While there are little things that can help keep your house feeling fresh every day (think weekly house cleaning, regular wooden furniture polishing and making the bed every.single.day), here are some of our top tips for keeping that new home feeling for years to come:
1. Aim for a fresh coat of paint every 5 years
This doesn’t mean that your freshly painted house will look terrible or be peeling off the walls in 5 years, it will probably last 10… however, a fresh coat of paint is our number one recommendation for getting that new home feel back. You can expect to spend roughly between $1.50 – $3.50 per square foot, and if you are going for roughly the same colour walls/ceiling – save your pennies and paint it yourself! Make sure that you remove any furniture in the room and cover the entire floor with plastic. While it does sound like a big job, it is so very worth it! If it does feel too overwhelming to do the whole home, touching up scuff marks and corners is the next best thing.
2. Brighten whites
The first thing that you will notice in a tired home is the whites becoming dull and lifeless. If you don’t have the budget or time for our first tip (fresh paint), consider brightening all of your white furniture, linens and decorative items. Freshening up any light whites or beiges can give your home a feeling of freshness.
3. Deep clean x 4
Yes, you heard it right – that’s a big spring clean four times a year. Not your average mop and dust, but getting into every nook and cranny; a hands-and-knees type deal. Take your mattresses outside to air, polish wood furniture and polish silverware, upholster any worn furniture and care for marble bench tops. Deep clean your carpet from wall to wall. If you manage to do this quarterly, it will save you from feeling completely overwhelmed by the job in Spring.
4. Update light switches, plates and door handles
This might sound pointless, but it is the small details that can make a huge difference. Upgrading any worn or stained fixtures and fittings around the house (this also includes old appliances) can help to revitalise your home.
5. Buy some new art!
Out with the old, in with the new. If art is beyond the budget – make your own! There are some great DIY art projects on Pinterest, and you might even get in touch with your creative side and get the kids involved. Getting your art professionally framed (think of a thin light timber frame with a thick white mat) can make any printed scribble look fancy!
6. Change up the space
This is often put in the “too-hard” basket, but it can make your home feel brand new again. If the layout of your home permits, flip the couches to face the other way, swap the dining table lengthwise, and put a different rug in the playroom – anything that changes it up a bit and gives your home some variety. A great time to do this can be when you are doing your spring clean (remember the one you are doing four times a year?).
7. Clean out your junk – garage sale time!
If you haven’t yet checked out Marie Kondo’s “The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organising”, do yourself a favour and go and pick it up, or head over to her website.
Once you have mentally said goodbye to your items (if they don’t bring you joy, they need to go) organise a garage sale. Get the kids to make posters and bake some cookies to sell out the front (only the heartless will be able to deny a gold coin donation for your 6-year-old’s cookie). Get your kids to pick a local charity and donate your profits to them – don’t forget to share your efforts on social media so other people can follow your lead and raise awareness about your chosen charity. Giving your earnings to a local charity will give you even more incentive to get rid of more of your things!
