Steps You Can Take to Spruce Up Your Space

Humans love variety – it is “the spice of life,” after all. This applies to many things, and the space we live in is certainly one of them.

It’s easy to feel bored with your home’s decor.

Perhaps you’ve lived there awhile and want to change things up; maybe there’s a list of home improvement projects you’re ready to chip away at; sometimes your home may just start to feel stale or out of sync with your current taste.

With a little brainstorming, time, and a few resources, you can easily spruce up your space to truly make it feel new, inviting, and inspiring once more.

Swap Out Decor

Whether you’re one to change out your home decor with the seasons or the decades, it’s one of the easiest steps you can take to spruce up your home.

Start small: throw pillows, blankets, curtains, wall displays, and other simple decorations are simple to switch up.

Swap out photos in your frames or put up some new wall art to give yourself something new to look at. Rearrange the knick knacks and decorative elements on your shelving and bookcases – and if you’re up for it, change it out entirely.

New pillows and blankets will bring a new coziness to your home, as will changing your window accents.

Small tasks like these will give your rooms new life without breaking the bank or robbing you of too much time.

Think bigger: the couch, rugs, shelving, coffee table, bed frame, and other types of furniture and larger decor that involve a little more effort to swap out.

There’s a good chance your style preference has changed over time, or that you’re still holding onto a few hand-me-down items that have seen better days.

You can refurbish items yourself with sanding and painting/staining, or replace them with different pieces entirely.

Redoing or replacing furniture typically involves a lot more time and money, but brings an even bigger change to the home if you’re ready for it.

If you redo/replace bigger items such as furniture, see if you can re-home or donate pieces that are no longer needed.

What isn’t working anymore in your home may be exactly what someone else needs for their decor!

New Wall Paint

Whether you need to paint one wall, one room, or the whole house, there’s no question that new wall paint can help transform your home and bring new energy to it.

A simple accent wall can be just enough to add a pop of color and drama to a room; a full repainting of a room or the house will absolutely change the vibe if you’re ready for it.

Walls are just one of those things that need touch-ups or a refresh from time-to-time — they get dirty and scuffed, they get dated and boring. Not to mention, it’s actually kind of fun to paint walls, right?

While you’re busy painting the walls, take a quick look at the ceilings. Though ceilings tend to need less attention overall, every now and then a fresh coat of paint is necessary to fix patches and stains or brighten the room.

Other Paint Jobs

You know…..the understated paint projects that are tedious, less fun, and generally tend to go more unnoticed.

Think ceilings, both inside and outside doors, baseboards, crown molding, window and door trim, the banister rails, or any other touch-up jobs that need to be done (those random wall stains, anyone?).

Though less noticeable at first glance, it’s actually amazing what a little fresh paint on these details can do for your home as a whole. It will make the rooms feel lighter, cleaner, and newer.

Sometimes it’s the finishing touches like these that truly count, so take note now of those little details around the house that need some attention.

Cleaning Projects

There’s a good chance (hopefully) you already keep up with the general cleanliness of your home.

But it’s time to take a more critical look at the finer details around the house: baseboards, walls, door frames, corners, mirrors, windows, household appliances….the list is truly endless.

It’s hard enough to clean the house regularly, much less get into every nook and cranny each time.

It may be helpful to create a list of little “cleaning projects” to work through over a period of time, tackling them one at a time — this makes the work feel less daunting.

Go room-by-room and take note of the spots that need a little help. In the kitchen, for instance, you may need to scrub stains off the cabinets and give the stovetop a thorough cleaning.

Though small tasks like these often feel tedious in the moment, they really give the home a fresh feel once they’re completed.

This is a good way to begin sprucing up your space by merely working with your home and some cleaning supplies.

Get Organized

While you’re tackling your cleaning projects, you may get motivated to do a little organizing, too.

You’ll likely start to notice what areas of your home feel cluttered or a little dysfunctional, if this is the case you may not need more decor, just less “stuff”.

Some things may simply need a new location in the home; some may need to go.

If you are going to extensively rearrange your home, you can start with a floor plan of the layout.

Evaluate the items in your home and make a plan for how you’re going to organize them in the most efficient, appealing way possible.

Hold onto things you really need or can’t part with, but consider donating/giving away items that hold no place anymore.

Again, what you no longer need in your home may be exactly what someone else is searching for!

Organizing is another task that feels incredibly daunting at first, but once you enact a plan and start putting things in their place, it’ll be well worth it.

Having an organized home creates a feeling of more space and helps clean up the vibe of your home, as it’s much more pleasing to the eye.

Keep in mind that getting your whole home organized may take awhile (or perhaps not!) so be prepared for the process.

Dare to DIY

There are a lot of home improvement and decor projects that can be done on your own, if you’re up for the investment of time and effort.

Anything from simple projects like a wall hanging, to more involved projects such as building or refinishing furniture — these can be fun ways to spice up your home and learn some fun skills along the way.

If there’s a specific spot in your home you want to upgrade or change, visit photos, magazines, home decor catalogs, and craft stores for ideas and inspiration; you may discover ways to accomplish the task yourself for much less money than hiring out work.

For general home decor and facelifts, DIY can be a great route to take. It also gives your home that special personalized touch since you created it!

For big house projects like flooring, electrical work, etc., sometimes it is best to hire a contractor (unless of course you have experience with it).

Some house projects can be dangerous if completed incorrectly, so getting the right knowledge or help along the way is important.

As with anything, use your best judgement, and have fun with it if you choose to DIY!

Invest in House Plants

If you’re one of the lucky ones with a green thumb or two, this is likely a given — but for those who aren’t as familiar with the botanical world, the idea of house plants can be daunting.

That said, it’s totally worth a shot. Consider the way a fresh bouquet of flowers can brighten up a room, or how a wreath on the front door creates such a lighthearted welcome; a couple house plants can have a calming, rejuvenating effect in your home.

Do a little light research to determine which plant(s) could be right for you, and keep in mind that this varies for everyone depending on light source, care, children or pets present, etc.

Start with a plant or two and go from there. You may discover a new hobby on your quest to spruce up your space!

Light Fixtures

Take a few minutes to peruse your home and its current light fixtures; how are they looking?

Dirty, old, or just outdated? It’s likely time to replace or refurbish at least a few of the fixtures throughout your home.

Clean off the dust and cobwebs, change out light bulbs, and update anything that needs it. Though we tend not to look up at light fixtures too often, they can add a lot to the room.

A clean fixture brings even more light into the room; the right fixture brings more style to the room — think beautiful lamps in the living room or bedroom, and unique or stylized light fixtures in the kitchen and dining room (geometric “lantern” fixtures are quite trendy in kitchen spaces at the moment, for instance).

Lighting can be a fun and unexpected way to really spruce up your home’s decor and general vibe!

Play Musical Furniture

Sometimes, merely rearranging furniture and other items in your home can have a big impact.

Whether you’ve been inhabiting the space for months or years, changing up the layout of certain rooms can *almost* make you feel as though you’re in a new space.

Before you get too invested in moving your furniture around, make sure you measure out the dimensions of everything so there aren’t any surprises later.

Not only will rearranging some things give you a new perspective on the room/home, it may lead you to discover some other organizing, decorating, or cleaning projects.

Curb Appeal Makeover

When was the last time you took a good, hard look at your home from the front? Sure, we see our homes all the time — but we get accustomed to the general appearance of our homes and perhaps don’t really notice that it may be time for an upgrade.

Again, this can be as simple or involved as you see fit.

If you plan to sell your home, this is especially important to focus on.

Kick it off slowly by doing general yard maintenance; trim the hedges and bushes, mow the lawn, do a little weeding.

Hanging a wreath on the front door and switching out your front porch lighting will brighten up the entryway — throw down a new door mat too while you’re at it and clear away cobwebs.

These things bring new warmth to your home while keeping it budget-friendly and low-key.

If you’re looking to go big with the curb appeal, you may decided that your yard, the home itself, or both could use some work.

As far as the house is concerned: re-paint shutters, the front door, and porch railings; replace (or even just clean) old windows; get your home power-washed; replace your roof if it’s in poor condition.

Accomplishing any of these projects will make your home look almost brand-new again.

As for the yard/lawn: consider planting new vegetation that suits your taste; put down new seed for grass to create a lush lawn; mulch around trees, bushes, or wherever necessary; introduce elements such as a bird bath, bird house, or other decorative features, if that’s your style.

Take note that even after all these things are accomplished, they require consistent maintenance — so you will either want to plant/change things you plan to upkeep yourself, or hire out the work to professionals to care for your yard, depending on your preference.

Extras: If you have a garage, consider re-painting or replacing the door, depending on its condition.

If you have a driveway, you may want to get new gravel/re-pave if it’s looking shabby.

Weeding the driveway can work wonders too, in a pinch. A clean-cut driveway with a defined edge is strangely appealing to the eye.

Finally, let’s not forget the mailbox, if you have one — seems like an arbitrary item to fix, but a new/refreshed mailbox is just another thing that will truly add character and charm to your home’s curb appeal.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, there are a number of ways you can give your home a fresh new feel. Whether you’re ready to tackle the bigger projects or chip away at the more tedious, minor tasks, every little bit counts.

Expect it to take time, depending on the age or condition of your home; consider your priorities, budget, etc. and make a plan. Good luck and have fun sprucing up your space!