As you might have read in my last post, a few weeks ago we were lucky enough to get new carpet in our home. (Squeal! We’ve been needing it for so long.) Once we had the carpet pulled out, we recognized lots of things we could quickly do to refresh our home and make the whole house look new. So, if you are planning on getting new carpet. Read this first. You’ll want to get some of these things ready in advance.
*Even though these ideas came while we were putting in new carpet, you can implement them at any time. Having the house empty simply made things easier.
7 Simple Ways to Refresh Your Home
Related: How to Save Money on Carpet, How to Get Kids to Clean Up, How Getting Rid of Toys Made Us a Happier Family
Wash the Baseboards, Door Frames and Light Switches
There’s nothing like moving a bed that’s been in the same place for 8 years to make you really see the dust! I realized that I should probably pull the beds out every once in a while and dust and vacuum behind them. Wow. What a mess! To clean the baseboards, just use a damp cloth. Pay close attention to the top ridge. You may want to use a broom or the brush attachment on a shop vac to go across the top before you wash.
Now move onto those light switches and the trim around the doors. Covered with fingerprints and smudges, right? Give them a wipe down, and check out the difference!
Touch Up Your Paint Job
Since carpet installers were coming on Monday, we spent Saturday moving furniture and tearing out the old carpet. Once we had the rooms empty and the carpet and pad removed, we realized that it was the perfect time to repair all of the dings in the paint. No carpet means no danger of spills. Luckily, we had the paint already, so we could get started. We spent part of Saturday and Monday touching up paint on the walls and baseboards all over the house. We just had to stay ahead of the workmen.
Wow! What a difference!
Clean/Dust Your Fans
I hate dusting my fans because I feel like the dust falls down on top of the beds and everything below. Guess what? Nothing in the rooms means it’s a perfect time to get the fans good and clean!
Remove Cobwebs
Now’s the perfect time to pull down the sneaky cobwebs hiding in the corners and ceilings of your home. To reach the high spots, drape a dust cloth over the top of a broom. Drag the cloth draped broom along the corners and ceiling. It works like a charm!
Dust Blinds and Windowsills
This is another one of those seriously neglected areas at my house. The furniture is always in the way, and it’s kind of a pain. There’s so much wind in my area that dirt literally blows in through tiny cracks around the windows. I hate dragging the shop vac around the furniture. Cleaning the blinds is not fun, but dust free blinds definitely make the house look great!
Rearrange the Furniture
Once you’re ready to replace the furniture, don’t be afraid to try something new. We rearranged the furniture in our front room, reconfigured our giant family computer desk (it’s now L-shaped), and rearranged our bedroom. The rooms all look larger and less cluttered. Love it!
Have a Garage Sale
Before you put all of your things back in the house. Look around at how nice your home looks with just the furniture and no clutter. Be thoughtful about what you put back in your home. Do you really use it? Do you really need it? Does anyone actually use it?
We’ve had our new carpet for about four weeks, and much of our stuff is still in the garage. I just love how nice our home looks without all of the clutter. There’s definitely a garage sale in our future!
Get Committed to Stay Clean and Organized
Wait–I said seven tips, and this is number eight! This is the step you take to keep your home looking fresh!
This one is easier said than done. There’s definitely something about starting with a clean slate that makes this easier, though. Recommit to things like quick cleanups before bed, doing the dishes immediately after dinner, and dealing with paperwork and junk mail immediately instead of letting it pile up on the counter. (You know–those great habits that are so easy to break!)
Here are some tips to help. I’m horrible at staying clean and organized, but I’m ready to recommit! Click the image below to visit my post that links to all of my ideas for organizing kids and adults. (I have tons of great ideas. I’m just horrible at sticking with them!)
Thanks for stopping by today. I’ll hope you’ll stick around and check out some more ideas on One Creative Mommy. See you next time!
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