Mistakes I made during this Midterm Rental Renovation
Written by: Rene
I let a good deal distract me from the bigger picture.
If you followed the refrigerator saga on social media, you already know where this is going. After my first TWO refrigerator choices went out of stock, I found an incredible deal at Costco: an $899 counter-depth refrigerator. If you've ever shopped for one, you know that price is almost unheard of. I was also deep into decision fatigue. I had already picked two refrigerators I couldn't actually get, I was tired of thinking about it, and this one was a GREAT deal. Sold.
Except there was one problem; it wasn't right for the space. It wasn't a true full-size fridge, so once it was installed, it looked undersized compared to the rest of the kitchen. It also didn't have a water dispenser or ice maker, which were features that felt noticeably missed in a unit where I had intentionally invested in other upgraded amenities. Thanks to the powers of social media, all of you were very quick to set me straight.
So I returned it and started the refrigerator search AGAIN.
In trying to save money and be done with the decision, I actually extended the decision-making process. Looking back, this one makes me laugh because it goes against something I talk about all the time: don't make rental decisions based solely on what's cheapest. Think about the overall guest experience. Apparently, I needed my own reminder.
A good deal is only a good deal if it's actually the right product for the property and sometimes, after months of decisions, delays, budgets, and things going out of stock, even those of us who know that can be distracted by an $899 refrigerator.
I spent WAY too much time in the research rabbit hole.
If mistake #1 was making a decision too quickly, this one was probably the opposite. I spent so much time researching some of the products and finishes for this renovation. I wanted to make the right choice, so I would compare options, read reviews, research materials, look at pricing, and generally obsess over a decision until I felt confident I had found the one. As my luck would have it, “the one” would go out of stock. This happened over. And over. Again.
Because I had invested so much time and mental energy into making the “perfect” choice, every out-of-stock notification felt devastating. Suddenly I wasn't just picking another tile or appliance, I was going all the way back to the drawing board after spending hours getting there in the first place. There was definitely an upside, though. I now know WAY more about tile, flooring, appliances, cabinets, plumbing fixtures, and countless other things than I did before this renovation. That knowledge will absolutely help me on future projects.
Not only that, but I also learned that there is a point of diminishing returns with research. Could I have spent half as much time researching and still made a really good, informed decision? Probably. Next time, I want to get better at recognizing when I am informed enough rather than continuing to search for the absolute perfect choice. Because sometimes the extra three hours of research doesn't actually lead to a better decision. It just leads to three fewer hours of my life…and occasionally an out-of-stock notification anyway.
The lesson? Balance.
Like most things in life, the biggest lesson I'll take into my next renovation is finding better balance. Research enough to be informed, but not so much that I obsess over the perfect choice. Look for the great deal, but not at the expense of the property or guest experience. The goal isn't to get every decision right. It's to get better at knowing which decisions deserve my time, when something is “good enough,” and whether a great deal actually fits the bigger picture.
You can know a lot, do your research, have a clear vision and still make decisions you later change. That's part of actually doing the project. Hopefully, each project makes the next one a little easier.
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Vant Panels
I used these Vant Panels as a headboard for the dining nook banquet seating. It was exactly what the space needed. (See photo above)
Poly & Bark Sofa
I needed a leather sofa for this midterm rental living room and the Poly&Bark one was perfect. (See photo above)