Homeownership is a big step forward if you’ve only ever rented apartments before. As a new homeowner, you will have a host of new responsibilities, including paying all your bills and utilities, keeping your yard and other green spaces carefully manicured, and paying a mortgage. One thing you will likely notice upon purchasing your new home is that it covers much more space than the apartment or condo you previously lived in. Here are a few tips to follow when it comes to decorating your new house.
Take your time
Especially when you have more space to fill, it can be tempting to want to purchase everything right away as you work to decorate your house. When you think about your parents’ house, you may think of how well put together everything is. Still, your parents took decades to accumulate those belongings. If you rush into buying things all at once, you won’t be considering the true function that each room needs. For example, after you’ve lived in your home for a few months, you’ll have a much better understanding of whether you really need to replace the old couch in your living room or if it makes more sense to invest in new shelving. By making a list of the items you want to add to each room, you can revisit your list each month to better sort out your priorities and make better-informed decisions.
When you do buy furniture or other decor, it’s important to focus on the rooms that you spend the most time in. For many people, that’s the bedroom, followed by the kitchen and living room. That being said, if you entertain a lot, it may make more sense to focus on the kitchen and dining room first. Make sure to shop around and find the best deals on furniture you can, so that your budget goes further. You never know what surprise expenses may pop up in the first few years of homeownership, and it’s vital that you have money available if you need to replace the roof or hot water heater.
Often when you first buy a house, it will have been painted to be as neutral as possible. While some people enjoy colors such as cream and gray, others may want a bit more color in their home. Keep in mind that unlike an apartment or condo, in which there are rules to follow regarding whether or not you can paint your walls, the sky’s the limit when you own your own home. A trip to the hardware store can be a great way to gather paint swatches to take home and begin thinking about how you might repaint your home. Even painting one wall as an accent or backsplash can make a big difference in personalizing your new space.
Don’t forget to decorate your walls, too, as you work to make your new home feel special. Many times people think only of furniture and leave their walls bare which could make a home feel lacking in substance even if it’s full of great pieces of furniture. One way to make your space feel more personal and homey is to showcase pictures that you have taken on your travels or at important milestones in your life. Whether that means getting photos developed and framed, or having them made into canvas prints from a website like Simple Canvas Prints, adding a couple of pieces to your walls is a great way to simply and inexpensively add visual interest to your home.
As you can see, you can do plenty of things to make the most of decorating your new home. For this reason, it’s recommended that you always budget $10,000 to $20,000 specifically for upgrades to your home as well as things such as paint and new furniture. Many times, new homeowners only budget for a down payment, only to miss out on being able to take care of these decorating steps right away. That being said, you don’t want to rush into anything, because you may need to allocate for other purchases, too. With a plan and some time in your new home, you’ll be able to decorate it in a way that fits your tastes perfectly.
To read more on topics like this, check out the home & garden category.
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