The first home you own is a rite of passage. Taking your first step into the house or apartment you have managed to buy is the culmination of hard work, stress, and stretching your finances to the limit. Looking at each bedroom, the garden, and the kitchen, you are able to make your own stamp on them and finally decorate a space that is yours to live in, and you can deck it out however you want it, without a landlord or lettings company to tell you what to do. It may be a mammoth task ahead, decorating your space, but there are the practical things you need to take care of, things that are paperwork related, for example. The task of refurbishment and the admin that comes with it is a daunting task, but not to worry. Here are the areas to look at and how best to overcome them.
The Beginning…
Planning ahead is the most sensible approach to any mammoth task. We all have our own way of preparing. Some like to meticulously plan every basic detail, while others like to go with their gut instinct and create their dream home on the fly. If you have family members, pleasing each and every one will be the most important thing of all. It is at this point where everyone will want to chip in their opinions and want their rooms decorated all sorts of colours. The best first phase of the plan will be to start neutral. The best starting point is to choose whites, blacks, or timber colours. These colours always work, and if you wish to dress up the rooms in the future, you can add more colour or use colourful elements such as cushions.
The way to appeal to everyone is to draw up a budget and work to that. From there, you can have everyone create a wish list for things they would like to own in the future, and once the essentials have been purchased, if you have any leftover budget, you can share the funds with everyone so they can have an item from their list.
Once you have moved in, there are various “house admin” tasks that you need to complete. When moving into any home, setting yourself up with the utilities under your name and checking that the previous occupants have done their part too is one of the first things to get sorted. If you are looking for ways to be smarter about your energy tariffs, you can shop around and find the best deals that offer fixed rates for a period of time. Locate the first utility telephone number and contact them or another energy company that can offer rates that suit your budget. Your home in the decorating stage will take up a considerable amount of your finances, so by knowing your outgoings, you could be able to put aside more money in your budget than you originally planned!
The Middle…
Do you have an idea for each room in your house? Or are you starting over again? Building up your home from scratch can take a lot of planning, but if you are stuck for ideas on how to get yourself ready, let’s dive in!
The bed and bedding is a good place to begin. We spend one-third of our lives in bed, so if you are looking for a time to buy a new bed, it is now. The mattress is the defining factor of how comfy your bed is, and should be changed every 10 years. Memory foam mattresses are a very popular choice now, and it has a lot less spring than mattresses on older style beds. Latex mattresses are as firm as memory foamed beds, but have a bit more spring. Natural latex is also a longer lasting choice, as they are antimicrobial and resistant to mould.
When looking to replace a new item of furniture, like a bed or mattress, make sure you have the measurements ready. When looking for items in a large showroom, they will make the items look a lot smaller than they are. Be savvy, and have your room dimensions to hand at all times, and this includes the width of the hallways and doors, having an item stuck in a doorframe is a nightmare!
A measure of common sense in the purchasing of items is to not buy everything all at once. Shop around and look at what is available, and spend some time in your new home to get a feel for what will work and what won’t. One of the most essential items is paint, and it is the best way to give a room some vibrancy. When looking for ways to separate the living space from the kitchen or other rooms in the house, you can choose bolder colours, but by using small trial pots of paint, you can give yourself an idea what the room will look like with that colour.
In tackling the house, make sure to pace yourself and take it easy. Spread out the task over time and into more manageable chunks. Sometimes doing it to a deadline can make people crumble under pressure and rush to get it finished, which will compromise the nature of getting it “correct.” If you are unsure how to decorate your space exactly, trial and error will work just fine. It is your home after all. Trying different styles, like a mixed and matched effort, will give you the opportunity to change it on a regular basis until you find the style that suits you. You don’t need to spend a lot of money each time, going to charity shops for vintage looking items can give your home the quaintness you’re after on a cheap budget.
The End…
Once you have pieced together the budget and spent time and effort on getting the details right, there is nothing left to do than to sit back, relax and admire your handiwork. Buying your first home is only something you get to do once, so enjoy it!
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