Garage door roller professional 77 in agate grey from Thomas Sanderson
Ever looked around your home and realised just how dated and worn it feels and looks? Once you have lived in your home for any length of time it can be really easy not to notice the wear and tear that is occurring. When we see our home every day we can become blind to the state of it. It is normal for us. Sometimes it takes visitors coming round or even a visit to someone else’s home to realise that actually, maybe you need a home refresh. I definitely feel like this at the moment and so I have started to make some small changes around the flat that will give it a bit of a lift and a freshen up. Let me share with you some of the changes that I have been making.
1. Declutter Your Home
Smartstore Classic storage solutions from Orthex
Decluttering your home is where you need to start with your home refresh. It is extremely hard to make your home feel new and fresh if it is jam-packed with stuff. By decluttering you can reveal your home’s original appeal and create more open, airy spaces. Nobody want’s to feel like they are drowning in their own home and this is definitely not good for our mental health. Having a tidy well organised home makes us feel more in control of our lives and also allows us to relax at home.
With that in mind, declutter your home room by room. Sort out anything that is no longer needed or brings you some kind of practical benefit or joy and get rid of it. room and have a good clearout. Be ruthless with what you throw out and make sure you keep your remaining belongings well organised. I share lots of ideas for maximising your home storage in this post.
2. Deep Clean Your Home
Once you have had a good clear out and got all your remaining belongings organised and neatly stored away, you will find it much easier to clean your home. And no home refresh is complete without a deep clean. Spring always feels like the time we should do a big deep clean of our homes, but really we should be doing this much more often. I don’t know about you but for me, family life is so hectic and full-on and life with two small kids means that my home takes a real battering. I try my best to keep on top of the cleaning but I really do need to do more deep cleaning in order to keep my home feeling fresh and new.
Carpet cleaning and mopping and polishing floors is something that is very easy to overlook. How many of think that hoovering is adequate to keep our carpets clean and hygienic. I am always astonished at the filth that my Shark hoover pulls out of my carpets and I was convinced that it was keeping my carpets clean. That was until I got a Rug Doctor Spot Cleaner!! Only then did I realise just how filthy carpets can get despite really regular hoovering. You can read about my Rug Doctor Carpet Cleaning experience here:
In the bedroom make sure you clean your mattress. This can be done by sprinkling with bicarbonate of soda and then hoovering it off. Allergies can be triggered by our mattresses so it is really important to make sure they stay clean and sanitary. Wash and air out your duvet and pillows, preferably hang them outside in the fresh air.
In the kitchen, clean out your fridge and defrost and clean out the freezer. Clean the oven the hob and make sure you get rid of all the grease and grim that lingers. Clean small appliances like kettles, toasters and microwaves.
3. Repaint Your Walls
Dulux Colour of the Year 2022 Bright Skies
Applying a fresh coat of paint to the walls is a good way of making your home look and feel fresh and brand new. A lick of paint on the walls can really make a huge difference to the way your home feels. It’s easy to do, not too expensive but can be transformative.
We recently paid a decorator to come in and repaint our hallway for our home refresh. Not only was I not a fan of the colour I had previously painted, the hallway walls were marked and scuffed from everyone bustling through the hallway multiple times a day carrying bags and shopping and all sorts of other things through the hall. I wanted to transform the hallway into a stylish and inviting space and a lick of paint helped me to do this.
Next on my list is the living room, followed by the kitchen and then my daughters’ bedroom. they haven’t been decorated in a couple of years and it is really starting to show. Some rooms need a full repaint, others just need a few strategic touch-ups. But I know that repainting will help the home feel loved and looked after which will make us all feel better.
4. Replace & Repair
Kelly Hoppen KHZERO6 Basin monoblock tap for Crosswater
If there are any broken or worn fixtures and fittings that need your attention, it’s a good idea to get them either repaired or replaced as part of your home refresh. These niggling little problems stick in your mind and make your home feel dated, unclean and unfit for purpose.
Light switches that are dirty, yellowing or scratched should be replaced with new ones. We touch these so many times a day and whilst they are not always noticeable on a day-to-day basis, you will certainly notice when they are new. The same goes for lighting. Updating your lighting will change how you feel in your home but it could also help you save money by choosing more energy efficient options.
Broken or leaky taps, toilets or shower heads should be repaired and shower curtains should be replaced and shower screens given a good clean.
5. Refresh Soft Furnishings
My Autumn home updates from a few years ago
It’s also a good idea to refresh your soft furnishings and textiles. Every few years I buy new cushion covers and blankets for my living room. With two small children (and a husband who couldn’t care less about gorgeous cushions) there isn’t a hope in hell of keeping my cushions and blankets looking fresh and new. I lose count of how many times I find myself picking them off the floor each day.
If you have small children or pets you might want to consider swapping out area rugs more often too. These can harbour dirt and bacteria and your home will definitely feel fresher if these are deep cleaned regularly and occasionally replaced. If possible invest in rugs that can be washed in the washing machine.
New bedding can help to keep your bedroom feeling fresh and new. Nothing feels better than crawling into a fresh bed and sometimes only new bedding will give you this feeling. Throw out any old, damaged or faded bedding and replace it with something new.
6. Incorporate Scent
Smellacloud aroma scent diffuser
Scent can be a really powerful tactic in your home refresh. Our sense of smell is so powerful and highly emotive, evoking within us certain feelings and emotional responses. Finding a scent that evokes cleanliness can go a long way to making your home feel fresh and new. I personally love smells that remind me of freshly laundered washing. Failing that my go-to is forest scents. Perhaps not because it makes the home smell clean but it definitely says fresh to me.
7. Treat Windows and Doors
Contemporary Front Door from Urban Front
Don’t forget your windows and doors when it comes to refreshing your home. They say so much about your home in addition to playing a role in home security. Pay attention to any damage or wear in these areas and treat them accordingly. And then make sure they are regularly cleaned.
Hopefully, with these tips, you can transform an old and dated home, into something lighter, brighter, fresher and cleaner that makes your whole family feel good.