Surviving the Chaos: Our Journey Through Gutting and Adding onto Our Home

If you ever thought home renovations were stressful, try doing them while pregnant! That’s right—because clearly, we weren’t juggling enough, we decided to gut and add onto our house right as I was expecting our second child. What could go wrong, right? I was excited, but also overwhelmed by the thought of how this massive project would affect our family life. Spoiler alert: it was a wild ride!

Our family was growing, and with me being pregnant with baby number two, it was clear that our tiny home wasn’t going to cut it anymore. We needed more space for the chaos that comes with kids—more room for toys, more room for us to breathe! So, we made the big decision to gut our house and add onto it, turning it into the home we hoped would be our forever spot.

Of course, with a project this big, there were plenty of fears swirling around. The cost was a major concern—who wouldn’t worry about the financial impact of a big renovation? Then there was the inconvenience of not having our home to live in, and the countless unknowns that come with a renovation. But we were also filled with excitement. The idea of designing a home perfectly suited for our growing family, putting our personal touches on everything, and having more space made the stress seem worthwhile—most days!

The real chaos didn’t start until we had to figure out how to live during the renovation. My husband’s job takes him all over the place, so we rented a house almost two hours away from our home, where he was working at the time. The plan was to live near his job until I was around 34 weeks pregnant, then move back to our hometown and stay with my parents to be closer to my doctor and get ready for the baby’s arrival.

Living in a rental house while traveling back to our hometown every weekend was hectic enough, but it didn’t stop there. Our stuff was scattered between three locations: our gutted home, the rental, and my parents’ house. And in a moment of questionable decision-making, we thought it’d be smart to leave some things in the unfinished basement during construction—BIG mistake! Everything is still covered in dust down there, and I’m not sure we’ll ever recover.

Amidst the chaos, we made another bold move—deciding to transition our two-year-old from her crib to a toddler bed. Let me tell you, that was NOT the time to make such a change. Cue the 4:00 a.m. wake-ups, with her standing at our bedroom door ready to start the day. Lesson learned: keep the crib when your life is already upside down!

Even though we’ve been moved in for almost a year now, there’s still so much to do, and the chaos continues.

The renovation itself didn’t impact us too much because we weren’t living in the house while it was being gutted. That part, in a way, was a blessing! What was challenging, though, was the constant back-and-forth travel between where my husband was working and our hometown. Our daughter wasn’t exactly a fan of long car rides, and neither was the dog, so the drives were… let’s just say, “interesting.”

Luckily, our marriage survived the renovation, mostly because we agreed on almost all the design decisions. The hardest part was how busy my husband was—working a full-time job while managing the renovation didn’t leave him with much free time. But living with my parents during this time was incredibly helpful. They pitched in with our oldest daughter and then with our newborn once she arrived, which gave us some breathing room.

The most frustrating part? Not seeing my husband as much. I had to keep reminding myself that he was just as frustrated, missing time with us and being overloaded with work. But we made it through by communicating how we felt, and that helped us cope.

The silver lining? Our daughter got to watch the house being built and loved every minute of it! She took such pride in showing visitors the progress and couldn’t wait to move into her new room. That excitement made all the chaos a little easier to handle.

Keeping it together throughout the renovation was tough, especially after having a newborn. But I’m so thankful for both of our families—they were our lifeline. Without their help, I’m not sure how we would have managed.

If I could offer any advice to others going through a renovation, it’s this: communication with your spouse is key. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed, like the world is crashing down on you, but remember, you’re not in it alone. Your partner is going through it, too, and both of your feelings are valid. You’re allowed to feel frustrated, stressed, or even angry—it’s hard on everyone!

Now that we’ve been in our newly renovated home for almost a year, I can honestly say it’s been amazing! Before, our house was so small that we essentially lived in one room. Now, we have the space we desperately needed, and it has made all the difference, especially with two little ones running around.

My favorite part of the new house? The kitchen! The old one was tiny and cramped, but now we have a big, open space where we can cook, eat, and spend time together. Plus, having more room for the girls to play has been a game-changer. I’m so glad we chose to renovate instead of moving because our land is perfect for raising kids—it feels like the best of both worlds.

Looking back, it feels like we’re living a completely different life now. The stress, the long drives, the dust-covered basement—it was all temporary, and so worth it in the end. We love our new home, and I wouldn’t change a thing about the journey that got us here.

If you’re going through your own renovation, hang in there! The chaos will pass, and the reward is worth every minute of stress.

Have you survived a renovation, or are you in the middle of one now? I’d love to hear your stories, tips, or even your renovation disasters! Share them in the comments below—I know I’m not the only one who’s dealt with the mess, stress, and excitement of creating a new home.

If you’re enjoying following our journey, be sure to subscribe to my blog for more updates on our home, family life, and parenting adventures. And don’t forget to share this post with anyone who’s considering a renovation (or in the trenches of one) so they know they’re not alone!