December is finally here, and it’s time to start planning for and enjoying the festive season. Decorating the house for Christmas can be one of the most fun tasks of the month- from putting up the tree in the living room to wrapping tinsel around the stairs: it’s something which allows us to really let those creative juices flow.
As the end of the year is approaching, many of us may be starting to look at things we want to do to the home in the new year. It is understandable to get christmas out of the way with before starting any major projects, but you may have already planned a fair few of them. If you know that you want to refresh your home but you are still unsure exactly what you want to do… read on.
Add Colour
Possibly the easiest and cheapest way to refresh your home and make it feel new is to buy a tin of paint and splash some colour on the walls. If you already have fairly neutral furniture you have totally freedom when it comes to the colour you choose for the walls. If you want to give the room a spacious feel, stick to light colours such as pastels. If you do want to go for a bold colour like turquoise or orange: only paint one wall with that colour. Create a feature wall but leave the other walls white to keep that feeling of space in the room.
Upcycle
If you ever look on Pinterest, you are bound to see lots of different ways you can either DIY your own pieces of furniture for the home, or ways you can take old furniture and do it up into something which looks and feels brand new. If you want to work on your furniture and change them into something else for the home such as a table into a garden bench: put you furniture in Furniture storage and work on it away from home so you aren’t disturbed. Then bring it home and place it back where it belongs!
Your Garden
As soon as January comes around, it is time to start looking at your garden to prepare it for spring. A great idea would be to take some time at the weekend weeding the garden and clearing space for some herbs, vegetables or even fruit plants. You can make your own little food garden to cut down your shopping costs. Now is also the time to do anything with decking or create a patio before your garden springs back to life again. It means that your garden will be fresh and new ready for the warmer weather to arrive once more.
Makeover Your Spare Room
We all have that one room in the house which ends up looking like something from those hoarding shows on TV. Rather than leave a whole room with no purpose in the home. Why not take some time to transform it into something useful? You could opt for a classic office or study; turn it into a games room; a home cinema; or even a little art studio. Whatever your hobby is, this can be the place in the home that you use to do what you love.
De-Clutter
Once Christmas has been and gone, your home will most likely have a lot of rubbish knocking about. Now that you’ve received a bucket load of new things from your friends and family, it is the perfect time to have a clear out and get rid of things you no longer need. Old clothes can go to the charity shop for those in need, you can get rid of boxes and packaging at your local recycling plant, and then clear some space in your room for new items. Once you’ve made room in your home you will start to see the potential for new projects all over again.
Musical Chairs
If you don’t have the money to be ripping out your home and starting again, you could play a game of musical chairs instead. Move around the furniture in your home and rearrange it all into a different place. Without spending any money you will already see a massive difference in what your home looks like.
The Little Things
If you can’t justify spending loads of money on new furniture for your home, you can instead look to buying those little items which can make or break the style of your rooms. Try window shopping from online furniture stores to see what pieces you can add to your room. A rug can make a statement on your floor and add some colour to the room; family photography displayed on your walls can liven up a blank wall space or shelf; plants can make your room feel more alive and colourful; and candles and cushions will give your living room that oh so cosy feel in the evenings.
Take It Room by Room
The best way to look at potential home projects is to take it slowly. Write down all of the rooms in your home and start with the one which needs the most work. For example your kitchen may need ripping out or the cupboards rearranging for better productivity, and then you might want to re-tile the walls and add some paint. You may also want to change from a gas oven to an electric one which will require a professional coming out and sorting it out for you. Only ever decorate one room at a time because otherwise you will end up getting confused and you’ll be more likely to give up halfway through a project. Take it slow and do one job at a time until the room is done; then you can move on to the rest of the house.
The Unused Corner
In most homes there will be a small corner in the room or in your entryway which no one ever used for anything. Take the opportunity in the new year to add a comfy seat and turn this corner into a snug area or even a little book nook if anyone in your family loves to read.