Upgrading Your Home Improvement Philosophy

Does your home improvement philosophy need an overhaul? What I mean by that is, that you may have set thoughts in relation to redecorating, room use, comfort, safety, and home improvements.

Home is where the heart is, so the cliche goes. However. the family home should be a place of love, security, and happiness. So it’s no surprise that virtually every homeowner considers home upgrades to be a key priority. From single homeowners to serial home buyers, most people complete a wide range of home improvements over the years. But the chances of success can be diminished when the home improvement philosophy doesn’t change. Every home is different so avoid some common pitfalls.

Learning to embrace new ideas and philosophies could be the key to getting more joy from and adding more value to your home. So what are the key elements of changing your home improvement philosophy? Let’s take a closer look.

#1. Remove Clutter

When it comes to designing a better home, it’s only natural to think about the new additions. In truth, though, the best starting point is usually to rid yourself of the items that currently aren’t adding anything to the property.

Decluttering brings many benefits, not least is the discovery of extra space. Meanwhile, you can sell items at a garage sale to generate some extra funds. Or you may want to donate certain products to the people who need a little help. Either way, it’s surely a better solution than letting those items collect dust.

By starting with a decluttering job, you’ll gain a far greater appreciation of the space you have to work with. If that doesn’t benefit the future home upgrade projects, what will?

#2. Don’t Let Finances Stop Necessary Jobs

Whether it’s home improvements or any other aspect of life, it’s important to live within your means. Having said that, your property is too important to ignore. If repair jobs are needed, it’s imperative that you make them your priority. Furthermore, you need to ensure that those tasks are attended to immediately. Some of these may also be covered by insurance, so do check out if the repair project could be covered under your home insurance,

Leaving those problems will only allow them to snowball into something worse. Frankly, this is exactly the type of situation for which personal loans are made. Information found at PrettyPenny.co.nz can be particularly useful those with poor credit history. Ultimately, those past financial issues shouldn’t be a sentence to home disasters. With the right support, it doesn’t have to be.

Keeping repairs and upgrades in check will also add to the on-going value of your home.

#3. Focus On Protection & Safety

Your home is your castle, and it will never boast the right vibes unless it feels safe. While you may have your eyes set on a curved TV or projector screen, the first piece of tech you should add is home CCTV.

In addition to that surveillance, you should also think about automated gates and intercom systems. Aside from protecting your property and providing your family with peace of mind, it could reduce your insurance premiums.

Outside threats aren’t the only key factor to consider, though. Making the home child-friendly with the use of electrical socket protectors and stair gates will give you additional piece of mind. There has also been much reported in the news recently about the inadequacy of pool gates. Ensure your pool gates meet or exceed the code and that agile children can’t climb up and swing open the gates. Check out YouTube for scarily agile kids getting into pools and other potentially unsafe areas.

#4. Embrace Space

Let’s face it; bigger is better although buying that nine-bed mansion may not be on the cards. However, you can make your current property feel far more grandiose simply by investing in a better layout. The decluttering session will have helped, but now is the time to make a major impact.

If rooms are small or you feel boxed in, knocking down an internal wall can work wonders. An open plan won’t add a bigger home footprint but it will create a more spacious feel. With prudent positioning of furniture to create a good flow, taking out a wall and creating an open plan could revolutionize your relationship with your home.

In an open plan or bigger space, paint walls a light colour to encourage light to be reflected more readily. Move large objects away from the windows and allow light to flood through. If you are mindful of privacy, consider applying window film or installing pre-tinted windows. Internal or external plantation shutters also allow the manual manipulation of light and privacy. An open floor plan will make a home appear larger and more spacious. This not only adds natural light but can be a very attractive benefit to a purchaser if you ever wanted to sell your home.

#5. Put Comfort First

When picturing a dream home, your initial thoughts are with advanced tech, swimming pools, and fancy gimmicks. In truth, though, those luxury items are futile if the essential foundations aren’t in place. Essentially, there’s no substitute for feeling comfortable in your home. So keep this in mind when taking on any home upgrade project.

If your HVAC systems aren’t in the best health possible, this should be one of the first items on your to-do list. Meanwhile, fixing the shower pressure can have an equally massive impact on your daily activities. Seriously, upgrading those aspects will bring far greater joy than investing in an unnecessary luxury.

Another crucial factor is to start valuing your time. If washing machines, dishwashers, and appliances can trim minutes off your daily chores, you’d be a fool not to capitalize on that. Besides, you’ll never enjoy those other features if you’re constantly stuck in the kitchen.

#6. Think Long-Term

We live in a world where we tend to focus on the immediate rewards. However, your property is such a valuable asset it would be foolish not to consider long-term goals. If you have a design choice between a job that will bring short-term benefits and one that will bring sustained joy, opting for the latter is key.

This is especially true when making financial considerations. As such, making alterations aimed at creating a more eco-friendly home can help your pocket as well as your environment. Once again, it can make the property a more attractive prospect to potential future buyers.

You can never predict the future, but thinking about potential changes to circumstances could make a difference. Whether this is the arrival of a baby or preparing for older kids to fly the nest, it doesn’t matter. Take a step back to think about what’s needed, and you’ll be in a far better position going forward.

#7. Add Purpose

Practical thinking is a key component in all of those upgrades, but it carries even greater pertinence when repurposing a room. Get it right, and it could truly transform the entire state of your home. This which is changing your home improvement philosophy will be of even greater benefit.

Unused guest rooms are the most common waste in the modern household. Turning this space into a home office can open up new opportunities for your career, and benefit the kids too. Moreover, this type of home upgrade project could boost the value of your property by five-figures, well ahead of what the actual remodel would cost.

Garages are another area that can be revitalized to give added comfort, value, and possibilities to the home. In addition to costing less money than other jobs, it’s also a project that needn’t impact your life during the process either. A garage can make an excellent games room, home office, or even ‘granny flat’ when done professionally.

#8. Don’t Overlook Exterior Factors

Your home doesn’t start and end with the four walls. Frankly, if the property looks good from the front, it can put you in a better mood every time you come home. For the sake of adding new gravel and painting the external walls, the positive impacts can be huge.

The front of the property isn’t your only concern, though. Transforming the garden breathes new life into the entire home. You can find some truly magnificent garden BBQs at TradeMe.co.nz. Combine this with a decking project, and you’ll have every reason to spend more time outside as a family. It will also double up as a party venue for entertaining friends.

If the thought of maintaining this part of the home is a stumbling block, then consider your options. Artificial lawns are a great way to cut down on the work and their quality has improved enormously over the past few years. Other ways to spruce up an exterior include adding attractive shutters or blinds, hang flowering baskets, and adding containers with plants and flowers you can easily move around.

#9. Know When DIY Is Right For You

When taking on any home upgrade project, there are a number of questions that need to be asked. But perhaps the most important one is whether to hire an expert or do it yourself. Ultimately, this decision will impact finances, logistics, and the outcome. There’s never one right answer for everyone so undertake analysis based on your own situation.

Nowadays, the help of online tutorials and more affordable tools enables DIY enthusiasts to complete more jobs than ever. Having said that, there are still a variety of projects that should be left to the professionals. Ultimately, if a mistake is made it could end up costing more money.

Completing a task provides a huge sense of satisfaction while the savings can go towards another job.  Ultimately, analyzing the risk and reward is key. Find the right balance in all your future projects and create the home you’ve always desired.