Home Refresh – 12 Easy and Inexpensive Ideas
Give your house a much needed home refresh! Here are 12 easy and inexpensive ways to spruce up your living space and make it feel brand new.
When You Need to Refresh Your Home
Every once in a while our home needs a refresh. We’re humming along, all happy with how our home looks and then suddenly one day we look at it and we suddenly feel the need for change. The combination of blue and white that you once loved seems boring and tired. The burlap style cushions with the words Farm Family Fresh inscribed across it seems outdated. And you don’t even want to get started on the paint colour you have on the walls.
Decor doldrums, it happens to all of us. We get bored, styles go in and out, and they keep coming up with new and glorious paint colour combinations. Who can resist such temptation?! Fortunately, even for those of us on a budget resisting is unnecessary.
These simple, budget friendly home refresh ideas will have you switching things up in no time while keeping your wallet happy.
Why Refresh Your Home?
Our home is where we spend a lot of our time. This has become even truer over the past few years. Many of us work from home. Homeschooling is becoming more common place. And due to the rising cost of living, many of us are finding ways to entertain ourselves for less at home.
So of course, if you’re going to be spending so much time in your house you want it to reflect your style and be a space that you enjoy being in. Being in our home so much also means that we’ll likely get bored with it quicker. And we also start to notice those little things we’ve been ignoring because they’re in your face more.
Luckily, there are many quick and easy ways that you can change things up, give your home that much needed refresh, and it doesn’t have to cost a lot.
Easy Ways to Refresh Your Home
Refreshing your home doesn’t have to be a chore. With these easy ideas, you can instantly spruce up any room and give it a fresh new feel. When major renos aren’t an option, simple changes can dramatically transform the look and feel of your space.
So maybe take a few minutes out of your day and give your home the refresh it craves. You won’t regret it. Here are a few of the quick and easy ways that you can give your home that much need refresh:
Scents
Introducing a new scent into your home can make a big difference on how your home feels. Cases in point, I lit a new Christmas candle from Bath & Body Works this past holiday season. My family kept asking why the house felt extra Christmassy this year. Yep, felt. I decked the halls just like I do every year. It was the candle that took it to a whole new level.
I recommend getting the best quality you can afford. Personally, I’m not a fan of the grocery store variety. If I can’t afford good quality then I would prefer to make my own rather then buy one of the generic options.
When looking to add a new scent consider using:
Diffusers
Are an amazing way to add delightful scents to your home. I like to keep one in each of the bedrooms, our office, and the main area of the home. They add a light, calming scent and just makes the house feel fresh.
Any one from Sage is amazing and their oils are top notch.
Candles
There are so many ways to add scented candles to your home. You can create your own or purchase them from a retailer. When making your own use a good quality essential oil. If you are wanting to avoid using scents in your home consider going with bees wax. It gives off a beautiful, all natural scent that is divine. When you want to add the perfect scent to your home using candles you can’t beat Bath and Bodyworks candles.
Essential oil
There are a ton of ways that you can add essential oils to your life:
- They can be used in a diffuser
- Add them to your homemade candles
- Drop a few drops in the garbage can to combat odors
- Place a few drops inside the toilet roll so that it gives off a scent each turn
- Reed diffuser is a stylish option
Potpourri
For this, you can either go with the traditional potpourri in a bowl or there is always the stove top method. Either way, this will add a bit of scented beauty to your space. Buy it retail or make your own.
Another option is to place a few scoops of potpourri into sachets. Place these around the home in cupboards, linen closets, drawers, and blanket boxes. Each time one of these is opened the room will fill with a waft of garden delights.
Scented room plug-ins
Are an easy and practical way to add an ongoing scent to your home. I haven’t actually used these but I have been tempted to try the ones from Bath and Body Works. If you love these please let me know why and which ones in the comments below.
Colour palette
Few things make such a big impact for so little money then paint. Paint is amazing. It has the ability to completely transform a room.
If you have the time and the money consider changing the colours of your walls. This will inarguably give you the biggest bang for your buck as far as a home refresh goes.
However, if you don’t want to do a full paint makeover consider painting just a few pieces of furniture. You don’t need to paint the walls to get a different look and feel in your home. Simply painting some things in a new colour and then adding a few accessories to coordinate will give you the change you crave.
Fabrics
Changing up your fabric is one of the quickest ways to make a big impact. It’s unbelievable how a quick change of colour and texture in our fabric choices can change the whole look and feel of a room.
Best part, these changes don’t have to cost a lot. A few places that you could easily change up the the look and feel through fabrics include:
Bedroom
Replace your duvet cover with a new one. Try something with stylish details or with an unexpected texture.
Change up your throw pillow covers or add some if your lacking them. This will make your bed look much more high end and this is a great way to bring in a pop of colour.
Add a new blanket to the end of your bed. This is both practical and a great way to introduce a new colour or texture.
Change up the drapes with a new colour, pattern, or style. You can do this as inexpensively as you want or this can be a great place to splurge a little bit.
Add a carpet to the room to give the room a new cozy and fresh feel or add a runner beside each side for a pop of colour and a warm place to put your feet when you wake up.
Kitchen
Replace your tea towels with a new colour or pattern. This is an inexpensive and simple change so don’t be afraid to have a little fun with it.
Change any window coverings. There are so many affordable and stylish options out there now. Or try DIYing some of your own.
Recover, slip cover, or change up the pillows on the kitchen chairs to introduce a new colour palette and give the room a whole new look for very little cost.
Bring in a new carpet for under the sink. This will provide extra comfort for those doing the dishes and provides an opportunity to add a bit of colour and texture.
Living space
Switch the throw pillow covers for something completely different. This will instantly make the couch feel new.
Bring in new throw blankets for the couch or blanket ladder. Have these coordinate but not match the new pillow covers.
Replace, slip cover, or reupholster a small piece of furniture. Such as a stool or chair. This is a quick and affordable way to introduce a new colour palette or style.
Cover your floors with a new carpet that has a completely different pattern, colour or texture. You’ll feel like you’re in a whole new room.
Change the window coverings to something different and maybe even a little unexpected. There are many affordable and practical options available now.
Dining room
Bring in a new carpet for under the table. Go with a whole something with an unexpected texture like sisal.
Change up the look of the table by replacing any table runner, table clothes, and napkins with a new colour and pattern. Add a beautiful centerpiece to top it all off.
Reupholster, slip cover, or paint the dining room chairs for a fresh, new look.
Window coverings can be beefed up or paired down depending on the richness vs streamlined look that you are going for in the space.
Bathroom
Change the colour and/or texture of your towels. Instead of the traditional terry cloth maybe try waffle or something with a bit of detailing on the edges.
Go with a whole new look on the floor by replacing any bath rugs you may have with ones that offer a new texture and colour.
Shower curtains are an easy to make change that makes a big impact. Go with something that has subtle detail for a higher end look. If I was looking for a new one I would want to try this coastal inspired beauty.
Create one of a kind DIYs
DIYs are a great way to change up your home decor look. You can either work with what you have or head out to do a little shopping.
I like to save money by knowing where to find the best prices for the items needed. I also like to shop local thrift stores for home decor items that can be upcycled and for materials that can be used in DIYs. Some of my best DIYs come from the thrift store, like these faux pottery ceramic makeovers or this awesome dresser turned TV stand upcycle.
Flowers
Real is always best but faux can also work really well. Place vases of flowers around your home for a pop of cheer. You can get these from your grocery store or simply head out to your garden or a local farmer’s market. Door wreaths are making a come back so don’t overlook this golden opportunity. Here are some of my most popular DIY wreaths to get you started.
Cleaning
Don’t underestimate the power of a good cleaning. Air out the space and wash any linens that haven’t been used in a while. Bring the linens out to use. Deep clean any carpets, drapes, and furniture using an upholstery cleaner. Also, make sure that you declutter any neglected spaces. Organization is the deepest form of refreshing the home.
Another ideas is to actually use your cleaning supplies as decor. This ideas is great because it allows products to do double duty and who doesn’t love that?
Move things around
Sometimes all it takes to make your home feel new again is to moving things around a bit. Try out a new furniture configuration. Maybe even move some of the furniture out of one room and into another for a totally new look.
Other ways you can change things up is to bring in new decor accessories, rearrange the book shelves, or table decor for something new and fresh.
Purge
Getting rid of unneeded clutter is one of the best ways to lighten up your home and give it that much needed refresh. It can be easy to get over zealous and tackle a lot of areas at one time but this will just lead to feelings of overwhelm.
Avoid this by tackling only one room at a time and one section at a time. Bite by bite is how you eat an elephant. Bit by bit is how we should purge our home’s contents.
Change up your art
By simply changing up your wall decor you can give a room a whole new feel. Some people like to keep several canvas options on hand so that they can change things up when the mood strikes.
If you are looking for less expensive and that require less storage space options you can always:
- Create your own DIY art.
- Shop for new wall art at the thrift store or on Kijiji.
- Change the colour of the picture frames that you are already using.
- Switch the art you already have in your home from one room to another
Change up your lighting
- Light bulbs come in different shapes, sizes, and colours. Change them up to create different moods.
- Light fixtures can have a big impact on the overall look of a room and it doesn’t have to be super expensive. A lot of home hardware stores now carry a great selection of stylish options.
- Add mood lighting by bringing in lamps, candles, and decorative light options.
- Ambient lighting with dimmers is really the ultimate solution when it comes to creating a mood with light. The ability to dim your lighting helps to create an atmosphere that you just can’t achieve with regular lighting options.
Rearrange surface areas
Simply changing up what you have on your table tops can make a big difference on how a space feels. Add new accessories. Create visual interest by creating layers using trays or books. Work in varying heights, textures, and finishes.
Other surface areas that may need a refresh include: the fire place mantle, book shelves, buffets, hutches, open shelving, and entrance tables.
PRO TIP: When arranging accessories work in a triangle formation. This makes the vignette look more visually appealing. For even more styling tips with DIY decor you might want to look at some of the basics.
Add a few seasonal or holidays pieces
Simply adding a few seasonal items to your existing home decor can make your home feel fresh and new. No matter the time of year there is always a season or a holiday that has a bit of decor associated with it. This will always make your home feel current and well cared for.
For a stylish look go for more subtle touches unless of course your doing this before Christmas, in which case go all out.
Jenny’s Finishing Thoughts On Doing A Home Refresh
It’s time to reimagine your living space and give it a much needed refresh. With minimal effort and money, you can instantly create a calm and inviting atmosphere in any room.
So don’t wait! Use these ideas today to give your home the makeover you and it deserves. Let’s create a home that’s an expression of who we are, that speaks to our unique personalities, and that makes us feel calm and content. After all, “Home is where the heart is”.
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