Tag: homemaking

How to make your home more liveable

How to make your home more liveable | H is for Home

One of the awkward things about buying a home is that we have to contort ourselves into it. We might have a perfectly habitable home, but it wasn’t designed with our personal needs in mind, and thus, we have to build ourselves into it. Or at least we do if we want it to be a liveable space. It takes a little bit of effort, but it really is worth improving things to make your home more liveable – it’ll make it more comfortable, relaxing and… your own. Take a look at some of our tips below, which you can also apply to your new home or home you’ve lived in for years.

'JOY' illuminated light

Moments of joy

You’re going to feel good if you’re surrounded by things that make you smile. How could you not? Well then, make sure that you’re filling your home with things that you love and lift your mood. There’s space on the walls for your favourite souvenirs from your travels, works of art, photographs and more. When you look around, you’ll have an abundance of physical representations of your happiness. Fill your home with joy, and it’ll be joyful – it’s that simple.

Floor-standing clothes rack

Space to breathe

We all end up buying more stuff than we need. It’s just the way the world works: we work hard, so we treat ourselves to new belongings. But of course, since we rarely throw out those items that we no longer need, what happens is that we end up with homes that are somewhat overflowing with goods. And this can compromise the liveability factor of a property – it can feel like there’s little space to breathe. So take a look at having a clear-out. You can look at storage unit rentals and stash your unused belongings there. Or you can pack up those things that you no longer want and need and sell or donate them. The end result will be the same: a more spacious home.

Shells and pine cone on a window sill

A touch of nature

There are a lot of benefits to having a cosy home, safe from the perils of the outdoors. But it’s probably true that we’ve cut ourselves off from nature a little too much. Having touches of the outdoors in your home can make your space much more liveable and enjoyable. To achieve this, consider adding plants and fresh flowers to your living spaces, as well as natural decorations such as seashells, pine cones, jars of sand and the like.

Black & white throw on a tan sofa

Upgraded fabrics

If you can upgrade your fabrics, then you’ll upgrade the comfort of your home. It’s a simple equation, but one that works! It’s hard to feel really comfortable when you’ve got worn and outdated fabrics. Or, rather, you might not know how much better things can be until you’ve updated them. New throws for the sofa, sheets for the bed and towels for the bathroom will make a big difference.

Implement the tips above, and you’ll find that your home is a much more pleasant and enjoyable place to spend time. It’ll be a space that feels like it was designed with your needs in mind.

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Your home looks good, but is it enjoyable?

Your home looks good, but is it enjoyable? | H is for Home

It’s worthwhile spending time making sure that our home looks as good as possible, sure; but that shouldn’t be the only priority we have for our property. Our house is supposed to serve multiple purposes; it’s not just there to impress our visitors. You’re the one who’s going to be living and spending time there; make sure it’s an enjoyable place to be. Once you’ve taken care of the décor side of your home, get to work on upping the fun and relaxation side too. In so doing, you’ll create a house in which you love spending time. But how do you do this? Well, we take a look at a few ways below.

Wine glasses, orchid and candle on bath caddy over a bubble bath

Relaxing spaces

You wouldn’t always know, just by looking at other people’s properties, that one of the primary functions of our home is to help us relax away from the chaos of the outside world. If your house is currently lacking in this department, then look at reducing the formality of your home, and upping the comfort levels. One effective way to do is to create a tech-free room; one that’s filled with comfortable seating, books, candles and incense. It’ll put you in a deep state of relaxation no matter what your day has been like.

Woman eating a bowl of popcorn with a tv remote control in her hand

Adding the entertainment

If that takes care of the relaxation side of home life, what about the fun? On those cold and windy days (of which there are plenty in the UK), there’s nothing better than curling up on the sofa with your loved ones, and watching a box set or film. Ensure you’re able to experience this in style by getting a smart home cinema from Kino AV. Whenever you want to have a fun time with your family, you’ll all be able to get comfortable, crack open the snacks and dive into a couple of hours of quality entertainment. Elsewhere, you’ll prpbably want to have an advanced audio set up – playing music can make any occasion all the more enjoyable.

Circle of people holding skewers over a barbecue

Time outdoors

The UK might not be famed for its glorious weather, but it does arrive sometimes! And when it does, you’ll want to be ready to strike. If you put together an outdoor living area, with furniture and a BBQ included, then you can enjoy many a summer’s afternoon and evening right there on your own property. If you have children, then you may want to look at adding a swing set, badminton net and paddling pool, too. Who needs a summer holiday when you have your garden?!

People eating a meal at a table al fresco

Hosting friends

There’s nothing better than having friends around for an intimate or not-so-intimate gathering. But take a look at your home; is it currently set up to receive visitors? If not, look at making a few changes. Switching to an open-plan kitchen will make it easy to host get-togethers. If you have a spare room, then give it a makeover and bring it up to hotel quality. Those impromptu get-togethers are much more enjoyable when you know you can offer your guests a bed for the night.

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House to Home: Making a new property feel like your own from day one!

House to Home: Making a new property feel like your own from day one!

Moving into a new home is so exciting. It’s a blank canvas, a chance to start afresh. A new place to make memories, and something to really make your own. Most of all, it’s a chance to live your life the way that you want, in a place that’s suitable for your needs. However, as exhilarating as it is having a new home, it can also take some adjustment. As the saying goes, ‘home is a feeling, not a place’ and so creating that same feeling in your new property can take a little doing. Thankfully, there are things you can do to help you settle in more quickly and start enjoying your new home. Here are some ideas!

Painting and decorating a room

Decorate

Decorating a home can be expensive, and for lots of people it’s an ongoing process which has to be done over time. However, if you’re in the position to have it all done in one go, it can be quicker and easier to do it when the place is empty. Before you move in you could have painters and decorators paint and wallpaper the walls, electricians fit your light fittings, and carpet fitters or cleaners come in and sort the floors out.

You could even have a new bathroom and kitchen fitted if that’s something you plan on doing. That way, you don’t have to mess around moving furniture and everything is new and fresh for when you move in. You don’t feel as though you’re living in someone else’s home with all of their old décor. Again, it’s not within everyone’s budget to do everything all at once, but if you are able to, it can make things easier and it’s more pleasant for you to move into.

Little white pottery beaker with 'home' printed on the side

Think about accessories

Accessories are what make your décor pop, and are what make any property look homely. They’re your own personal touches to a place, so it makes sense that if you want a place to feel like home then accessories are important. It doesn’t mean dragging everything you had at your old house to the new one, chances are you want to update things and buy some new items. And that’s fine, even new things can make your home feel like your own. The point is, you’ve picked them because you like them and they’re your style which can give you a familiar feeling.

Internet TV home screen with remote control to the foreground

Get the TV and internet set up

One of the most inconvenient things about moving house is being stuck without any TV or internet for a week or more while you wait to be connected. Sometimes this is unavoidable, but if you plan ahead you might be able to have it set up the day you move in. In some instances, these can be connected up remotely if you already have the sockets in place.

Oftentimes, an engineer will have to come out but if you let them know early enough you can time it right. With your TV and internet on from the start, you’ll quickly feel settled in and it will make it easier to get back into your routine.

3D interior render graphic

Play around with room planners

Setting out the furniture in the best formation is always tricky when you first move into a new home. Perhaps you have existing furniture that you want to make fit, or you might be buying things from scratch. Before moving in, work out the dimensions of the room and measure the things you own or want to buy. 3D room planners can be effective ways to see how different layouts will look without the hassle of rearranging your furniture in real life. It lets you know if you have everything you need to get your rooms looking complete or what you still need to buy.

Once you know you’re moving and have the measurements it’s worth starting to accumulate these things and having them ready, especially if you’re ordering bespoke furniture as it can take many weeks to make. If things are ready before you move into your new property, you can always store it away using a company like Pink Self Storage until you have the keys.

Scented candle in a brown glass jar

Add fragrance

Smell has such a big impact on us as humans. The new place you move into might not smell bad necessarily (unless you need to get round to replacing or cleaning the carpets and other fixtures) but chances are it will be unfamiliar. Adding scented candles, reed diffusers and plug-in air fresheners in fragrances you enjoy and have chosen yourself can make it feel much more homely.

If you have particular scents that you use regularly in your old home then consider bringing these. If not, just choose ones that you already know you like. It’s better than having an unfamiliar odour which can be a little jarring and definitely gives you the feeling that you’re in someone else’s home. Cooking your favourite meal and washing your clothes with your usual detergent will also bring familiar smells to the new property once you start doing your normal daily tasks.

Blank page in an address book

Get your address changed

Changing your address is one of the biggest hassles when you move. You need to inform your employer, schools, doctors and dentists, your bank, utility companies; you’ll also need to update your driving license, car documents and more. Once you have your moving date, most of these will let you change your address in advance, so it’s something that can be done ahead of time. It gives you less to do once you move in and can make the process run much more smoothly. Also, don’t forget to give your new contact details to friends and family too so they can update them in their address books.

The above tips should help you to settle into your new property much more quickly and start enjoying it from day one. A little planning and organisation goes a long way, so do all you can ahead of the big move to avoid unnecessary stress.

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What makes a space a home?

'What makes a space a home?' blog post banner

pair of vintage leather club chair in front of a woodburner

It doesn’t matter whether it’s a one-room bedsit or a Downton Abbey-sized mansion – everyone deserves to have a place they can call home.

However, there is something indefinable about the term as it could just as easily apply to new build homes in Harlow or period properties in Penzance.

One thing is for sure; a home definitely means more than having a collection of personal possessions or a few carefully chosen items of furniture. In fact, sometimes a residence that is full of brand new items can feel soulless and lacking in character.

So what is it exactly that makes a space a home?

bookeshelves, armchair and chest of drawers in our bedroom

Roots

One of the most important things about a home is having ‘roots’ there. Knowing you are going to be happy there for a long period of time is a lot more comforting than simply being aware you will only be passing through.

The whole idea of settling in somewhere and putting down roots lies at the heart of the place we call home.

It’s also somewhere that we can feel safe, protected and retreat from the stresses and strains of everyday life and therefore, relax. For some, this can mean being surrounded by family or house-mates, for others the ideal might be to have somewhere totally to themselves.

shelves with books and collectables in our sitting room 

History

Another part of a home is the history that comes with it. Sometimes this can mean living in a building that you or your family have occupied for a long time and other times it can simply mean creating an environment that reflects your personality.

This sense of personality within your home can be created by making use of vintage items and styles which can be a great way to invent your own feeling of connection with the past.

 Adelle's vintage handbag collection on a wall in our bedroom

Style

By having your own sense of style means that using vintage items can be applied into your home in many different ways.

Whether it’s a specialist personal interest or hobby, or a more general sense of adopting an interior design theme or decoration, creating your own mix can be one of the most satisfying ways to have a home that is truly your own.

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