If you’ve been putting off making some big changes in your home, now is the time to start. While remodeling, renovating, and re-designing in a pandemic will always come with different sets of pros and cons, there’s also no denying that our homes need to be able to accommodate our day-to-day needs now that we are compelled to stay home as much as we can.
Here are some home projects that are worth investing in during the COVID-19 crisis.
Blending the indoors and the outdoors
Living with a pandemic means that we always need to be ready for government-mandated lockdowns and quarantine periods, which means that our homes need to be a place where we won’t have cabin fever. Blending the indoors and the outdoors in our home entails that we invest in our porch or deck. If you haven’t done it in a while, have professionals inspect your porch to see if anything needs repairing or attention, especially if it’s sinking. Repairing the porch and eventually redesign it are a great way to start preparing your home as a refuge for you and your family when COVID-19 cases rise again since you’ll have somewhere comfortable to go to breathe in some fresh air.
You can also incorporate additional features into your front porch or yard, like an outdoor kitchen or grill, and plant boxes. More than a place where you and your family can sit down and eat, your outdoor area should also serve as a place where you can gather, move your bodies, and do some productive hobbies like gardening. It will also be a great place to let your pets run and exercise.
Multifunctional spaces
Along with a work-from-home setup, you also never know when your state requires kids to do distance learning to curb the spread of COVID-19. While your kids can certainly attend classes from their rooms, it will also do them a world of good if they can have their homework station. This is because our brains are wired to associate specific locations with certain activities—for one, our bed is where we rest and sleep. When we work from our beds, we train our minds to keep working and running even when it’s already time for bed.
Multifunctional spaces are the answer to this problem, especially if you don’t have an extra room in your house. It can be a specific space where you, your partner, and your kids can take work or school calls, and it’s a space that’s specifically dedicated to that purpose. You can also invest in stylish foldable tables and chairs so that the room can also turn into a game room during the summer.
Kitchen island
Speaking of multifunctional spaces, a big kitchen island is also worth investing in during COVID-19 since it can be a place where your kids can study and do homework while you cook lunch or dinner. It will be extremely beneficial for your kids to have more than one place in the house where they can do their tasks because it will remind them that they’re not alone and that you have their backs while they study from home. At the same time, an island provides more storage and cabinetry, and a movable one can also add versatility to your kitchen.
Outdoor or in-law suite
Another home addition that you can look into is the in-law suite, which is a guest room that’s separate from your home. In-law suites usually have all the basic amenities: a bedroom, a seating area, a small kitchen, and a bathroom. If your yard is big enough to add an in-law suite, consider investing in one as well. You never know when any of your family members need to self-isolate if they contract the virus that causes COVID-19.
More lighting
Natural light is one of the most sought-after features in the real estate industry, and unsurprisingly so—natural light can make any home look instantly bigger, better, and brighter; and big windows provide us with our much-needed daily dose of vitamin D. If your home is on the dimmer side, consider making the windows bigger to let more light in. If your windows are already sufficient, drop the drapes or curtains and let the warmth of the sun into your home. Consider trimming your shrubbery and trees as well, especially if they already provide too much shade.
At a time when we’re dealing with a pandemic, there’s no better place to invest in than our homes. Since COVID-19 will still be around for the foreseeable future, whether as a pandemic or an endemic, our homes need to function in ways that are optimal for our health, hygiene, and productivity.
