Getting Ready for the New Year!
If your house is anything like mine, the new year means more than just personal resolutions. It means planning new house projects! Some projects are needed for maintenance. Yawn, not fun. But the non-maintenance ones? Well, scoop out a big heaping helping of Happy New Year to me! I hope your 2023 finances allow you to pursue at least a few fun home projects. In this blog, we’ll address the what, when, and how of completing that seemingly endless list of home projects, plus the not-fun inevitable budget and time constraints.
My Annual Approach
Make your project list! Be sure to add everything you can think of for the new year!
What hubby and I have done for many years is to make two lists around the time one year passes to the next. The first list includes not-fun things we need to do. For each item we note:
· Vision for the project
· Whether we can DIY it or semi-DIY it with assistance from a pro
Budget, budget, budget! Really the most important thing to determine.
· Cost estimate—it’s painful but important to be accurate and plan on the high side - think of how you’d handle the worst case scenario (e.g., repairing the wall turns into treating for mold); if the worst case doesn’t materialize then you can move those funds to another project
· Importance of the project, keeping in mind prioritization and protection of your largest asset, which is of course, your home
Next, make your fun list addressing the same factors above. Then compare your two lists and make those tough choices. If your budget allows, and some of your “no-fun” items can be pushed to next year with little consequence, I recommend including at least some fun projects in your final list. They don’t have to be expensive. Even the free project of rearranging furniture can freshen up your home and help give you a new outlook. Keep the principles of redesign in mind to make your dollars go further (my other blogs are chock full of great redesign projects to consider). I find it most satisfying when you tackle some items from each list.
To help stretch your dollars, consider…
Painting is the best way to change the look and feel of a room…also one of the most affordable!
· Painting a room. Again, I emphasize that this is the biggest bang for your buck and it is most likely something that you can do yourself. Maybe with the help of a friend or two and a little wine! Be sure to watch for sales at your local home stores and hardware stores to help you save as much as possible.
· Shopping in your own house. Find new places for your furniture pieces or décor items such as rugs, lighting, or artwork. Shifts from one room to another can make the space feel brand new. It’s also a great time to go through your storage and check out things that you haven’t used or seen for a while. You can always easily change the color on lots of different items with a good, old can of spray paint. Little things like changing out the covers on your throw pillows can help give your furniture a new look for very little expense.
· Shopping garage sales and thrift stores. One of my top tips. Get out there, have fun and find some amazing deals. You’ll save money, plus it’s a responsible way to shop. You’re taking something that someone else couldn’t use anymore and giving it a new purpose and home. Remember that you can refinish things to work in your particular space with fresh paint and other creative treatments.
Hopefully, you feel better prepared to plan your home projects with reduced stress. Happy New Year!
Now, what will you do next to love where you live?
Please feel free to reach out to us at The Redesign Habit and ask questions or simply share a project that you are working on or have completed.
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