooms
Whether
you are going away for a period of time or have extra rooms in your home,
renting a room is an amazing way to earn some extra money and build home value.
Get the children involved by having them be the breakfast ‘cookers’ of the
home. Guests love breakfast, especially free breakfast, and including your kids
is a perfect way to keep the money flowing in.
While
I love this tip, it is important to make sure you know how to find the best
renters. Especially with a family, it is important to know who is going to live
in your home. Airbnb, HomeAway and Craigslist are good places to start.
However, when trying to find out more information about a renter, there are
great resources out there, like this one, that keep all
information private and still show any history of violence or bad rental
outcomes.
Source:
Flickr.com
Project
7 (A&B): Start a Kid’s Garden
Whether
the renovations are outside or inside, offset some improvement costs by
starting up a community or private garden. It’s an excellent way to save money
and get kids involved in a home project. Furthermore, a garden itself is a huge
home value builder!
A.
Home Garden. A home vegetable garden can provide food
for the family for a whole summer, or even through a winter, at a fraction of
the cost of regularly purchased grocery produce. One bag of potatoes, can cost
anywhere from $2-$5 dollars, but a few potatoes planted in the garden will make
more potatoes for years to come. Include carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash,
beans, spinach, lettuce and beets, and you have an array of healthy foods for
the initial cost of just the seeds some dirt, and a few hours or family fun.
B.
Community Garden. If you have ample space, convert
landscaping in your front or backyard, and start a community garden. Post an ad
in you online community bulletin, or just a sign in your yard, and offer up
backyard or front-yard space to neighbors to come in and plant for a monthly
fee. Include your kids in the planning, advertising, communicating and pricing
process for an exciting family home-business adventure!
Renovating
to improve your home value doesn't need to be an emotionally and financially
draining ordeal. With these tips, and some creativity, patience, and
resourcefulness, you can save money and offset a portion of the costs, while
also creating a great bonding time and learning opportunity for every member of
the family.
Author Bio: Hank loves ice cream,
Sour Patch Kids, and DIY projects that save money. He is a new landlord and loves
to blog about the home. He hangs out on Twitter @hombyhank when he is not in
the garden or working on a new project.
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