How to use Home Staging Basics for your New Year’s Resolutions.
Article provided by Hillary Roy with Room Renaissance. For more information on services offered by Room Renaissance please see contact info below this article.
The new year often comes with lofty goals to improve our home and surroundings. If you’re like me, you read books like Marie Kondo’s The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up or various home décor blogs and get motivated to do an entire home make-over. Then after the holidays, the routine of life sets back in and it’s hard to make the changes we so hoped would keep our house looking presentable to friends and guests. It is a vicious cycle.
Here are some reasonable and achievable tips to help keep up with your home’s appearance daily. Use these four easy home staging tips to keep your home tidy and guest ready.
First, make your bed. Every day. Every. Day. This simple task, and home staging must, changes the look and feel of the entire bedroom. Do it as soon as you get up because with our busy lifestyles there’s usually no time to go back to do it later. There are several couples I know, who have the rule, “Last one up, makes the bed.” In addition to changing the feel of the room, making your bed each morning has the added benefit of improving your self-esteem. Clinical studies have found that those who make their beds each morning, have higher self-esteem, lower anxiety, and by simply checking this small item off their to-do list, it gives the confidence sub consciously to do more “to-do” items throughout the day. Thus, they tend to get more done within their days. It’s a win-win if you ask me.
The next tip is simply to put away your things after use, especially in the bathroom. Easier said than done, I know. Make a point each day, to clean off bathroom counter tops. As soon as you’ve completed your morning routine, waste no time putting toiletries away in cabinets or drawers. Getting into this habit is important. It will also allow yourself to not worry about the counters if an unexpected visitor stops by.
Gentlemen, this next tip tends to be more for you. When done eating, put away your dishes. No one wants to visit a home with dirty dishes left out on counters or in the sink. Additionally, you don’t want to come home to that chore after a long day either. This goes for clean dishes as well that have been left to dry on drying mats etc. It is good practice to keep kitchen counters clear of clean dishes that can be stored properly in cabinets or dirty dishes that can be stored in the dishwasher. Once breakfast is done, put those dishes away. Once this task is complete, it’s time to move on with your day.
Finally, keep couch cushions and pillows arranged nicely. The living room will automatically look more put together if the sofa looks put together. Make a point, each night before going to bed, to be sure pillows and cushions are fluffed and arranged as well as any blankets folded and put away.
These four steps should only add seconds to your morning and evening routines once you’ve made them a habit. You’ll feel the difference when you come home to a house that is neat and tidy. Keeping up with these few tasks daily, will help not only keep you home in order, but transition into how you feel when you are at home. A home that is in order lends to a peaceful living environment. These small daily tasks limit the feeling of being overwhelmed by chores. Perhaps after regular home up keep settles in, we will all find the time and energy for that entire home make-over!
