As your needs change, your home design may become outdated when it comes to style and functionality but a remodel can help you get the most from your interior space. Remodeling is a great way to maintain a modern and fully functional design but large projects can be stressful and take a long time if you’re not prepared.

Before you begin a home remodeling job, you need a plan that details every aspect of the project. It should include when to begin the work and when it should be finished along with the five steps to a successful home remodel discussed below.

Step One: Determine Your Objective

Before you call the electricians, plumbers and other professionals in to get started on the project, you need to know exactly what you want. This is not something that you can figure out as you go and changing your mind once the work begins can cause complications and delay the project. Determine your objectives and know what you want to change before you get started.

Step Two: Decide Where to Stay

Anytime you’re doing a major remodel, it’s best to have somewhere else to stay temporarily while the construction is in progress. Trying to stay in the home while it’s being remodeled is too disruptive. There would be people in and out from daylight to dark in addition to the noise and dust produced by the construction. It would be fewer problems and easier to maintain your normal lifestyle, if you stay somewhere else until the project is complete.

Step Three: Call in the Professional Designer

Many homeowners have tried to tackle a big remodeling project on their own, only to discover it’s a lot more to it than they realized. You can avoid the problems and headaches many of them dealt with by calling a professional designer right from the start. If you don’t already have an interior designer that you’ve used before, look for a licensed professional who carries insurance and check references before making your final decision.

An interior designer will help you create both a stylish and fully functional design that will suit your lifestyle. Most use computer aided design (CAD) software to create the layout on a computer, so you can actually see what your ideas will look like instead of trying to envision them. This way, you can make changes before the work even begins if needed.

Step Four: Be Willing to Part with the Old

Redecorating your home is a big job. It requires getting rid of so many of the things that you may have grown to love over the years and that can be hard. Many people find it difficult to part with items they’ve collected even when they don’t serve any real purpose but clearing away the clutter is necessary before you can create a design that’s modern and fresh.

Step Five: Be Realistic

It’s easy to get carried away when you first begin thinking about all the changes that you would like to make with your remodel. The best way to avoid this problem is to set a budget and prioritize. Create a list that details the changes you want to make starting with the most important first.

Once you have your list, go through and mark the necessities. Then do some research to estimate the cost for each and set aside funds for these. Then do the same for everything left on your list until you reach your budget limit.

Following these five steps can help ensure your remodeling project is a success.