When moving into a new home, there are lots of things to consider. After the maintenance and closing checklists are out of the way, homeowners are graced with the task of bringing in furniture and decor to complete their home. In a precious post, we talked about helpful decorating ideas, but it is also important to note that there are also things to avoid when making your house a home.
Painting Without Testing the Color
It's easy to get lost in the paint swatch section at your local hardware store. With the endless color options it can be daunting, especially if you have no idea what color you're looking for. Oftentimes people end up buying a color that they like in store and get home to paint it, realizing that it doesn't suit the room. If you've already invested in a full room's worth of color and are halfway through painting, it can be discouraging to stop and find another option to use. Buy a few test colors and paint them on your wall, letting them sit for at least a few days. That way you'll be able to see how each reacts with the lighting of the room.
Many people think that painting a room should be the first thing that needs to be done, however this isn't always the best option. When styling a room, take the time to assess what pieces are most important to you for the space. Starting with one piece of furniture or even something small such as your favorite painting that you know belongs in the room is the easiest place to begin. Once you have an item that you know is going to fir within the space, you can work your paint color choices, furniture, and accents around that.
Stuffing a Room
When we move into a mew place, we want to automatically start filling our space with furniture and get rooms finished as soon as possible. However, rushing into decorating your home can be overwhelming, and lead you to purchase things you don't actually want, just to fulfill a goal. It's better to start with an empty room and slowly add decor and items that you feel fit the space. Decorating homes can be tricky, and certainly won't come together overnight.
When transitioning homes, clean out the things you know wont be useful for your new house. If you find that you still have items that you can't part ways with, but not exactly sure where they'll fit yet, store them away in some handy storage containers until you find a use for them. This way you'll be able to revisit your stored items at a later date and decide if you want to utilize theme once you're more settled into your home, or part ways.
Your new home is a fresh challenge, the layout and size of rooms will be totally different. Your decor taste has probably changed along the way as well, and may not cater to the furniture you still have. It's understandable to keep your old furniture around while you're still getting adjusted to your new space! However, when you're decorating for your dream home, know when it's time to invest in a new couch that's more suited to your needs. It probably took months of planning and looking for your new house, why should you decide what decor you need in a day?
Renovating Right Away
Buying a home is one of the biggest investments you'll make in your lifetime. Unless you're building from scratch, there are probably going to be elements of the space that you're not a huge fan of. While it's understandable wanting to jump into completing your home and making the necessary adjustments, hold off. According to a 2017 report from Houzz, buyers who recently purchased homes spent an average of $25,000 on renovations alone. Many end up going over budget due to unexpected costs and issues.
While renovating your home can be exciting, settling in for a while and seeing what you really want to change is recommended. Something that you originally thought needed an overhaul may be able to be worked out with simple, inexpensive adjustments. Taking the time to get a feel for your home and playing around with simple DIY projects can help you figure out where you want to spend more money on hefty renovations in the future. Patience is key!
Being a new homeowner is exciting, and also a lot of work. While there are things that need to be figured out sooner rather than later, giving you and your partner time to establish yourselves in your new pad will lead to ideas that will create a happier space long term.
