Kim & Kanye #justlikeus

Honestly, when you think about it, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are just like totally normal people – going over time and over budget on a renovation. Just like us, they had to live with the in-laws for a while while work was happening (hi Kris!). And when that got too much (renovation timeline not going as planned) they moved into interim accommodation while work was still happening. I guess things got a little crowded at Kris’s place. And to top it all off, there were suggestions that Kanye’s VPB (very public breakdown) was caused in part by the stress of the renovation. Man, I hear you! Those things can be stressful!

 

So, what life lessons can we learn from Kim and Kanye and how can we avoid falling victim to too much stress during a major (beauty parlour, recording studio, movie theatre, swimming pond) renovation?

 

Think carefully about where you’re going to live during the building work.

Sure, you could live with your parents, but even though there may not be a financial cost to that (though I hope you would offer to contribute to the household budget) there might be an emotional cost. Relationships can get damaged and be harder to repair than a hole in the gyprock. When you’re costing your renovation be realistic about costing in the price of alternative accommodation while it’s all happening. For major renos that might be up to a year.

 

Make decisions and stick to them.

Changing your mind is a surefire way to add time and dollars to a renovation. Rumour has it that Kanye would approve some building work and then see it and order it ripped out and done over. That’s expensive (apparently their reno billis US$10million so far) and adds a lot of time to the project. Better to take a little extra time up front so that you’re really sure of your decision before you hit the go button. Also, recognise that perfection is not attainable. You can aim for quality but be reasonable.

 

Consider taking a holiday while it’s all happening.

Kim went to Paris for a bit while their reno was happening (that didn’t work out so well) but you could keep it low-key (and take less jewellery) by heading to a holiday house, caravan park or camping ground to get away from the mayhem and stress. Being away for a week is not going to have any huge effect on your building job, so relax for a bit.

 

Have a friend on hand to offer tea (or wine) when necessary.

Sometimes the dust, builders in the house and endless decisions about taps and tiles can all get a bit much, so make sure you’ve got a friend on standby who can offer you a soothing drink and something more substantial than Thai takeaway or a microwave meal.

Have you lived through a renovation? What’s your advice for surviving it? How else are Kim and Kanye #justlikeus?

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