Day 4 ~ Tips for Preparing for a Renovation!
It’s day 4 of the 10-day Countdown!! LOVE & THE HIDDEN HOCKEY CLUES. Book 1 of the Laugh-out-Loud Hockey Caper Romance series will be released May 14. Woohoo! Abigail is in the middle of renovations of her house when a box of hockey memorabilia is discovered. Today she’s sharing some renovation tips!
Renovations are awesome – said no one ever in the midst of it! But the final result is often worth the hassle of the process. A lighter, brighter, up-to-date, more functional space is the reward for suffering through the gazillion decisions that have to be made and the inconvenience and disruption to any sort of routine. Not to mention strangers showing up to your house at 7:30 am (or worse, not showing up at all!) Here are 4 tips for packing up and preparing for the renovation:
- When you clear out the space and pack up your belongings, label the boxes. Record the contents of each box in detail because, you know, as soon as you pack away the ice cream scoop you’re going to need it! It’ll also make unpacking much easier to do in stages if you can put your hands on what you need.
- Use this time to edit your belongings. It’s an excellent opportunity to declutter. Many charities will recycle gently used clothing, toys, musical instruments, and furniture. Often theatre groups are looking for vintage clothes, silk flowers, or fabric remnants. And just think – the more you give away, the less you have to pack!
- If you’re packing up a kitchen, go to your local liquor store and ask for free boxes. Shipping boxes for wine bottles have handy dividers that making packing glasses and stemware a snap.
- Pick out as many finishes as you can before the reno starts – big things like flooring, backsplash tile, paint colours, fixtures, and cabinet style, but also small things like cabinet knobs/pulls and décor pieces like mirrors and lighting. The more decisions you make before you start, the easier it will be and the less pressure you’ll be under when the deadline arrives and the contractors have to have the info. Knowing what appliances you want is a must before designing a kitchen, but having the appliances on site is even better. With supply chain issues, getting things delivered in a timely manner is a real problem. Now is not the time to be a procrastinator!
I hear renovations are a lot like childbirth – the pain in the midst of it is totally worth the end result and soon forgotten after the fact. Good luck with yours!
A bit about Love and the Hidden Hockey Clues ~
Following the clues and falling in love…
When she was younger, Dr. Abigail Clark dreamed of playing professional hockey, but the world wasn’t ready for a female player. That stung. She skated as far away from hockey as possible – until she lands a job in the emergency department of a hockey-crazy town and buys the house of the late beloved Zamboni driver. A tin box is discovered during the renovation of her new home, and Abigail brushes it off as a time capsule left by the previous owner – that is until someone tries to steal it. Turns out, the odd collection is more than just sentimental hockey memorabilia.
Abigail inadvertently embroils Del Braebury, captain of the local pro hockey team, into helping her sort it out. Her history with hockey players is rocky at best, but he comes in handy when she needs to access parts of the rink that are off limits. Del is happy to be tangled up in the clues of the hidden hockey loot. In the process of solving the mystery, he hopes to win Abigail’s heart!
Love and the Hidden Hockey Clues is up for pre-order. The big day is May 14! Can’t wait to share this story with you. Stayed tuned – tomorrow I’m sharing an excerpt!
Buy links ~
Amazon.com https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09YJXZS7H/
Amazon.ca https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B09YJXZS7H/
Paperback Amazon.ca: https://www.amazon.ca/Hidden-Hockey-Clues-Linda-OConnor/dp/198895522X/