How to Prepare Your Home for a Renovation
Preparing for a renovation can feel like gearing up for a small storm; even with the best team in place, it’s an emotional and logistical marathon. Over the years, we’ve learned that how you prepare before the first wall comes down makes all the difference in how smooth (and sane) the process feels. Here’s how to get your home, and yourself, ready for renovation.
Preparing for a renovation can feel like gearing up for a small storm; even with the best team in place, it’s an emotional and logistical marathon. Over the years, we’ve learned that how you prepare before the first wall comes down makes all the difference in how smooth (and sane) the process feels. Here’s how to get your home, and yourself, ready for renovation.
Start With a Full Purge
Before demo begins, edit your belongings! Walk through each room and separate what you love, use, and need from what’s simply taking up space. A renovation naturally forces you to see your home differently, so think of this as a head start on your “after.”
And here’s the truth: there’s always a secondary purge. Once the renovation is complete and you begin unpacking, you’ll see things with fresh eyes. And pieces you haven’t missed for months suddenly feel irrelevant. Embrace that. Let the process refine not just your space, but what you allow into it.
Store What Matters, Offsite if Possible
Dust finds everything. Even if you’re living offsite, there’s no true “sealed” room during construction. Pack and store sentimental or irreplaceable items somewhere safe. A family member’s home, a rented storage unit, or even a friend’s garage. Label boxes by room and create a small “return priority” list of items that should come back first once the project wraps (think essentials and emotional favorites).
Protect Your HVAC and Air Quality
One small but critical step: ensure your team is taping off HVAC vents and returns before work begins. Even if the HVAC is off, it might get switched on for a moment. And once that dust circulates through your system, it’s nearly impossible to get clean air again without a deep service. If you’re staying in the home during renovation, invest in a few quality air purifiers to run during construction days. And we always recommend running a HEPA Filter during the final cleaning stages.
Know Your Shut-Offs
Before demo day, make sure you and your team have located your main water, gas, and electrical shut-offs. It sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised how often this gets overlooked. And you want to know where these shut-offs are in a moment of panic! Make sure everyone involved, including you, knows exactly where they are and how to access them quickly in case of emergency.
Ensure Access and Security
Regardless of the size of your renovation, and whether you’re living in the home or offsite, access to the property as well as a lockbox is essential. Make sure your contractor, designer, or trades have the correct access codes and know the working hours for your property. If you have gates or security alarms, coordinate who will handle deactivation/reactivation each day so work isn’t delayed and safety isn’t compromised.
Expect Imperfection and Plan for It
Even the most organized renovations have surprises. There will be days when something doesn’t arrive, dust drifts farther than expected, or you may reach decision fatigue! Create small rituals that keep you grounded, whether that’s walking the site with your designer once a week or setting aside one night a week to disconnect from project talk altogether.
Think Beyond the Finish Line
Once everything’s done and you start unpacking, resist the urge to fill every shelf and drawer immediately. Let the home breathe. You’ll naturally find a rhythm for what belongs where, and that’s when your secondary purge happens, and refining brings clarity to what you need.
Welcome to Victoria Holly Interiors, Los Angeles Interior Designer
Welcome to the official blog of Victoria Holly Interiors! We’re a high-end Los Angeles interior design firm, and specialize in creating beautiful, timeless spaces tailored to our clients' unique lifestyles. We work in Southern California as well as across the country including areas such as New York, San Francisco, Minneapolis, the Hamptons, and many more.
Welcome to the official blog of Victoria Holly Interiors! We’re a high-end Los Angeles interior design firm, and specialize in creating beautiful, timeless spaces tailored to our clients' unique lifestyles. We work in Southern California as well as across the country including areas such as New York, San Francisco, Minneapolis, the Hamptons, and many more. To learn more about working with us, visit our Inquiry page. In this space, we’ll share:
Behind-the-Scenes: Get a glimpse into the behind the scenes of our Los Angeles interior design projects (and beyond!) and the making of our custom and unique design pieces.
Inspiration: Explore our favorite design trends, and sources of inspiration.
Project Reveals: Be the first to see our latest project unveilings, including exclusive insights into what makes each space so special.
News and Updates: Stay updated on our latest news and featured projects in top publications.
Our designs balance luxury with functionality, drawing inspiration from the unique character of each Los Angeles neighborhood, from the modern vibes of Malibu to the timeless elegance of Beverly Hills. Sorry for the SEO dump here, we like to keep it real! We also work across the country.
Stay tuned for more posts, and don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or topics you’d love us to cover!