Amanda Brownlow Whether you are renting an apartment or own a house, your home should reflect the style and needs of the people living in it. If yours requires some work in this department, you can find a way to make it ideal, or else find a new space that works for your family. Here are a few tips to get you started.
This is a guest post from Shirley Martin at Tidy Life Today! Shirley turned her neat freak personality into a business when she became a home organizer. When she isn’t busy working her magic on homes in need of her special touch, she is sharing helpful tips on her site, Tidy Life Today.
Make Room for Your Kids
Having children means having a spot for their stuff. Goodness knows how tiny human beings accumulate so many belongings, but they do. If you feel as though you are drowning in toys, artwork, and clothes, it is time to get organized. Houses that have an additional bedroom or office space could allow for a playroom. If you have this luxury, set up a room for your kids to play and craft in with plenty of storage for their possessions.
Declutter Your Environment
While you are on a roll organizing your children’s belongings, consider decluttering your spaces as well. Take things slowly by starting with one room or even one closet. Then, approach by:
- Getting everything that needs sorting out
- Cleaning and sanitizing the space to be rearranged
- Sorting things into piles for items to keep, trash, and donate
Once you have a space free of chaos, make it easy for you to keep it that way with decorative baskets that hold toys or shoes and ottomans with built-in storage.
Design a Welcoming Atmosphere
Once you have your living area clutter-free, you can begin redecorating. Even if you can’t paint your rental, you can hang artwork in your living room featuring colors that promote serenity, or perhaps you simply need a few new throw pillows and framed photos. If you have tile or hardwood floors, add an area rug to bring warmth to a living or family room. For worn furniture that you cannot afford to replace, hide the wear with slipcovers.
Create a Viable Work Space
Studies show that people feel stressed and overwhelmed when working in a cluttered environment. Remote workers may feel less motivated when their home office (or corner next to the washer) is cluttered and noisy. If this is how you feel, try carving out a peaceful place. Perhaps you have a bit of space in your bedroom or you could set up shop along an under-used wall in the dining room.
The most important elements in designing a home office are a comfortable chair and neat surroundings. Select a place in your home with natural lighting and minimal foot traffic and noise so you can focus. Add desktop organizers and a photo or plant to make it feel like a real office space.
Find a New Home
If all else fails and you realize that your home simply no longer accommodates your family’s lifestyle, it may be time to find a new home. Be sure to research the housing market in your desired area to see whether you can afford the type of place you want. Understanding what you can afford in the neighborhood you want to live in can save you and your realtor from a lot of headaches. In addition, seek a mortgage preapproval from a lender to allow you to act quickly and bid on a home after viewing it.
Creating a dwelling that works for you and your family takes hard work, but it can be done. If you have reorganized and redecorated your rental to no avail, you can always find a new space that does work.
