Lose weight. Drink less. Eat healthier. Quit smoking. Volunteer. These are just a few of the top New Year?s resolutions for 2012. Was your resolution on this list? And have you stuck with it or is it a distant memory you?ve repressed like the neon yellow spandex you were wearing in 1985? ?How about making a resolution this year (if even a few weeks late) and resolve to freshen up your home?? It?s simple. It?s inexpensive. And, we have the best tips for you in this article so you won?t have to do the footwork. Where?s that ?easy? button when you need it?
- Get your home ready to entertain (even if you?re not entertaining)
HGTV.com suggests getting your house ready for entertaining so you?re always ready to spend more time with family and friends. ?You don?t have go for broke here and invest in a new kitchen remodel. All it takes to get a fresh new look is a little bit of rearranging and a few updates,? says designer McCormick.? Add plants to your home to make it feel more finished and help clean the air. Pull a new accent color from your current d?cor and add more of it in the form of pillows, throw blankets, or a new rug. Take some time to rearrange your furniture so it is more inviting and conversation oriented (i.e., not facing the TV directly).
? - Small changes make a big difference
Pamela Cole Harris suggests choosing small changes to your home so it?s not overwhelming. Choose one room to repaint, if even just one wall and rearrange or add some family photos or artwork to refresh the space. If you?re trying to go green in your home, but cannot afford to do the major renovations such as replacing all old appliances, try replacing one appliance this year with an energy efficient one. (Plus, there are usually tax credits available so you?ll save money!) - Make visible storage beautiful
Briar Cliff Village suggests that if you have storage space in your home that is visible, make it look its best. Utilize storage containers from the Container Store or IKEA or fun baskets to clean up the clutter and give the shelves some style. Organize books by type or size and add book ends next to them. - Keep your mess under control, daily & weekly
Jeff Campbell, author of the book Speed Cleaning and owner of the Clean Team housekeeping service in San Francisco suggests some of these easy tips to keep your house in order in 2012 to create a stress-free living space.
- Make sure you put the dishes in the dishwasher every night, dirty clothes go in the hamper, and clean clothes go in the closet or dresser. Everything should go to its assigned place daily.
- Focus on one type of cleaning at a time ? Wipe down fingerprints on all of the cabinets, for instance, before moving on to spraying and wiping counters. Then move on to windows and mirrors and appliances. Once that?s done move on to sweeping and then mopping floors.
- Divide and conquer ? enlist the help of your family or roommates whenever possible. One can do the vacuuming while the other does the bathroom, etc. You can easily clean an entire house in an hour leaving more time on the weekends for movies, the park, or a family game night.
What?s Your Style in 2012? Experts weigh in on the trends?
2012 is a new year and with it brings new decorating trends. With the current economic situation, people are staying home more and thus adding more comfort and style to their spaces. ?According to www.design-decor-staging.com, ?comfortable design, elegant style, luxurious materials and bright colors are back in favor. People are choosing exotic materials, unique color combinations and exciting interior design ideas for very personal, peaceful and modern home decorating.?
On House & Garden?s inspirations site?www.casssugar.com, they give kudos to IKEA for some unique and budget-friendly decorating tips, such as:
On styledstagedsold.blogs.realtor.org they forecast that flashy painted patterns are back?think 80s sophisticated. ?A budget friendly way to decorate a room and still have big impact?painted patterns. Patterned paint will likely be decorating more walls in 2012,? Debbie Zimmer, color expert at the Paint Quality Institute says, ?from hound?s-tooth finishes, lacy designs, to bold color blocking techniques.?
And according to 2modern.com, menswear-inspired fabrics and patterns ? plaids, houndstooth, herringbone and pinstripes ? stand out as a new trend spotted for 2012. Pinstriped walls or pinstriped upholstery on furniture make a big statement, and lends to a streamlined, masculine look almost immediately. And they suggest trying pinstripe in more unexpected places, such as an accent wall.
So what?s your style? Check out this cool app on TLC.com that lets you build, color, and arrange furniture to reveal your style. Whether it?s bold, elegant or exotic, make your decorating choices in 2012 stand out.
Source: http://www.alphabetpix.com/quipsandtips/2012/02/resolve-to-freshen-up-your-home-in-2012/
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