Redesign means different things to different people. In today’s blog I’ll explain what it means to me. This, in turn, may prompt you to think about redesign and what it might mean in your life.

Like many of you, most of my adult life was dedicated to raising two amazing kids and everything that non-stop, endlessly rewarding effort entails. Did I mention my kids are amazing? I’m sure yours are, too. Ironically, I’ll bet a lot of money that your kids, like mine, were/are also amazingly expensive. Because of this unavoidable fact, we postpone, cancel, or find ways around money challenges when it comes to addressing our homes. This unavoidable fact collided with my immense love for home interiors, and thus began my journey with redesign.

The Words That Define Redesign

My definition of redesign can be summed up with the following words: reuse, recycle, repurpose, refinish, recover, repair, and reimagine. I was doing these “re” things before they were trendy. While I did them out of necessity, I realized I was becoming pretty darn good at them. I fell in love with the ideas that surround redesign and started sharing them with friends, family, co-workers—really anyone who would listen and, like me, wanted to love their home while needing to stay on a budget. This ongoing work-around led to the birth of my business: The Redesign Habit.

The “re” words above, like redesign itself, are fairly simple and self-explanatory. Here’s a quick rundown with my short definition of each one:

• Reuse: Taking an item that you or someone else has had stored away and reusing it. 

• Recycle: Giving or selling an item that you are no longer using to someone who can use it.

• Repurpose: Coming up with a new way to use an item, other than how it was originally being used.

• Refinish: Taking a rundown piece of furniture and giving it TLC with some sanding and a brand new finish so that it can be used in a new space.

• Recover:  Think pillows, cushions, and upholstered furniture here.  You or someone you know can recover it to update it so it can be used again.

• Repair: Fixing an item rather than just throwing it away.  This one also applies to great pieces you may find at a garage sale or thrift store.

• Reimagine:  What can be done to save a particular piece of furniture or other item that you love but it just doesn't work anymore or look good in its current state.  Use your imagination to find ways to resolve this.

The Green Bonus of Redesign

Another great thing about redesign is that it’s eco-friendly. It’s green design! We buy so many new things and use them for a short amount of time and then just dispose of them when we become bored with them. I’m a strong advocate for listing that item on Offer Up or some similar app. As an example, when we updated our kitchen last year, we replaced the sink. We had no use for the old one but it was still in good condition, so we listed it for free on Offer Up. It was snatched up immediately by a cute young couple trying to update their kitchen on a shoestring budget. They were thrilled as were we.

I’m incredibly passionate about redesign. If you are, too, or if you’re just getting started and have questions, I’m happy to share my years of experience and expertise to help you along on your redesign journey. The advice is free. I think of it as repurposing my knowledge.

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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