As any parent who has recently sent their kids back to school knows, planning ahead is paramount. Just as you attend orientations, map out school routes, purchase pencils and miscellaneous supplies, and brainstorm on-the-go lunches, so too there’s a set list of planning tips you should start on today for your 2019 remodel.

1. Define Your Priorities

For most of us, house renovation ideas are like to-do items on a cleaning list: they never end. Sure, you may want to build an addition, upgrade your kitchen, transform your basement into a home theater, and renovate your master bathroom, but unless you have the budget and time to accommodate a whole home remodel all at once, you’ll need to start by prioritizing your list of projects.

2. Create an Ideabook

Next, it’s time to turn that fledgling remodeling vision into a tangible plan. But nothing in life transitions immediately from an idea to a set-in-stone roadmap. Start your design roadmap by collecting inspiration. Create Houzz and Pinterest accounts to store ideas, make physical notes of any designs you love in friends’ and neighbors’ homes, and pay attention to which colors you like to live with. These are the building blocks of your design.

3. Keep a Journal

We recommend collecting inspiration in a journal to explain ideas verbally as well as on your computer to depict them visually. Your journal is also a great place to include little things you notice about your daily routine. For instance, start paying attention and taking notes on what works well in your current home, be that layout, storage, or visuals, and what feels awkward or in need of improvement.

4. Start Looking at Selections

Next, it’s time to start familiarizing yourself with your selection options. Whether that means tiling styles for your bathroom, hardwood flooring for your living room, or appliances for your kitchen, start thinking about which selections you like. Not only will this contribute to your overall layout and design decisions, but it will also give you a more realistic idea of price points before your actual remodeling bid comes in.

5. Identify Your Ideal Schedule

Before you reach out to your contractor to solicit a bid, think about your ideal timeframe: which travel plans do you have in place for the upcoming year? Do you have any major events to work around? Are you committed to hosting family or friends during certain seasons? While you’ll need to be somewhat flexible, knowing ahead of time which months and dates absolutely can’t work will help you communicate more efficiently with your contractor.

6. Check Your Contractor’s Availability

We wrote “identify your ideal schedule” for a reason--as with anything, your home remodeling project is a two-way street. Keep in mind that your renovation contractor likely also has projects already in place for the upcoming year. If you don’t want a rush-job you’ll regret, it’s wise to stay open to various timelines for your home remodel.

7. Plan to Adapt Your Routine

Finally, now that you’ve contacted your contractor and you have an idea of the timeline for your upcoming renovation, start to think through how your project will influence your routine. The more you mentally plan for how to rearrange your belongings and coordinate schedules with everyone in your household, the better prepared you’ll be to tackle your 2019 home remodel successfully.