Now that you are spending more time in your home, you may as well make the most of your living space while practicing social distancing. A DIY home makeover may be just what you need to lift your spirits and make your time at home more positive. Little things like cutting the clutter and rearranging furniture and decor can go a long way to turning your home into a quarantine haven. Check out our simple home ideas below:
Almost everything looks better after a good cleaning, and spring has sprung so why not get a jumpstart on your spring cleaning. Get rid of old possessions cluttering your home such as old clothes, unused gadgets and knick-knacks you are no longer crazy about, and give yourself some much-needed space back. Decluttering your space allows you to be more efficient with storage, and the overall flow of your home. What’s more, studies have shown that decluttering your space has a positive effect on stress levels and focus which can only help during uncertain times. Once you’ve purged items you no longer need, it’s time to deep clean everything from your floors, countertops, cabinets, windows and even your ceilings. You can even go a step further and polish your wood furniture and floors.
Organization is key to any living space, especially in smaller homes. Keeping things organized prevents much frustration and wasted time by keeping things in a place that makes sense, and is easy to find when you need it. A good place to start is by assessing your most cluttered spaces and identifying any wasted space in your home. Then bring everything out and assess how much space you actually have in your closets, pantry and other areas of your home. Now that you have a better idea of what kind of space you are dealing with, the next step is to group similar things together and determine the best organizational solution to go with, whether it’s baskets, bins, shelving or a different option. When deciding what options to go with, don’t forget about utilizing vertical space! Keep in mind what you use regularly, and make these items easily accessible. Once you have gone through and organized your larger items and have them placed in their new spot, go back through and fill in any gaps with smaller things.
Change can be good, especially when you’re looking at the same stuff every day. Rearranging your living room or bedroom furniture is a great way to give you a fresh outlook without buying anything new. When planning to rearrange, it's important to measure the items you are rearranging. Just because they fit one way does not mean they will fit another. By jotting down measurements from the start, you can better decide what to move and what to keep as is. Thanks to modern technology, there are a variety of home design apps that you can use to measure, plan, and layout your space before having to physically move anything. Keep in mind the traffic flow of your house as you lay out your space.
Many of us are now working from home, which can be quite an adjustment if you’re not used to it. Some of us may not even have a desk at home, while others do but need to rearrange their workspace. If you don’t have a desk, then find somewhere in your home to set up shop that is out of the way, whether it be your dining room table, kitchen bar or another area of your home. For those who have a desk they rarely use, now’s the time to use it! Clean it off and organize it close to your normal office setup. To efficiently work, some of us may need to get additional equipment such as a second monitor, keyboard, etc so make sure you have everything set up correctly in its own space. Feeling restless? You may want to order or fashion a tall computer stand to use as a standing desk.
Our last home makeover idea is to bring more of the outdoors inside your home via house plants and plenty of natural light. Plants are a great way to add energy, color and liveliness to space. There is a wide variety from smaller spider plants to larger fig trees that you can choose from. There are even low-maintenance houseplants for those lacking a green thumb, such as succulents. Keep your furry friends in mind when researching what plants to put in your home, some are toxic to dogs and cats!
Natural light is another great way to brighten up your living space. Replace heavy, dark curtains with lighter, airier window treatments. And support this by ensuring the room features light colors and decor elements, such as mirrors and glass to magnify the effects of natural light. Perhaps you discover you would like to add more windows to your home, use this downtime to discover the best window designs to have in mind when you can tackle your next home project.
We know now is the time to focus on our health and try to make the most of our time at home. This can include making simple fixes to your home and trying out new design ideas like what’s listed above. This can also be a great time to research current home trends and get inspiration from finished home designs to keep in mind for your future home project. Check out our full portfolio for ideas and more while you binge your next TV show.