Making a New House Home When You’re on a Budget
Making a New House Home When You’re on a Budget by Kris Louis
You look forward to moving into your new home, getting settled, and enjoying the features and space you found so appealing the first time you saw the place. The buying process can be stressful and it often takes a lot of time, so it’s understandable that you should want to move right in and begin making the place your own. However, sometimes it’s better to be methodical and do things right rather than rushing in and getting set up without taking care of basics that will make getting settled that much easier. There are lots of simple things you can do to turn a new house into your new home without breaking the bank.
Declutter
Ideally, decluttering is something you should do before moving. But if you don’t get around to it before the move, it’s important you take the time to get rid of all the excess belongings that complicate life and make it hard to get settled in. Go room by room, or box by box, and make separate piles based on what you’ll throw out, donate to charity, or give away. You can even make a little cash by selling things off in a yard sale or taking them to a consignment store. Be as objective as possible, as it’s very tempting to give into nostalgia when you’re trying to declutter. For the items you do decide to keep, consider picking up some affordable storage boxes or bins to make sure all of your things stay organized and tidy. Before making a purchase, search for clearance items and coupons online.
Clean It Up
Your predecessors may have had the place cleaned before you moved in, but don’t assume that everything’s the way you want it. For one thing, the moving process tends to mess things up all over again, so you’ll need to do some cleaning once all that furniture and those boxes have been hauled in. You can also turn to home goods stores like Bed Bath & Beyond or even Target for any of your cleaning tool needs, such as a vacuum cleaner, broom, dusters, and microfiber cloths. It pays to do some digging, so look into Bed Bath & Beyond coupons or Target weekly promotions.
As you clean, take a particularly close look at areas that tend to be missed like behind the fridge, stove, and in the shower/bathtub area of each bathroom. These are areas where grime, dust, and mold are most likely to build up and leave unpleasant smells and bacteria behind.
Start Hanging
Few actions say “This is home” like hanging family photos and setting out personal mementoes that have deep emotional meaning. Go ahead and hang photos along with your favorite artwork once your furniture is in place. If you’re feeling a little indecisive about where to hang things, consider using an adhesive frame hanger just in case you decide the family Christmas portrait should go over the mantel instead of in the hallway. That way you can avoid filling your new walls with holes that you’ll have to spackle over, sand, and repaint.
Perform Basic DIY Maintenance
Save money by integrating some basic DIY home maintenance work as you clean. Replace the grout in the shower as well as any tile flooring. Make sure your dryer vent is cleaned out, check to see if the HVAC filter needs to be cleaned or replaced, and vacuum the dust and debris off your refrigerator coils. Test your smoke and carbon dioxide detectors and replace worn batteries if necessary.
Add a Personal Touch
Dress up your new home and give it your own personal touch without having to spend a lot of money. Try incorporating some decorative area rugs, throw pillows for your living room furniture, cheap houseplants in each room, and affordable curtains as decorative wall elements.
Take things a (budget-friendly) step at a time as you go about the moving-in process. Create a clean, comfortable space before arranging your furniture and adding aesthetic elements that make your new house a home.
Image courtesy of Pixabay.com
