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Wondering How to Make Your House a Home?
No matter what stage of homeownership you are in, it’s likely that your space needs some repairs and that there are some renovations you have been dreaming of. But before you get all “demo day” and start swinging the sledgehammers, I’d love for you to check out my free course, “The Art Of The Home”. You can save time, money, and perhaps your sanity by thinking about what your goals are to turn your house a home and how you can realistically achieve them. And I’d love to be able to help so I created this free course and outlined some steps below to help you audit your spaces and figure out what you need to do to finally make your house a home.
Step #1 Figure out Your Interior Design Style
I always like the think of a house as a whole. It’s important to think about how the rooms flow together, the function of each space, and the overall feel of the home. I have a whole blog post called, “How to Find And Define Your Design Style”. There are 2 great questions to ask yourself when you are looking for your design style:
WHAT DO YOU WANT YOUR HOME TO FEEL LIKE?
Think about what you are naturally drawn to in a home. Do you like open, airy spaces, or do you prefer a darker, moodier feel? Do you love cozy spaces with lots of décors, plants, and sentimental items, or do you prefer a more minimal feel? If you still aren’t sure, check out what you’ve pinned on Pinterest over and over again and take a look at all your favorites, there’s likely a pattern that shows you what you love most!
HOW DO YOU NEED YOUR HOME TO FUNCTION?
Function comes first. It is so important to remember that your home needs to be functional, first and foremost. It doesn’t matter how pretty it is because if it isn’t functional, you are never going to be happy with it and neither is anyone else who also dwells within the home. The key is making sure you have enough storage. I always make sure that I have a specific place where things are stored and if I run out of room to store things, then something has to go. Once you’ve decluttered and found storage, you’ll have taken a huge, first step in making your house a home! Here are some of my favorite storage options!
Step #2 Perform a Home Audit
WHAT ARE YOUR HOME RENOVATION NEEDS and WANTS?
I know this one isn’t fun, but it’s necessary to consider before you get excited. It’s so much fun being a homeowner until you objectively view your home and think about the maintenance and remodeling part of it. Trust me, I get it. You need to differentiate between your needs and wants for the home. For example, you may NEED to replace the furnace because if it isn’t working before you all freeze in the winter, well that doesn’t make for a cozy holiday. But on the other side, you WANT to install a coffee bar in an underutilized corner of the kitchen. The coffee bar is way more fun, but I would recommend putting the furnace at the top of the list. I have created a product bundle called “The Art Of Interior Design” to help with this part of planning too.
WHAT CAN YOU REALISTICALLY ACCOMPLISH?
I love HGTV too and how they make home renovations, remodels, or builds look easy but I also know that’s not very realistic. It’s all about knowing your strengths and acknowledging your weaknesses. If you work full time, have young children, or aren’t handy and know how which tool and how to use said tool, planning to DIY an entire renovation might be a bad idea. However, I’m not saying that it cannot be done either. If you will need professional help with a project, make sure you get quotes and budget accordingly. I recommend working with an interior designer *wink, wink* to help you with that. Also, make sure you have a realistic idea of your timeline for a renovation and the amount of work needed for the project to be completed.
WHAT HOME RENOVATIONS OR UPGRADES CAN YOU AFFORD?
It’s surprising how quickly the cost of a repair or renovation can get out of hand. There are usually hidden costs and unexpected issues that you inevitably run into on any project that can break the bank if there isn’t a realistic home renovation budget. Before you start any DIY, home renovation, remodel, or refresh, break down the project by task. Then for each task, start your research – getting quotes, material costs, etc., and making sure you know what you are in for by taking on this project. Then and this is an industry secret, add 10% on top of that number. That’s about what the budget should be able to accommodate to make this affordable to make your house a home.
WHAT IS YOUR HOME RENOVATION TIMELINE?
You may have an ideal timeline, but be warned, it may only be that, ideal. Renovations usually take longer than expected. So make sure you plan for setbacks or unexpected issues that may arise, especially if you are renovating a space that disrupts daily life like a kitchen or bathroom. Unfortunately, with materials being scarce, furniture shipping, and delivery delays, be prepared for anything but have fun with it! You’re making your house a home!
Step #3 Take Action and Make Your House A Home
WHAT ARE THE ACTIONS YOU NEED TO TAKE TO COMPLETE EACH RENOVATION OR PROJECT?
To reiterate and to avoid getting overwhelmed, work on one renovation project at a time and in order of priority. Break each project down into smaller doable tasks. If you need help with this, schedule a call with me as I’d love to help!
HOW CAN YOU HOLD YOURSELF ACCOUNTABLE TO COMPLETE YOUR PROJECTS?
Whether I am working on my project or a client’s project, I create clear goals for when each project needs to be finished. For example, if you need to fix the furnace, make it a high priority to get that task done before winter. I’m talking to myself here, haha. Sometimes I like to reward myself for finishing tasks like these Cashmere & Vanilla bath bombs by Frenshe exclusively at Target so I can relax and enjoy my home. I’ve just done a ton a work to make my house a home so I plan on enjoying every last bit of it!
Love,
Free Mini-Course “The Art Of The Home”
Ready to get started and finally make your house a home? Join my free mini-course and get started today!
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