Decorating a new home can be an exciting or intimidating project, depending on how you look at it. Some people love the challenge of turning a new space into their own while others cringe at the thought of picking out paint colors and window dressings. It’s a process you don’t want to skip, though, because adding homey touches will make a big difference when it comes to helping your family settle in.
The first thing to consider is whether you’re moving to a rental or a home you own. If you own your home, you’ll have a lot more freedom in how you modify your space. You can build on, renovate, replace fixtures, and more. Of course, if you’re renting a house, condo, or another type of short-term rental, you’ll have to check with the homeowners before making any changes. Many times, landlords don’t mind new paint or fixtures as long as you change them back before you leave. Once you know how much freedom you have in your new home, it’s time to get busy and have some fun with these great tips.
Let someone else do the heavy lifting.
Moving can take a lot out of you, both physically and emotionally, so take some measures ahead of time to eliminate some stress. One of those measures is to hire movers. Say you’re moving to Phoenix from Scottsdale. Should you spend weeks packing and loading or would your time be better spent researching the new high school, scoping out the neighborhood, or interviewing for jobs? The choice is yours, of course, but a qualified moving company can make your move so much easier. You can usually choose the level of assistance movers to provide, too. So, if you’d like them to take care of it all, they can go in and carefully wrap and pack all your belongings, as well as load them on the moving truck to haul to your new place. You can literally walk out, drive to your new city, and start your new life.
Don’t neglect your outdoor space.
Hopefully, you spent an ample amount of time searching for the perfect property because you’ll have many things to consider before making your purchase. For example, while looking for land for sale Indiana, you may want to know if it includes good farm ground or is near a forest. The perks of these amenities will obviously be more appreciated by some people than others. Keep in mind that shopping for land can be a little different than just shopping for a house. When doing that, it’s pretty easy to just open up a real estate app and type in the name of the town or area you’re moving to. Sometimes these sites will pull up an available multi-acre lot, but you might still miss some quality acreage. Instead, choose a site that is dedicated to showing land for sale (say, Indiana land) you can build on, farm on, or lease.
Once you’ve purchased your property, it’s important to decide how much time you’ll be spending outdoors. Landscaping can add a great deal of value and appeal to your home as can an upgraded outdoor space. You may wish to search “outdoor kitchens Boulder” or “patio furniture Las Vegas” for ideas and contractors within your area. You can add simple items like a fire pit or you can get extravagant with some built-ins and a state-of-the-art grill or smoker. Making your backyard a fun place to hang out can make a huge difference in how comfortable your family feels there. Not to mention, you’ll be well-prepped for the party your extended family is going to want you to host once you’re settled.
Warm up your home with small touches.
It’s amazing how much a few simple touches can warm up a room. These are important when you’re decorating temporary housing. For example, maybe you’ve been looking into short term rentals in Chicago because you’re tired of the commute to the big city. You will probably want to make it a little more like home with some items that can easily be removed when you leave.
Something that can add a lot of character to your indoor space quickly is greenery. Consider using a few well-placed arrangements or cat-safe house plants (if you happen to be a pet-owner) to liven up your indoor space. If you don’t have a green thumb, just be sure to purchase low-maintenance plants, such as succulents, orchids, or Boston ferns. Another easy thing to try is adding layers. Short-term housing is usually furnished, but a few decorative pillows and coordinating throws will liven the space up quickly. You can also replace the bedding with your own to make the bedroom more comfortable. Plus, you can hang your own artwork, bring in some rugs, and replace the window treatments if you’d like. Just remember that you’ll have to take all your decor with you when you leave, so stick to easily removable items.
Start with the kitchen and bathroom.
Experts say the two rooms that sell a house are the kitchen and the master bathroom. Even if you’re not thinking of selling your home any time soon, it’s important to add value when you do remodel in case that plan ever changes. Besides, they’re probably the rooms you care the most about as well. If you’d rather not spend a lot of money, a good place to start is with the fixtures and lights. Swapping out plain silver cabinet handles for a trendy gold set will change the look of the entire room. Or replace standard dome light covers with cool pendant lights to modernize almost any space. Of course, you may find a simple coat of paint is all the change you need.
Include the kids.
With all the hustle and bustle of moving and settling into a new space, it’s easy to forget that the kids might need help adjusting as well. Try to let them be part of the process of decorating your new house. Most importantly, help them set up a space that’s all their own as soon as possible. Start with paint. It’s something that’s easily changeable later but can give them a lot of creative control. Of course, if you’re concerned the design will get out of hand, you can give them more directed guidance. For example, instead of giving them complete free rein, you can narrow their choices down to three or four colors of paint. Or give them a small selection of wall art they can choose based on their paint colors. Also, let them help in other areas of the house, like setting up a space for their furry friend. or picking out some outdoor products. Just getting them involved will help them settle in faster and enjoy their new space.