There is a difference between living in a house and living in a home. If you live in a house, then it is likely that you will have done very little in the way of decorating, or making it your own. Many people have a goal to make a house a home when they move in, often through decorating, and upgrading certain aspects of the property. However, there are several mistakes that people make when taking on this task. Here are several top mistakes to look out for, and avoid when upgrading your home.
Spending too much money on the upgrade
One of the most common mistakes that people make when upgrading their home is incorrectly budgeting, or spending too much money on the upgrade. This can not only lead to incomplete upgrades but also to financial difficulties. To avoid making this mistake it is important to assess your financial situation and be clear on exactly how much of a budget you have to put towards your desired upgrades. Remember to look for deals on materials that may be on sale, or in a clearance for the potential to save even more on your home upgrade project.
Doing everything yourself
When it comes to upgrading your home, it can be tempting to do all of the work yourself. Although you may want to tackle the DIY project yourself, either because you enjoy the work, or to try and help keep the costs down, doing everything yourself can be a mistake. Tradespeople will spend many years perfecting their skills, and knowledge that surround their chosen skill set, and as such will have a much better understanding of the materials, tools, methods, and techniques to use to complete a job. If you decide to undertake a task that you haven’t got the knowledge, skills, or qualifications to adequately complete, then you could find yourself causing more problems than solutions. In a lot of cases, people will be unhappy with the work that they have carried out and have to pay a contractor to come in and undo what they have done, and then do it properly. So, before you do too much of the home upgrades yourself, think about finding some professionals to help you achieve your home upgrade goals.
Not creating a plan
If you are planning to upgrade your home, then it is incredibly important to create a plan. You don’t need to strictly stick to this plan, as things can often change slightly when projects progress. However, to simply embark on a lengthy, and costly task, such as a home upgrade without a plan would be a mistake. Before committing to any work you should look into, research, and decide on several factors that include, but are not limited to your budget, inspiration ideas, color schemes, furniture, layouts, and timescales. If you don’t plan out all of this information it can be very easy to get confused, or lost in the process, leaving you open to a whole host of issues and problems. You don’t even need a detailed plan, you can simply bullet-point the important factors that you need or want to stick to.
Ignoring the importance of cleaning up thoroughly
One of the main reasons that people will choose to upgrade their home is to make it look, and feel nice, and comfortable. However, whether it is due to the exhaustion of the project, laziness, or forgetfulness, some people still make the mistake of not cleaning up adequately after an installation, renovation, or decorating session. This mistake can not only ruin floors, and upholstery if there is residual dust, paint, or other materials left lying around, but it can also set a bad example of how you wish to continue. To avoid this problem, and to reset your home’s cleanliness to an optimal level you could search for a rug cleaning near me to help professionally clean your floors. Even if you have been careful whilst carrying out the upgrade work, and laid out dust sheets, it is likely that your home will still require a deep clean to help get it back to where it was before any work was carried out.
Taking on too much in one go
Upgrading a home can be a fun and exciting task. However, if you are planning on doing this you should make sure that you do not try to do too much at once as this is often a mistake. For example, if you decide to upgrade both your kitchen and your bathroom, it would be advisable to do one room at a time, so as to minimize the disruption to your home, as these two rooms are often the most used. Although the upgrade project may last longer due to doing one room after the other, it will be easier for those who live in the house to carry on their day-to-day lives, compared to if both rooms were compromised. An exception to this is if you, and whoever lives in the house with you, decide to relocate, or take a vacation while the works are being completed, allowing you to hopefully come back to a brand new home.
Moving forward with spontaneous decisions
Being spontaneous is often not a negative trait, however, when it comes to upgrading your home, it could be seen as a mistake when it comes to making, or changing decisions. The reason for this is that if you suddenly decide on a different appliance, color scheme, or layout within your home, it is likely you will be partially drawn to the idea simply because it is a new idea. Before going full steam ahead with any new revelations, make sure that you consult the other people who live in the house with you, and take your time to ensure that you are fully happy with your new decision.
Going over the top on your color choices
A big mistake that people make when it comes to upgrading their homes through painting, and wallpapering, is going too over the top, and too bold with their color choices. Although the darker, and more vibrant colors may be a great way to help express yourself, and create the aesthetic that you want within your home, make sure that you fully research the implications of the colors that you choose. For example, if you are looking to create a dark and moody aesthetic within your home, just remember that darker colors absorb light, and therefore you may require a lot of artificial light to help keep your rooms bright enough, and functional. The opposite will of course happen with brighter colors as these reflect light, and as such you may find that you will require blackout curtains or blinds to help control the amount of light entering a room. You should also be careful when it comes to using specific colors such as reds, or blues throughout your property. The reason for this is that for most people, each color will affect them differently. Blues are notoriously considered a cold and calming color, whereas reds are known for being a warmer, yet more angry color. Something that you could consider doing, and that might be more suitable is to add subtle colors throughout your home rather than going all out and realizing that you have gone overboard.
So, whether you are looking to create your dream home, or to simply revitalise the look and feel of it, make sure to remember these top tips in order to avoid these mistakes.
