There’s something to be said about making your new home your own, especially before you move in. A few strategic renovations let you walk into a space that already feels comfortable, familiar, and truly yours from the very first day.
“Moving into a new home can elicit multiple feelings: excitement, joy and relief,” says Lauren Dutko, Health and Wellness Navigator at The Marshes of Skidaway Island. The Marshes is known for blending relaxed island living with a close-knit community atmosphere. “Moving is a big transition,” she continues. “It’s exciting, but it can be stressful, too.”
Personalizing the new space before making the move, however, can help ease anxiety associated with the relocation. “It also increases our level of emotional wellness by reaffirming ownership and autonomy,” says Dutko. That sense of control can bring added comfort and reassurance during a period of change.
Eric Dudasko, Executive Director at The Marshes explains, “Adding personal touches to your new space before the move can make the transition feel exciting and help you settle in more comfortably.”
Comfort, Safety, and Coordination
Coordinating renovations is a challenge, though, for anyone. Managing multiple contractors, overseeing the budget, dealing with new technology, and understanding technical details like electrical load limits and plumbing constraints can be mentally exhausting.
When layered on top of an already significant life transition, that complexity can amplify stress. For example, Catherine Ruhl and her husband Jim, residents of The Marshes, decided early on that they would renovate their new home before moving in, to create that sense of place. But their timeline coincided with an unexpected challenge. “We moved into The Marshes during COVID,” she says.
During the pandemic, Ruhl was shopping for items to complete the renovation, from light fixtures to furniture. Because much of her shopping was online, and because they were in the thick of the renovation, she expected a deluge of deliveries she couldn’t store. Ruhl had help, though. Her Renovation Specialist.
Finding a Helping Hand
Renovation specialists are part of The Marshes Renovation Services program and serve as the point person for residents pursuing renovation projects. They help residents shape a home into what truly reflects their style and the way they want to live. Working closely with each resident, they guide the customization process, from selecting finishes and materials to incorporating current design trends, modern touches, and thoughtful upgrades that make a space feel both contemporary and personal.
On the surface, renovation specialists gather personal selections, prepare estimates, secure bids if needed, and review final costs with residents for approval. In practice, their role often extends beyond logistics.
For Ruhl, working closely with her renovation specialist provided a solution to her storage challenge. “He said if I sent all these items to him, he would store them, and when it was time to use them, he would access them from his storage. A huge relief!”
Safety was also a concern for Ruhl, and her renovation specialist advised her on updates she could make to ease her mind. “We ended up with extra grab bars, pull-out shelves on our bottom cupboards, extra outlets, closet adaptations, and so many wonderful things to keep us safe,” says Ruhl.
Small Changes, Big Impact
Balancing style with safety is also an important part of the conversation. That’s why some of the most impactful changes are often the simplest, explains Don Trahan, a renovation specialist at The Marshes.
“Think about replacing obstacles like room transitions with continuous flooring,” he explains. “It creates a smoother flow throughout the home while maintaining a cohesive look.” Open floor plans can also help create a more contemporary, airy feel that works well with today’s design preferences.
The right details, from flooring choices to cabinetry upgrades or lighting selections, can transform a space while maintaining the home’s character.
