Thinking of making some changes around the house? Begin with our checklist to inspire your next home upgrade.
1. Declutter
Marie Condo hasn’t sold over 5 million copies of her tidying-up series of books by having a messy house. Dubbed as the queen of decluttering, her minimalist message is in many ways straightforward as she urges us all to simplify our lives, one possession at a time. Her KonMari method rests on the premise of removing items from your home that do not spark joy, so get sorting through the items in your house and prepare for a mass donation or garage sale to shift unwanted items.
2. Reclaim space
Once your cull is completed, improve storage capacity to provide places for your remaining joy-inducing possessions. In terms of home design in Melbourne, Sydney or outback Australia, provide space for items that’s accessible but maximises floor space. The incorporation of small but important spaces such as wet rooms, a butler’s pantry and recessed shelving contribute to a less cluttered home overall.
If renovations aren’t on the cards, invest in interior décor that provides additional storage such as ottomans and footstools with hidden chambers, under bed cupboards, hanging toy or memento chains, storage hammocks, bathroom organisers and door hooks.
3. Windows
Rejuvenating windows not only updates your home’s appearance but saves money on heating, and your sanity, in the event of noisy neighbours. A useful exercise is to get an energy audit that’ll determine the best options to add efficiency to their operation. You’ll want to know the U-factor (heat conduction), visible transmittance of light and air leakage of your existing windows as a start.
From here, the installation of durable frames, energy efficient glass, shutters or shades, soundproofing and tinting are all options to boost passive solar capacity. As heat’s stored in winter and rejected in the winter, the initial investment on efficient windows seems pricey but delivers high results and lower utility bills.
4. Roof
A tired looking roof can date the appearance of your house and like windows, impacts upon energy efficiency. A roof renovation could be as simple as respraying or relaying faded or damaged tiles, to replacing the entire structure with a different material altogether. On the inside, check the state of your insulation (if any) and investigate whether upgrading this can improve the thermal performance.
Other options could be establishing a low maintenance green roof or installing a greywater run off system to water your garden, or provide additional water storage.
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5. High use areas
Casting your eye to the most commonly used rooms of your house may also reveal areas in need of upgrade. In bathrooms, check the grout is in good condition and water tight, and the tiles are undamaged and not permanently marked. The kitchen often needs a splashback replacement and rejuvenation of benchtops over time due to repeated cooking and general use. Finally, look at rugs carpets and floor coverings that have seen better days, clean and replace as you desire!
