Top tips: How to make a house a home
Buying a home and putting down roots in an area you love is a remarkable feeling, but it can take time to make your new place feel completely your own. We’ve looked at some of the easiest ways that you can add a touch of personality to your abode, and make your house or apartment truly feel like home.
Sentiment
A huge positive of owning your own home is the ability to make it completely personal to you, and we’re not just talking about painting the walls! Hang photos of your friends and family in every room, update displays with your favourite trinkets, or use a pin board to make a feature out of all those postcards you bought while travelling. Displaying items of sentiment around your home will immediately fill you with a sense of belonging.
Organise
We’re all guilty of holding on to stuff that we no longer need and as time goes by, your home can become cluttered with stuff that you’ve outgrown. So, why not put some time aside and start organising? Now, we’re not suggesting that you take a week’s annual leave and go to town pulling every cupboard apart at once, but perhaps take a little time each evening to go through one drawer, or earmark a morning at the weekend to gut that storage cupboard under the stairs? By the time you’re finished, your home will feel completely rejuvenated and you’ll know where everything is!
Rearrange
When first moving in to a new home, people will often place their furniture in the place that seems most practical at the time. However, there’s no simpler way to change the feel of a room than to rearrange your favourite pieces! Your desk may be pushed into that back corner at the moment, but maybe you have the space to move it to the centre of the room facing that lovely big window? How about switching the TV and the sofa to different sides of the room, or perhaps make more of a feature of that dining table you spent so long upcycling!
Space
Your home is so much more than simply a roof over your head, so why not break away from the usual routine and do something a little different? Bake a cake and cover your kitchen in flour, lay down mats in your living room and get painting, spend time in your garden or balcony and pot your own herbs! Whether you want to embrace your hobbies or try something new, make the most of the space at your disposal.
Time
We live in a hectic world where our daily lives are seemingly filled to the brim. Commuting to work, time in the office, nights out, hitting the gym, doing the weekly shop, running errands – there’s a million and one things keeping us from our homes! Distancing yourself from the outside world and spending some well-earned time indoors can make a huge difference to how you view your home. Whether you want to partake in some DIY, read a book or just chill in front of the TV, give yourself enough time to make the most of your home. Remember, it should be a haven – not just a place to lay your head.
Entertain
That feeling of escapism when coming home after a long day is one thing but sharing your space with other people is a joy all of its own. Whether it’s a movie night in with your partner, a games night with friends or a big Sunday dinner with all the family, there’s a real sense of pride when you introduce your loved ones to your home. Don’t spend time panicking about cleaning everything before people come over or apologising if things don’t go to plan on the night, this is all about taking some time to relax and spend time with the people closest to you.
Do you have any tips on how to make your house feel more like a home? You can let us know at @SharetoBuy over on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
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