January is often the month that plans are made for home improvements. We may not actually start them now, it’s too cold to have windows open for painting, or doors open as workmen come in and out, but we do start making the plans, booking the tradesmen and generally working out how we want our homes to look in the year ahead. But, before we do any actual work, we often need to sort out what we already have in the form of a Spring clean. This may entail anything from a bit of a clear out, to getting rid of large pieces of furniture. A Spring clean is a great way to see what you already have, and what you need to make your home look better. Here are a few tips to make that clean more effective.
Sort that Clutter
Many rooms are guilty of being overfilled with ‘stuff’. You only have to watch these DIY make over programmes to know that many rooms just have too many pieces of over large furniture which make them feel small and cramped. Your Spring clean is a time to size down. You can use house clearance and rubbish removal services like Clearabee to remove bigger items of furniture (or you could hire a skip through them in order to accommodate lots of rubbish and smaller pieces of furniture.) Clearabee specialise in rubbish removal in Birmingham, and you can find companies who do similar all over the country.
Making sure your furniture is the right size for the room is a simple way to improve the look of your home and you may not even need to get rid of furniture, you may just need to use it in another room.
Make Do and Mend
If budget is tight, look at what you already have. Shabby sofas can look instantly better with the addition of a throw or some stylish scatter cushions, candles add ambience to any room, whilst a simple vase and fresh flowers add colour and beauty. A table that’s seen better days can be sanded down and repainted, as can dated wooden units which can be made ‘shabby chic’ and look just so current. Before you throw it away or decide to replace it, ask the question ‘can it be renovated and used again?’
Visit the Pound Shops
Yes, they sell a whole host of rubbish, but pound shops are also gold mines for finding things that can improve the look of your home. Things to look out for include picture frames, coloured glass bottles and trays, candles in glass jars, fragranced diffusers, even cushion covers. You really don’t need to spend a fortune to make your home look amazing.
Don’t forget to sort your wardrobe too
While you are de-cluttering your home, make sure you don’t forget to sort yourself. This is the time of year to take a fresh look at your wardrobe and do something good by donating your unwanted clothing to a Charity shop. My mom is the manager of a Charity shop and struggles with donations at this time of the year as people seem to only get rid of unwanted toys and Christmas decorations. Cull clothes that don’t fit, impulse buys you’ve never worn, and items you’ve just fallen out of love with.
Do you have any tips for the perfect Spring clean?