The COVID-19 pandemic introduced the world to global supply chain management issues and the drastic effects that they can have on our everyday lives. From some products taking months longer to order to others skyrocketing in price, everyone was hit with a wake-up call about how dependent our economy is on supply chains.
For those of us trying to get into home improvement right now, these issues haven’t made it easy. However, there are some interesting ways to go about home improvement during supply chain shortages and knowing these can be a huge help.
Here are some tips for home improvement during a supply chain shortage.
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Look to New Ways of Creating a Nice Exterior
Typically, when it comes to improving the exterior of our homes, our first thought is to go to painting. While painting is a tried-and-true method — it’s far from the only one. If you’re planning to build or renovate a house during a supply chain shortage, it can be useful to explore some less conventional methods of crafting a beautiful exterior.
When you can’t get your hands on paint, the Japanese method of charring wood for houses may be an interesting avenue to explore. This method is called shou sugi ban, and it not only provides homes with a beautiful exterior, but also can protect them from elements such as water.
By utilizing interesting methods of crafting an exterior and protecting your home — such as shou sugi ban — you can avoid long waits and high prices of paint and other products during supply chain shortages.
Look for Used Appliances
One huge negative result of the COVID-19-related supply chain disruptions was the extremely long wait to get one’s hands on appliances such as refrigerators, ovens, and washing machines. Buying a new appliance could take months to arrive. For those who didn’t have a working refrigerator, this was obviously bad news.
If you’re looking to upgrade some appliances in your home during a supply chain shortage, it can save you a lot of time — and sometimes even money — to look for used appliances. While this way of buying appliances may be new for many, it’s not as difficult as it may seem.
An easy way to start is by asking friends and family if they know anyone interested in selling the appliance that you’re in the market for. If this turns out to be fruitless, you can turn to websites where other locals in your neighborhood are selling their belongings. Eventually, you’ll be sure to find the appliances you need without having to wait months to bring them into your home.
Take Advantage of Thrift Stores
As a result of supply chain shortages, the prices of some commodities such as lumber may skyrocket. When this happens, buying new furniture can cost an arm and a leg. To get around this issue and save your hard-earned dollars, thrift stores can be a great way to add some new decor to your home.
Every major city has a number of thrift stores with changing inventories. If you’re in the market for new furniture such as a table, frequenting your local thrift stores can result in you finding the perfect table without the hefty price tag. In addition, some thrift stores even donate proceeds to public assistance causes, meaning that you’ll be helping others in need while still saving money.
Restore Furniture and Fixtures
Sometimes, when you’re hit with the urge to buy new furniture, you don’t actually need it. What you probably need is for your current furniture and fixtures to be revitalized. When this happens, restoring old furniture can be a great way to avoid problems that are caused by supply chain shortages.
Today, there are more resources than there ever have been for restoring furniture. With a quick search on the internet, you can have the inspiration and instruction to successfully restore your furniture to add some new and exciting vibrance to your home.
For example, if your dining chairs are beginning to look tattered, you can save yourself money by reupholstering them yourself. This way you get to change things exactly the way you want while also avoiding the skyrocketing prices of furniture and fixtures during a supply chain shortage.
Go in Phases
While it’s natural to want to tackle a complete remodel all in one fell swoop, during supply chain shortages it might be a good idea to switch gears and go in phases. While it may not give you the big reveal you were hoping for, you’ll probably still be able to get it done in a reasonable time frame.
Choose which phases of home improvement to tackle depending on what items are expensive or hard to get your hands on. If your deck needs to be replaced but the price of lumber is skyrocketing, then you may want to focus on the office remodel first.
Though it’s a little inconveniencing, improving your home in phases can help you avoid some of the high prices and long wait times for products during a supply chain shortage.
Don’t Let Supply Chain Shortages Stop You
Supply chain shortages can seem like a home improver’s worst nightmare. However, by getting creative and strategizing effectively, you can avoid many of the issues that come from supply chain shortages. As such, you shouldn’t let supply chain shortages stop you from bringing your home improvement visions to life.
