Everybody wants their home to look like the ones on HGTV. Here is the reality…
They have a whole crew of 50 people come in and flip a house in a day. You can’t afford to do this.
You’re in luck, no need to go bankrupt. A lot of what these shows do can be mimicked with a few slight adjustments. I’m going to fill you in on five steps that you can do in five minutes.
1. Plants!
Plants are a game-changer for any room. I’m going to be honest, I had zero plants in my house a year ago. When my girlfriend moved in she transformed my home. Something about adding a plant adds a fresh feeling to your rooms.
UrbanPlanters gave a great list of the benefits of plants. Here they include what these plants do when they are introduced into our environment. Including…
- Improving air quality and humidity levels
- Reduce stress
- Make people calmer and happier
You can find their blog here. Their website is packed with quality information.
This can also be done in minutes. Most of the plants that I have around my living room were gathered from the empty lot across the street. If you are scared of the plants dying then get a fake plant. Right now my house is 50/50 real and fake. This can be useful if some places in your home get less sunlight then others.
Some plants do better in homes because they need less sunlight and less water. Here is a list of plants that do well in homes…
- ZZ Plant
- Spider Plant
- Bird’s Nest Fern
- Aloe Vera
All of these are very low-maintenance. Which makes them perfect for people who are beginners with plants.
As you can see, these benefits are enough to bring plants into your home. While you get these benefits you also get a great view that can improve any home. Plants add energy to rooms that cannot be replicated by any other decorative pieces. Here is a post about WHERE TO PUT YOUR PLANTS.
2. Lighting
My room throughout college was a dungeon. I had a sheet hanging up on my window to block every single ray of sunshine. It made me sleep longer, stay in bed longer, and stay inside longer. This was not a good habit.
Now when I wake up, before I even eat, I walk around my home and open every window. We need to embrace that light because it is energy.
Research shows that humans are adaptive creatures. If we are in the dark our eyes adjust and allow for us to function better in our situation. This causes people to move into a home and settle for the lighting. People avoid changing the kitchen light or the living room light because it works. The truth is, the small adjustment of changing these lights can improve any home.
When I first changed my kitchen light I was shocked by the difference. The way the light shined off my appliances made them all look brand new.
Allow that light into your house. Whether it’s adding additional lamps, changing light fixtures, or letting those rays in through the window.
3. A fresh coat of paint
This might take a bit longer than five minutes but TRUST ME it might be the biggest game-changer. I had no idea how dirty my walls were. There is only so much that a magic eraser can do. It will take longer than five minutes. The impact that it has on the value of your house will be YEARS.
This is more than an improvement in your home. Painting can refresh the appearance of any room to change the way it looks.
You can use this guide to change a room to make it bigger, longer, or wider
You would be surprised by what a fresh coat of paint can do to improve any home.
4. Maximize mirrors
A lot of people don’t understand the power of mirrors. Here is a list of top design tips for mirrors. Mirrors can…
- Add light
- Double your space
- Decoration
- A focal point
I must give credit to my amazing mother for showing me the world of mirrors. She is the type of woman that goes to goodwill and comes home with five mirrors. I thought she had a problem. After seeing her hang the mirrors and seeing the effect it had on the rooms. I knew I was the one with the problem. That problem was that I didn’t have enough mirrors in my house.
5. Declutter
Psychologists say “Decluttering crests a sense of confidence and self-efficacy.” Why would you make your life harder?
The benefits of decluttering are endless…
- Things are easier to find
- Relive stress
- Become more organized
- More productive
- Positive attitude
If you aren’t using it PUT IT AWAY! Clean your house and your mind. It has been proven multiple times that decluttering improves your health. While you’re at it get rid of the junk that you don’t need.
It will make you happier and improve any home.
Conclusion
We do not need to go bankrupt trying to make our homes look like an HGTV show. Most of what these shows do can be mimicked with a few slight adjustments. Do yourself a favor and take five minutes out of your day. Take the first step and it will change how you live.
