New Year Resolutions… For Your Home

Happy 2015! The Christmas decorations are down and it’s time to make our New Year Resolutions. Every year when January rolls around you vow to lose weight, save money or spend more time with family and friends. But what goals do you set for your home? Here are 5 simple things to try this year…

Brighten Your Home With Fresh Flowers

Don’t let the winter blues get you down. Lift your spirits with fresh flowers . Nothing brightens up a room quicker than adding a colourful bouquet of flowers and real flowers willfill your home with beautiful scents, acting as a natural air freshener.  Think it costs to much? There’s no need to splurge when your local grocery store offers plenty of lovely options. Pot hyacinth bulbs in pots to remind you that spring is just around the corner.

2. Clear out the Clutter!

One of the best and least expensive ways to feel better about your home is to clear it of clutter.Each year most of us acquire a mountain of stuff. Without some regular purging, cabinets and drawers get jam-packed and it becomes hard to find the things you use and enjoy the most. (All that clutter also makes your house look dated.)

This year resolve to go room-by-room periodically clearing anything that you don’t use, wear or love and donate it to charity. After that, think twice about what you bring in.Fill your home with the things that raise your energy level and make you feel good, and get rid of the things that drain your energy or are broken.

 

I feel calmer and save time when I have a good clear out at home. Sometimes, though, it can be a little difficult to decide what stays and what goes. Here is list of 10 questions to ask yourself when trying to decide whether to keep an item or toss it. And by “toss it”, I mean you are either going to donate it, give it away to a friend or throw it out.

10 Questions to Help You De-clutter

• Do I love it?
• Does it have sentimental value?
• Do I use it?
• How often do I use it?
• When was the last time I used it?
• Why don’t I use it?
• If I keep it, where will I put it?
• How many of these things do I really need?
• If I throw it away, will I be able to get another one someday?
• What is the worst possible thing that could happen if I got rid of it?

These questions could apply to clothes, too. Substitute “wear” for “use”. If you don’t like thinking about what you’re throwing out, think of it in terms of what you’re keeping instead. Plus if you get rid of things you’re not using or that are unimportant, you can make room for new things that you need or bring you joy!

3. Transform a room using what you already have…

When you live in a space day in and day out, you get used to the way things are. The vase and books that have always been arranged just so on top of the mantlepiece. The wall of frames with pictures that haven’t been updated in five years. Those floating shelves you meant to put up last year that sit unassembled in the hall cupboard. Every few months I try to walk around my house and scoop up decorative items and find new homes for them. Re-evaluating your existing decor and accessories is a simple and affordable way to freshen up your home. Here, pretty plates are mounted on picture frames to provide a pretty display. You can pick pretty plates up in charity shops for a few pence.

 

You could also try experimenting with the arrangement of your furniture. You may find that a new layout  improves not only the look of your room, but gives it a better circulation pattern and flow. If you’re having a hard time re-envisioning a space, ask a friend to come over and help. Someone who isn’t attached to your possessions and the current layout will help you see other possibilities.

4. Create a Cosy Corner

Every house needs a little spot where you can kick your feet up and allow yourself some time to curl up with a new book, listen to music, or browse your favourite blogs. This space doesn’t need to be fancy and can be put together using what you already have. Some items I like to use in a reading corner include a big over stuffed chair, a lamp with adequate light, and a side table. You can personalize the space by adding art, books, and other special objects. I also love using candles in these cozy spaces to add a comforting warmth to the area.

5. Banish Technology& Relax…

Our home should be our sanctuary – a space where we retreat from the world outside and re-charge our batteries. Here a few final resolutions which can make a big difference:

• Reduce screen time – frequent emailing, texting, browsing and late night ol-line shopping can make us feel less connected and stressed. The same goes for the TV. Try switching it off an hour before bed.
• Set your alarm for 10 minutes earlier than usual tomorrow. Don’t spend the extra time working, planning, looking at your phone or watching the news. Instead, just sit there.  Breathe. Maybe stretch a little or sip some water. You’ll feel much more ready to greet the day?
• Make your bed each morning – returning  home after a long day to a neat nest beats climbing into crumpled sheets.
• Light a candle to add a comforting touch, then relax and rejuvinate.