It’s a significant and liberating moment in your life. Once you have let go of your college futon and your roommate’s attempts at fine art, it is time to create a plan to transform your house into a home. These are some ideas to help you get it done.
Make sure you clean up the place before you offer. This crucial first step will make packing up your current digs easier and help you get organized during move-in. You can get rid of as much as 25% to 50% of your stuff, including any broken appliances, furniture in the garage, or accessories that were given as gifts. This is the best time to start again. Reduce your possessions to a minimum. You can sell it at a garage sale or auction it on eBay. It will be amazing to see what you don’t miss.
The bedroom is the most important room in your home. You can save money by buying new bedding but not sacrificing quality. Investing as much as possible in this area makes a big difference. If you have the funds, paint your bedroom walls to match your new bedding. Do you still have money? You can also add coordinating window treatments. A lighter color palette and translucent therapies are better for those who rise early. People who prefer to sleep at night will be happier with darker tones and thicker coverings that block light. You can spend a lot if you want to buy the bed you have always wanted. Make sure you choose wisely. It should reflect your personality, be able to fit in your space comfortably, and last for many years.
Do not buy everything at once. You should live in your new home for at least two years before making any major purchases. Often, the way you envision yourself using the house and the actual life you lead are two completely different things. Perhaps the $5,000 you spent renovating your bathroom is not as important as enhancing the kitchen and dining room for maximum entertainment. You might also realize that the chaise in the den and the loveseat in your living room would be more comfortable in the main bedroom.
Resist the temptation to match. Although they would love to see you buy everything in sets, don’t! While a few pieces may have the same style, more will make your home look like a furniture showroom. Your style should be evident. It shouldn’t be bland, boring, or boring. Your furniture and accessories should be balanced in proportion and scale. You shouldn’t put five large pieces of lounge furniture in a 15×5 room with a low 8-foot ceiling. It will look like an ugly clown car. It will also look awkward and unsatisfying to put a small buffet and a round table for four in a 20×30 room with an 11-foot high ceiling.
Use color to tie everything together. Don’t panic if you have furniture from the 1960s and now. Unifying by color is the simplest and most cost-effective way to solve this seemingly impossible problem. Let’s suppose you have a sofa with one thing in common. A tiny amount of the fabric’s color is the same as the upholstery in your living room. Solution? This is the solution: You don’t have to do that much work; you can find accessories, curtains, and rugs in the same hue and see how they complement one another.
Resolve practical problems cheaply. For example, paint your kitchen cabinets and replace the hardware. Don’t spend too much on cabinet hardware for cheaply made woodwork. It will look out of place, and you can save money. Simple things like changing the lighting in the bathroom can instantly improve the appearance of the space. Replace the old incandescent R-type lamps in your new space with the more “yellow” PAR bulbs. Installing dimmer switches is another cost-effective solution that will pay off big. This can dim the light for a nighttime bathroom break or create a romantic atmosphere for two for bubble baths.