Planning for a home renovation is like any big project — the idea is exciting, but getting it done can be stressful.

When it comes to improving parts of your home, from the kitchen to the bathroom, and everything in between, there are several steps you can take to ease the process, saving both time and money.

1. Figure out the scope of your project.
What exactly do you want to accomplish and what’s your budget? If it’s a huge undertaking and more money than you have on hand in cash, look into applying for a home equity loan or reverse mortgage.

When creating your budget, be mindful of the full set of costs: labour, materials and equipment. If you’re painting a room, for example, don’t forget to take stock of any brushes and buckets you’ll need to buy on top of the paint.

2. Decide whether it’s possible to live at home while you execute your renovation.
Renovations can be a dusty, noisy, and inconvenient business. If necessary, stay with family or friends — or, if someone else is doing the work, this might be a good time to go away on holiday.

If you do choose to stay at home while the renovations are underway, make sure to have a plan in place for children and pets. Both are curious by nature and it’s important to set up the necessary safety protections ahead of time to keep them safe. Also, keep in mind where you will sleep and cook while the work is being completed.

3. Hire the right people.
To avoid delays, make sure to be in close contact with the right people from the start and get a written record of all requests and expected deadlines. Be decisive in your decisions, and make sure to select whatever materials and products you need well enough in advance to avoid backlogs.

Also, be realistic about what parts of the project are do-it-yourself. This is where many people overestimate their abilities and end up taking on more than they can chew. Certain tasks like painting, cabinets, and other small fixtures are easily done but things like plumbing or electrical work should be left to professionals, unless you have a very strong background in it.

4. Prepare yourself mentally.
It’s okay to feel stressed during a home renovation but knowing that you’ve readied everything as much as possible will help ease some of the burden. Stick to your plan but try to be flexible if anything unexpected happens like delays.

At the end, you’ll have a beautifully remodelled home.

The warm summer weather and sunshine should be enough to entice most kids out of the house but sometimes, staring at screens for hours at a time can be all too tempting.

The easiest way to get kids active and moving around outside is to simply make it fun. So the next time they complain about being bored, suggest some of these activities instead.

1. Run a lemonade stand
This is a classic summer pastime for children of all ages. Let the kids figure out pricing, marketing and sales — not only will selling lemonade (and whatever snacks on the side, like cookies or brownies) earn them some spending money this summer, it’ll also teach valuable lessons.

2. Make a giant board game with chalk
Whether it’s hopscotch or Twister, pull out the chalk sticks and get creative. Invite a few neighbourhood kids over for double the fun.

3. Visit the public library
Even for kids who aren’t bookworms, there is likely something to pique their interest at the local library. Oftentimes, they run all kinds of classes and workshops for kids from finger painting to meet-and-greats with authors.

4. Make ice cream or popsicles
Even the youngest of children can follow a simple recipe of freezing popsicle mixtures — and, for the older or braver, turn to ice cream bowls and a bit of elbow grease to make some deliciously cold treats.

5. Look into summer camps
If you’re stuck working and can’t take time off, summer camps can be a great way to keep kids out of trouble and engaged. There is a camp for almost every interest, from adventure to science to cooking to coding — the options are endless.

6. Go camping — in your backyard
There’s no need to go very far for a camping adventure. Just pitch a tent in the back garden, make some s’mores over a fire (or the BBQ) and stargaze from just metres from the safety of home.

7. Have a water balloon fight
When the water restrictions come into effect and sprinklers are turned off, it’s not the end of water fun. Fill up some balloons and cool off by tossing them around.

Sunny days and warm temperatures are a welcomed sign of summer coming. But it’s not too long before things start to get hot in the house— maybe too hot.

Putting a large AC unit in every room of the house or installing a swimming pool in the backyard might seem like great ways to keep cool, they’re also hugely expensive.

Here are some tips to cool things down without breaking the bank.

1. Grow some houseplants
Some plants, like cacti and bromeliads, take in water from the air and so can help reduce humidity in your home. That keeps everything cooler.

2. Buy a dehumidifier
If the plants aren’t cutting it, buy a dehumidifier to do the same job of removing moisture from the air and making you feel cooler even at hot temperatures.

3. Close your blinds
It might be nice to have rays of sunlight streaming in through the windows, but it heats up the space very quickly. Keeping the light out during the peak sunlight hours can reduce the temperature in your home from 10-15 C.

4. Shade the outside
If you can’t stand having the blinds drawn and a dark house, shade the outside of your windows with awnings. This will at least cool the air before it enters.

5. Reverse your fans
Setting the ceiling fans to spin counter-clockwise helps pull hot air up and away, rather than pushing it down towards you. In general, you want to pull warm air away rather than just move it around.

6. Cool sheets
Choosing materials that wick away heat and moisture – like silk or cotton — for your bed sheets can help you feel much better at night.

7. Create a flow of air
Be strategic about where you place fans and which doors you open to create a flow of air moving throughout the house.

8. Self-care
If you’re feeling good yourself, the weather will feel more manageable. Drink lots of water to stay hydrated, avoid exertion and wear appropriate clothes.