New Year Resolutions For Your Home

While we may go into January with the idea that we will completely change as people, the truth is, that it’s a lot easier said than done. However, when it comes to your home, there are a few things that you can do now to ensure that you won’t be repeating the same decorating mistakes you’ve made in years past!

Resolve to do these simple 7 things and you’ll be going into the new year with a bright fresh home ready to take on whatever the next year throws at it. And, even better, these are a lot easier than keeping your hands out of the biscuit tin!

Resolve to Always Test Paint Colours

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Walking into a DIY shop and picking paint from a little strip of paper or from the tiny picture on the front of the tin will never give you a true idea of what it will look like in your home. Paint colours change depending upon the light they are in and what is around them. Vow to always get a few testers of paint and try it on the walls of your room before you commit. See how the light in your space changes the colours throughout the day to find your perfect shade. Doing this will save you time and money in the long run.

Resolve to Get Rid of That Uncomfortable Chair

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If the whole family avoids that one chair in the living room where you can feel the springs coming through, you can’t manage to sit at your dining room table for the duration of a meal without your bum going numb or you’re having issues with your back because your office chair doesn’t provide proper lumbar support, it’s time to upgrade your seating. Updates in the way chairs are now manufactured from supportive fabrics to feather wrapped foam can be the difference between bolting as soon as you can to staying and relaxing awhile for a chat, being able to fully engross yourself in a film or get your work done for the day. If it’s in need of new upholstery, get that booked in or if it’s that far gone, consider donating it to a charity and find something that’s both comfy AND stylish to take its place. Life is too short to sit in a chair that hurts your back.

Resolve to Stick to a Cleaning Schedule

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I have a ‘little and often’ mantra I stick with for keeping my home tidy. With a not-so-neat other half as well as 2 cats and a dog, the house can get really messy really fast and so each evening, I do a quick tidy up before bed, putting away whatever is in the wrong spot, fluffing cushions and throwing away post and paperwork we don’t need. My other half always does dishes so there are never any in the sink waiting to be washed come morning and I hoover at least once a week and use a Swiffer or hand-held vacuum cleaner on a daily basis. Can you develop tidying routines into your daily life? Sometimes it’s better to break up cleaning into smaller manageable pieces rather than thinking it can be tackled in a 4 hour window on a Saturday – because we all know, that never happens despite our best intentions. Figure out what you can fit around your lifestyle and get the whole family involved. (Now, if only I can train my dog to put away his toys, we’d be all set!)

Resolve to Add Some Art to That Blank Wall

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You can have all the components of a finished room but without the accessories, soft furnishings and art, it’s never going to look truly complete. This year, why not add a little life to that room with some new artwork and get some love on those blank walls! You can choose to add one large statement piece that grabs your attention as soon as you walk in or create a gallery wall with a few pieces to tell a story or set a theme for your room.

Resolve to Get Rid of Unsightly Wires

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Of course, you may no longer see all those wires coming from your wall hung TV or that mass of wires clearly visible from your Xbox but trust me, everyone else can. Hide the wires in your walls (a carpenter can do this for you) or purchase a trunking kit that can be painted. They lay flat and will disappear from sight once they are the same colour as the wall. For loose wires, group them with wire ties and mount them against the back of your furniture so  that you can’t see them or use an attractive or decorative box (with holes to keep it all vented) to corral plugs and wires into one very tidy storage solution.

Resolve to Upgrade Your Lighting

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Nothing can ruin a lovely home more than lighting that’s either too bright and stark, is the wrong scale or is in the wrong place. For overhead lighting, err on the side of being a little too big rather than too small – the play on scale can make a space seem bigger than it is. Install a dimmer switch on your main light to create a little ambience. Pay attention to secondary lighting as well – table lamps will create little pools of light that are much calmer than ambient light and if you have a spot where you either read or work, make sure your lighting is up to the task.

Resolve to Finish the Projects You Start

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Yes, we start every year with great intentions. The vintage sideboard you picked up for a steal will look amazing when it’s finally refurbished to its original glory. Of course, we’ll get around to fixing that loose door handle. At some point in time, we’ll finish painting the second bedroom and we’ll definitely organise the linen closet. But if the project hasn’t been touched in a year, it’s time to make some decisions. Get rid of it, sort it out, fix it or get someone in who can finish the job for you. There’s no time like the present and you’ll feel so satisfied when it’s finally taken care of.

What resolutions have you made for your home this year? We’d love to hear from you! Tweet us on @TileMountain1 or tag us on Instagram using @TileMountainUK!

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