Reno Expert: Keep it Clean

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by Jim Caruk

Photography courtesy of Bin Solutions

A neat and tidy home is a safe home

They say that cleanliness is next to godliness. But on a renovation or construction jobsite, cleanliness is essential for avoiding accidents that can have you meeting your maker sooner than you’d like.

Cleanliness around the home is important too. If you have kids, it’s a safe bet that at some point or another, you’ve experienced the pain of stepping on a piece of Lego or something from a Barbie set with your bare foot. But that pain pales in comparison to the injuries that can occur when tripping hazards are left on stairways.

Encouraging the kids to clean up after themselves from a very early age not only helps you out, it sets them up with good habits to carry through life. Mind you, during the teenage years you’ll want to pick your battles….

Also, apparently, clutter can actually cause stress. If there’s too much visual stimulation in a room, your brain can’t calm down and focus on the important things. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, start small and chip away at the problem.

For example, rather than cluttering up the kichen counter with a pile of change, notepads, pens, keys, and the like, designate a “junk” drawer and buy some dividers so you can organize everything for easy access. There are entire stores dedicated to shelving, racks, and bins for organizing your clutter.



If you are tackling some DIY renovations, make sure you keep things orderly to avoid injuries. If you’re ripping out an old deck or fence, bang down any exposed nails so no one steps on them or jabs their hand. Neatly pile the trash in an area away from foot traffic until it can be safely disposed of. Cords and hoses are another jobsite hazard, so make sure they aren’t snaking around ready to trip someone.

In some cases, you may need to rent a temporary storage space to get stuff out of the way. Make sure you keep the emphasis on temporary. No one wants to star in an episode of Hoarders, or see people bidding on their junk in a forgotten storage locker.