After moving your family into a new home, it’s easy for the rooms to feel like they belong to someone else. It doesn’t feel like you belong in the space since it doesn’t yet display your personality as a family.
Moving cities can be particularly challenging for parents. Luckily there are some clever ways you can refresh your house on a budget so it feels like home. It’s also important to keep in mind that these changes can provide many benefits for children as well, particularly if they feel overwhelmed by the move.
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Paint Your Living Areas
Painting your house is one of the cheapest ways to refresh your living area in minutes! It’s an opportunity to do something different with just a few cans of paint and a little work. Painting before you move in makes it easier since you don’t have furniture to shuffle around.
Paining can help to refresh the walls of your new home, and also leave you with a sense of accomplishment. The process can be cathartic too – get all those feelings out by painting over them!
Painting the Kids Bedroom Walls
Painting the walls of your kids bedrooms with bright colors like yellow or blue helps them feel more at home and less afraid, particularly if they are prone to waking up from nightmares.
Get Creative with Blank Walls
If you have blank walls in your children’s room, consider adding wallpaper, stickers or other decorative items to cover them up. This gives kids something fun to look at and enjoy the new house they are in.
Decor That Feels Like Home
You can create decorative pieces using items found that hold sentimental memories, such as old toys or family photos.
Artwork for the walls can also make a house feel more like your home. Hanging up paintings, or even artworks your kids have made, will create a sense of familiarity in your home.
Lighting and Lamps
If you’re moving into a house with poor lighting, consider adding lamps to create a warm ambience so you can feel more at home.
The right sort of lighting can also be very important for young children to settle at night, and feel safe.
Curtains and Bedding
The right selection of window dressing can make a huge difference on a room. When you’re tired of a room looking bland, adding some curtains and bedding to match can make the space feel new.
Remove Stuff
When you move, take the opportunity to remove some clutter from your life. Removing old furniture and other items you no longer need can make your home feel fresh again.
Less is more when it comes to styling a home. A lot of people will put up decorations in their home just for show rather than to add any function. If your house is full of clutter, it’s time to take start removing what you don’t really benefit from.
Dress Your Furniture
Chances are, when you move into your new home, you’ll bring a lot of your old furniture with you. Consider upholstering the furniture with a new fabric to suit the style of your new home, while retaining the familiarity of your old, much loved furniture.
Choosing furniture that matches the age of your child is another great way to have them settle into their new environment faster. For example, children who are under the age of three should have a crib or playpen for their bedrooms.
Flooring Options
It’s a good idea to replace the flooring in your home, particularly if you have old carpet that is likely to contain allergens. The floor is what gathers dust and allergens. If your kids play on the floor, they can get sick.
Consider replacing your old carpet with a laminate or wooden flooring, which is often much more affordable than other types of flooring and much easier to clean. Removing rugs in high traffic areas and opting for hardwood floors instead of carpets might also help.
Remove Odors
The smell of a musty house is often caused by dirty carpets. To get rid of this smell, vacuum them with your machine on high and then steam clean all floors or put down new carpet altogether to freshen up your home for you and your kids!
Lighting some scented candles is a great way to make an old home feel fresh again. There are a lot of scented candles on the market that can smell like anything from lavender, apple pie or even bacon (no thanks). If you have young kids candles may not be the safest option, so consider other air fresheners.
Also, if the previous owner of your house had pets inside, there are ways to remove pet smells from carpet or upholstery with just baking soda and vinegar.
Overhaul Your Backyard
When moving to a new house, it’s not all about the inside of the property. The outside of the house can be equally as important. In addition to enticing your family, it’s important to make your yard welcoming for guests as well. The first thing you want to do is decide what kind of outdoor space suits your needs best. With the right backyard design, you will be ready for hosting BBQs and parties on a regular basis.
Little by Little
You don’t need to do it all, right away. If you’re looking for tips on how to make your house feel like home without emptying your bank account, this post is for you. Moving can be expensive, so hopefully the cost-friendly advice provided in this post will come in handy. It’s important for children to make your house a home.
It’s easy to get overwhelmed with the size and expense of overhauling your new home, but there are ways you can make it easier and more cost effective if you are a little creative. Involve your kids in the new design process and get moving!
This is a great way to make your house feel like home. And you’ll save money in the long-run.