Purchasing your first home can be one of the most exciting and rewarding milestones one can experience. Shortly after the keys are handed over, personalizing your home to reflect such a milestone becomes second nature.
Don’t stress! Creating an inviting, comforting and welcoming abode can come with ease with these great tips!
- Clean house at the old place.This first step will not only make your new home easier to decorate, but it will put you miles ahead during move-in. Be realistic and rid yourself of any unnecessary belongings. This is the perfect time to start over. Have a garage sale, auction it off on eBay or donate it to charity. You’ll be amazed at what you won’t miss.
- Start with the bedrooms.This is where you’ll be spending almost a third of your time when you’re at home. If you’re on a tight budget, opt for new bedding first! If you have a little more money, paint the bedroom walls to complement your new bedding. Add coordinating window treatments to help with lighting and cooling. Tip: Your decor should mirror your personality, fit your room comfortably and it will stay with you for years.
- Don’t buy everything at once. Prioritize items that you will need on a daily basis. If you need to make splurge-worthy purchases, make sure big-ticket items such as appliances, mattresses and bedroom sets are among the selection. Think need above want when it comes to decorating.
- Don’t be afraid to mix and match. Retail stores love to decorate displays with everything matching. They would love for you to buy everything in sets, but don’t do it! A few pieces with the same styling are fine, but any more than that and your home will have the generic look of a furniture showroom. Make sure your own personal style shows through! Tip: Top priority should be proportion, scale and balance of your furniture and accessories within each room.
- Tie-in everything together with color. Just because you are going for a blue-theme in your living room, doesn’t mean you have to have blue walls, blue ceilings, etc. Pick an accent color that draws everything in and that complements nearby rooms. Tip: Choose a color that you will not get tired of easily and ones that are not overpowering.
What are some helpful decorating tips that have worked for you?