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6 Ways To Sucessfully Remodel Your Home With Your Other Half

March 23, 2024
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While moving can be right up there with one of the most stressful experiences that life can serve you, remodeling or renovating your home can certainly be runner up. Having to make big, expensive decisions and dealing with the unexpected on top of a lot of dust can definitely pose its challenges. However, in the end the sense of accomplishment of completing a project that is now yours can be very rewarding. Here are some tips on how you can navigate the process more smoothly.

A picture is worth 1,000 words
Instead of trying to explain to your partner what you want, find photos that represent the look and feel of what you are going for. There are many magazines and inspirational photos that you can find online that will help you both be on the same page, be able to make better joint and cohesive decisions and can even be helpful for your contractor!

Prioritize and arrange by season
Think about the seasons as they can sometimes have an effect on your renovation project. If there are exterior walls being opened, then plan your job during the comfortable weather seasons. Prioritize your jobs accordingly.

Done is better than perfect
Most renovation projects will take longer than you originally planned. Recognize that while you don’t want to settle, progress beats perfection. Especially if your renovation compromises the use of an essential room in the house like a kitchen, get it done sooner than later so you can get back to a normal way of life. Small details can be buttoned up later.

One thing at a time
Unless you are not going to be living in the home, then tackle your projects one at a time. Trying to live through several things being redone at the same time can have you stressed out more than necessary. It can also have your stress having you make rash decisions that you could regret later on.

Color samples
Unless you have seen colors in actual application before, do yourself the service of using proper color samples. These days it is pretty easy to get a small jar of paint to test out on a wall. There are even larger peel and stick color samples that are even easier to use so that you can see how the color works in your room before committing to purchasing all of the paint necessary to do the job.

Divide and conquer
Even if each of your strengths are recognized, it is still a good idea to make a list of the things that need to be done and divide them up between the two of you. If there is anything that is a gray area, sometimes it is best to bite the bullet and add it to your list!
Beth Dickerson

Beth Dickerson

Boston, MA

About The Author

One of Boston’s most reputable real estate brokers, Beth Dickerson has achieved more than $2 billion in sales and thousands of successful real estate transactions over her nearly thirty-year tenure. Beth has received national acclaim from the real estate industry and represents some of the most prestigious residents and properties across Massachusetts. Her enduring record as a top producer comes from the intuitive gift of sensing her clients’ needs. She has built a business that is referral-based at its core—a testament to her relationship-driven approach and penchant for exceeding expectations. It is this nuanced expertise that Beth leverages to guide many of her clients-turned-friends through some of the greatest milestones of their lives.


Beth was the proprietor of her own real estate company before joining the residential division of R. M. Bradley in 1993, where she was a top producer for more than a decade.  In 2003, she founded her own boutique real estate firm, Dickerson Real Estate, before merging with Gibson Sotheby’s International Realty in 2007. Today, Beth attributes her success to her comprehensive marketing and advertising strategies, exclusive contact network, and unparalleled insight into neighborhoods like Back Bay, Beacon Hill, the South End and Waterfront. With an understanding that no two clients are alike, she works with clients in all phases of life—from first-time buyers to luxury developers, seasoned sellers and beyond. Beth offers clients the resources to aggressively market their property locally, nationally and globally, and her attention to detail, drive and enthusiasm are unmatched.


Beth has appeared in prestigious media outlets including The Wall Street Journal, Mansion Global, The Boston Globe, and Boston magazine, and was prominently featured as Greater Boston’s real estate expert on WCVB Chronicle in 2020. She has had the honor of serving as President of the Downtown Council of the Greater Boston Real Estate Board. For over ten years, she has been a Co-Chair and Committee Member for the Massachusetts General Pediatric Hospital for Children’s Storybook Ball. She serves as a Board Member of the Community Music Center of Boston and a member for the Perkins School for the Blind, Emerald Necklace Park Conservancy, Justine Liff Luncheon, Youth Villages and the Boys & Girls Club of Boston, among dozens of other organizations throughout the Boston area.

A long-time resident of Boston’s Back Bay, Beth was an active member of the community as she raised her two children: she served as treasurer of the Clarendon Street Playground and was an avid supporter of the Hill House Community Center.