It’s the start of a new year and many of us have a whole lot of home improvement plans and projects lined up for the twelve months ahead. This isn’t all too surprising. Over the past couple of years, the majority of us have found ourselves spending a lot more time within our own homes. The coronavirus and Covid-19 pandemic has seen governments enforce lockdowns, social isolation and social distancing measures that mean we can never be sure when we’ll have to spend extended periods of time in our homes. So, many of us are actively seeking ways to make these spaces more functional, comfortable, and enjoyable to spend time in. Now, there are countless projects you could engage in to achieve this. Extensions, the addition of en suites, conversions of lofts, basements or garages… Before you engage with any of this, though, there are some key steps to take – and this generally involves getting your home into good condition before starting improvements. Here are a few areas of focus that can help you along the way.
Decluttering
It’s a good idea to declutter your home on a regular basis. This is essentially the process of going through your belongings and determining what you actually need and what you don’t. Many of us have countless belongings in our home that we neither use, nor attach sentimental value to. It’s a good idea to clear these out where possible, as this will help to keep your home clear and, as a result, tidier and easier to manage. The first step in this process is going through your belongings and finding what you don’t want or need anymore. Once you have a collection of items that you no longer want in your home, you can start to decide what to do to get rid of them. One option is selling them on platforms like eBay, Etsy, Depop or Facebook marketplace. This can help you to recoup some of the money you originally spent on them. If an item doesn’t sell, you can try donating it to a charity shop. If the charity shop doesn’t accept the item, it may be time to try to recycle it or donate it to a collection service.
Storage Solutions
Of course, there will be items that you continue to keep and use after your decluttering process. IT’s important that all of these belongings have a designated space that they can be kept in, rather than blocking up living space or looking a mess. This is where storage solutions come into play. Having good storage solutions can keep items out of sight and out of mind until you actively need them. There are countless options out there, from underbed storage to shelving units, floating shelves and more. So, browse around and see what suits your space best.
Deep Cleaning
The final step in this process is conducting a deep clean of your entire house. There are two ways to do this. You can tackle the project yourself, or you can call in professional cleaners who can take the weight off your shoulders. The first will be cheaper, the second will be less effort and probably more thorough. Whichever you choose, here are some tasks you might want to focus on:
- Carpet Cleaning – have you ever considered how much dirt builds up in your carpets? Sure, you might vacuum regularly, but it’s important to remember that this only picks up surface dirt. Using carpet cleaning professionals or hiring a carpet cleaning machine can help to lift dirt out of the fibres.
- Window Cleaning – cleaning windows from the inside is simple. Cleaning the outside of your windows is a harder task, especially for windows higher up in your home. Use professional window cleaners for this task. They’ll have the equipment, skill set and insurance required to safely complete the job.
- Oven Cleaning – all sorts of food builds up on the inside of your oven while you’re cooking. Every so often, you should make sure to clean your oven thoroughly. This will remove food build up and keep it shining.
- Gutters – your gutters may be hard to reach, but you should clean them out every once in a while. This will prevent the build-up of debris, such as leaves, that can cause your gutters to become blocked and overflow.
These are just a few starting points that will help you to get your home in ship shape from the start of the year. Once these steps are all complete, you can start to consider moving onto bigger and better home improvements, such as decorating or renovation work.
