Now that we’re almost halfway through April, you’ll have probably done your spring cleaning. It’s a traditional activity at this time of year in most households. It’s an excellent way to give your home a reboot after the colder months. New year, new start. But once you’ve decluttered and got things smart and tidy? Well, you may find that despite as clean as can be, your decor looks a little tired. So what can you do? Why not give your home a whole new lease of life and make some improvements?
Of course, it can be a minefield. Don’t we all start off with the best intentions? But sometimes we just run out of steam halfway through. Before you know it, you’re worse off than when you started and end up living in a chaos of half-finished DIY projects. Unless you’ve got a strong focus, it can be hard to keep to the task at hand. If you tend to get overwhelmed, then this is something that can happen all too often. That’s why it pays to try and focus on one area at a time and finish it before you even think about starting on the next project. Once you get overwhelmed, procrastination becomes a big player, so just don’t do it!
What are you going to do first? You might not know where to start. When you’re somewhere familiar, you may not see flaws as clearly as you might do elsewhere. So here’s a great tip – if you’re planning on renovating your home before you decide what you need to do, go away for a day or two. One, it’s brilliant opportunity to recharge your batteries. You’ve got a lot of hard work ahead. Two, it will also help you look at your house with a refreshed viewpoint. Think about when you’ve been away from home in an immaculate hotel. When you get back, all of a sudden those spots on the carpet and all of your clutter are for more apparent. Taking some time out may help you find it easier to make a plan.
Where will you start? If you spend a lot of time in the kitchen, then it may be in need of some serious attention. Even with excellent extraction and ventilation, the walls of a kitchen can need attention on a regular basis. Lighten your workload by using a washable paint. Wipeable types of color are all good and well, but they’re not going to withstand the heat. Now, that’s not just from your cooking, but the general wear and tear. Tough, hard wearing paints may be expensive, but if you opt for low-grade versions they aren’t going to last very long. If your units have seen better days, then examine the shells. If they’re still serviceable, then replacing just the doors, and perhaps the worktops will revive your kitchen at a fraction of the cost.
Your home may be in good repair, and just a few surface details need correcting. But if there’s work to be done of a technical nature, then it pays to get the professionals in. Companies like U.S. Plumbing spend a lot of time trying to put mistakes bodged up by home DIYers. Plumbing, heating, and electricity are not things you should try and mess with unless you are suitably qualified. You would be placing not just you and your property at risk, but others and their homes too. There are reasons why people have to train and qualify for this sort of work, and it’s here at you shouldn’t try and cut costs. Do shop around for quotes, but if you get a price that is significantly lower than all the others? Use your common sense. If something seems to good to be true, then it usually is. Don’t fall victim to rogue cowboy workmen who will rip you off. Seek recommendations from family or friends, or use trusted websites with genuine reviews.
If your bathroom is looking nowhere near its best, then it’s not difficult to restore it to its former glory. A lick of paint can work wonders. Grout looking grubby? You don’t have to go to all the effort and hard work of scraping it out and starting again. Use a grout pen to make your white bits bright again. If your suite is sound and still in good condition, it’s not hard to give them an instant makeover. Simple fixes like changing taps, shower heads, and handles can bring your bathroom bang up to date. Finishing touches like some bright funky towels and matching mats will breathe new life into your lavatory!
Bedrooms can all too often become a dumping ground. When you are trying to keep key areas of your home tidy, sometimes it just seems easiest shove everything away upstairs. Considering this is meant by the room when you able to relax and have a good night’s sleep? You are never going to find peace in a room that looks like a storage center. It should be an oasis of peace and quiet for you to escape and unwind from the stresses and strains of everyday life. So it’s time to sort it out. Get rid of everything that doesn’t belong in there. If you’ve got a floordrobe, put your clothes away. If you need to decorate, then choose relaxing, calming tones that will aid a restful night and give you sweet dreams. And treat yourself to some new linen. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of getting into a freshly made bed with fresh, clean sheets. After all this hard work, you’ll be ready for some zeds; that’s for sure!
If your living room is worn out from everyday use, it’s time for a refresh. Fix it up quickly and without spending a fortune by switching things round. Rehang your pictures and wall art in different places. Rearrange your furniture, then finish off with a few carefully chosen accessories. Mix and match for a casual but chic look, and you’ll fall in love with your home all over again in 2016.
