8 Ways to Give Your Home a New Look and Feel This Year

The new year is always a great time to set goals and evaluate what you want to accomplish moving forward. With Americans spending about 87% of our time indoors, optimizing your indoor spaces will lead to a happier, healthier 2020 for you and your family. If home improvement is on your resolution list this year, we’ve rounded up 8 simple ways to level-up your home.

1. Do a Quick Clean

We know this is no one’s favorite step, but cleaning doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Start your cleaning process in the largest room of your home and set a timer for a “doable” amount of time (think of the Pomodoro method, which works in 25-minute increments.) Often, you’ll find that after clearing away those dust bunnies your home already feels brighter.

2. Rearrange Your Furniture

This simple hack can be an easy (and free) way to level-up your space. A great tip for rearranging your furniture is to start the process by taking a picture of your current arrangement. From there, look at these photos with a few key questions in mind:

• Are there any sources of natural light in the room? How can I optimize this light?
• How can I move my furniture to make my space seem more open?
• Does my current furniture arrangement best fit the flow of my home’s activities?

By simply rearranging your furniture with these questions in mind, you can make your space feel airier and more open.

3. Update Your Fixtures

When you don’t want to spend money on a complete renovation in your kitchen or bathroom, updating your fixtures is a cost-efficient way to improve the look of your home. When picking fixtures, keep in mind:

• Your budget: A smaller budget doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll have lower quality fixtures. If you’re unsure what your budget can buy you, your local plumber often has information about fixtures and fixture installation that will get you more bang for your buck.
• Trendy vs. timeless: Are you trying to have your fixtures embody a trend like modernism? Or, do you want them to feel timeless? These aesthetic details can make all the difference in the look and feel of a space.
• Materials matter: Because of the wide variety of functions fixtures can perform (from toilets to the kitchen sink), materials need to be considered in order to optimize performance. For example, while zinc might be a more cost-effective option for a bathroom sink, it might not hold up to the wear and tear of everyday life. If you are looking for a more high-end look, consider getting your fixtures finished with either chrome, bronze, or nickel.
• Maintenance: All fixtures need maintenance, but certain fixtures get more use than others, so consider the level of maintenance you are willing to invest in. When you answer this question, you might want to reevaluate the materials or style of your chosen fixtures.

4. Make Your Home Energy Efficient

This step actually works two-fold. Not only will increasing your home’s energy efficiency save you money on utility bills, but it also helps decrease your carbon footprint. This doesn’t have to be overwhelming either. Start small by remembering to turn off light fixtures and consider investing in energy-efficient window coverings—which let natural light in and prevent heat from penetrating your home.

Another small step that makes a big difference in your home’s energy consumption is checking the condition of your furnace, air conditioning unit, or boiler. The U.S. Department of Energy has a great resource for diagnosing some common air conditioner problems, so you can speak the same language as your HVAC repair technician.

If your HVAC systems are beyond repair, it might be time to look into more modern systems. You can reduce your air conditioning energy use by 20-50% when you switch to a high-efficiency air conditioner. Installing modern air conditioning systems is not only more energy-efficient, but can also be much more customizable to your personal needs than older models.

For all of your HVAC needs throughout the Springfield area, contact All Klear All Hours online to learn how we can help!

5. Add a Fresh Coat of Paint (or Some Wallpaper)

This is an often-overlooked way to spruce up your space. Even if you use the same paint color you already have, a fresh coat can bring a room back to life. If you are feeling more adventurous, consider creating an accent wall. Choosing to paint a wall or ceiling a different color can be a great way to inject new life into your space and show off your creative side.

If the idea of wallpaper invokes images of peeling, yellowing paper from your grandparent’s house, you’re not alone—but times are a changin’. There are plenty of removable wallpaper brands that boast interesting patterns without damaging your walls. In the matter of a weekend, you can have what looks like a brand-new space!

6. Install a Whole-Home Humidifier

A space’s humidity levels can be a game changer when talking about the comfort of your home. If you already have a tabletop humidifier, you know the short-term benefits. However, having a whole-home unit can save you the pain of lugging your unit from room to room while also reducing respiratory irritation, and cutting down on your utility bills.

7. Bring the Outside In

Indoor house plants have a ton of unique benefits for you and your family. Bright blooms can add color to your space, and it has been shown that employees who work in spaces with plants “tend to feel better about their jobs, worry less, and take fewer sick days.” Some researchers have even found that certain house plants provide allergy relief because these plants act as air purifiers, soaking up volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the air.

8. Add Shelving or Storage

Keeping items off the floor will automatically make a room feel more spacious. Installing shelves is an easy way to get organized and increase the usable space in your home. Every home is different, so think about where objects bunch up in your home the most—this might be your kitchen pantry, closet, or living room. When adding shelves, think about function first. It will help you determine the size, style, and material needed.