How To Freshen Up The Home

New year, new you – right? Let’s face it, we’re already so far into the year that you’ve either moved forward in a new direction, or more likely, slipped back into old habits. Here are a few New Year’s resolutions to help you achieve your best home.

The Almighty Cull

Make your first pledge to not be a hoarder. OK, this one is pointed squarely at me, but it’s a good place to start. Begin by opening storage cupboards and pull out the contents. Create a semblance of order, then cull and sort the remainder, putting back only the most necessary things.

From a clean slate, you can place items where they’re meant to be instead of opening the nearest cupboard, bursting with random stuff, and shoving it in.

As I say, I’m giving myself a firm talking to in this instance. The old sayings “a place for everything” and “everything in its place” rings loud and true and I’m going to live by it in 2019. Wish me luck.

One Small Step For Your Interior

The easiest items for this are books, plants or your favourite floral bunch. These add some life to those plain table-tops that are less exciting than they could and should be.

Next, consider your shelves — you can do more than just put a few books on there. Try adding feature book ends, or arrange books in terms of size, colour or shape. Place some vertically and others horizontally to give the space some interest. Finish with some plant life – even faux succulents or ferns – and a few candles.

A few simple changes like these will help to create a mood and really lift your rooms.

Light The Way

Jazz up a table lamp by simply changing its shade. Regarding pendant lights, also refitting one with a new shade can change the focus and proportions of where it hangs, usually over a dining table or kitchen bench. It’s a simple, refreshing and reinvigorating change with minimal expenditure and effort.

Passion Project

Don’t take the easy option of replicating popular looks and styles, but think instead about how you can properly and truthfully represent your own desires and passions in your home.

For the uninitiated, this can be a daunting proposal, but make headway by looking at the trends and styles that appeal to you most and then fuse them with the things that you find most appealing from your own experiences.

That inspiration could come from travel, education, reading, design or nature – whatever it is that makes your heart race. Practicing and revising this fusion will take time.

Allow yourself the freedom to make mistakes and adaptations to your initial thoughts, but take time to allow your design flair to surface and bloom rather than just copying and pasting the latest trend or space you’ve seen on Pinterest or in a magazine.

No More Procrastinating

It’s time to attack those odd jobs you’ve been putting off for months, or even years – a coat of paint on walls or doors to give them a lift, wallpapering to spruce up a bedroom and replacing old door and cabinet handles. Whatever it is that will make a difference to your home that you’ve been slow to start on, make the time.

You’ll soon discover that the effort you put in now will be well and truly worth it.

Source: Article by Darren Palmer published on Domain.com.au