It’s a brand-new year and in the spirit of all things fresh and new, we’ve been eager to find ways to freshen up our home. Our home environment has a big impact on the way we feel day-to-day and if we want to stick to those new years resolutions, keeping our home positive may just be the way to do it!

De-Clutter

Out with the old and in with the new! A great first step to preparing your home for the new year is to declutter. Work your way through the house room by room, setting aside anything that is broken, you no longer use, or you no longer like. Once you’re finished, these things can either be given away, thrown away or donated to a charity shop. Challenge yourself to go through every cupboard, shelf and drawer and you might be surprised by the space you make!

Maximise Light

Maximising natural light in your home can go a long way to improving your mood. Begin by cleaning your windows inside and out to remove any dirt that may have built up over winter. Then, move obstructions away from the windows and clear any clutter away from the window sills.

Once natural light has been maximised, turn your attention to the lights and lamps in each room. Are there any dark corners that would benefit from a standing lamp? Could you install under cupboard lighting in the kitchen, so you can see better while cooking?

Spring Clean

Spring cleaning in the new year can give your home a new lease of life. Plus. once you’ve finished your decluttering this should be much easier! Work through the house room by room cleaning even those spaces you usually avoid. Trust us, you’ll feel much better afterwards!

Put up Fresh Art

Putting fresh art up on the walls is a great way of updating any room. Perhaps the current pieces you have are a bit outdated or maybe you have too many up there and want to make more of a minimalist space. Taking any artwork down that you no longer love and replacing it with a fresh new piece can do wonders for livening up a room!

Add Plants & Flowers

Filling your home with plants will keep your space on-trend while also improving the air quality. Before choosing your house plants, consider the amount of natural light you have in your home. Some plants do very well with little light whereas others suffer. If light is no problem, invest in umbrella plants or succulents, and if your home is a little darker opt for a shade loving fern or spider plant.

Buying flowers for your house is a great way of brightening up a room. Select a nice vase and display your flowers in the entryway to make you smile when you walk in the door.

Change Up Your Bedding

Throwing out or donating any old bedding that is beginning to look worn out, and replacing it with fresh bedding is a great way to lift the mood of a bedroom. This is also a great time to make sure you have the right mattress, duvets and pillows.

Update Your Entryway

If staying calm and organised is one of your new years resolutions, creating an organised entryway can really help to reduce stress in the morning. Ensure there’s space to hang up coats, tidy away shoes and store your keys. This will also give you a nice routine for when you get in from a long day.

Add a Fresh Scent

Buying a new air freshener or room spray is a quick and easy way of updating your home. Opt for scents such as grapefruit and orange to give your living areas a positive lift, and calming scents such as lavender for a relaxed bedroom.

Think About Music

Whether you love to spin vintage records or stream Spotify through Bluetooth speakers, make sure your music system is as you want it to be. Clear out any CDs or records you no longer play and consider whether you’d like to listen to music in areas of the home you hadn’t previously thought about – having a speaker in the bathroom and bedroom is a low-cost way of making your house more up-beat.

Organise Your Wardrobe

Clearing out any clothes that no longer fit or suit you is a fantastic mental cleanse. It also means you’ll have more space in your wardrobe and might spend less time getting ready in the morning! Create a donation pile for anything that no longer makes you feel your best and take it to the charity shop and soon as you get chance.

So, there you have it, 10 ways to freshen up your home. Do you have any new year’s resolutions for your home? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter.