The sudden reality that there is no place, right now, other than HOME. Within these walls we must work, teach our children, exercise, eat, entertain ourselves and then feel relaxed enough to fall asleep at night – only to do the same again the next day! It is a big ask of ourselves and our homes.
It has to be a space in which we can get up and ‘go to work’ and then ‘come home’ once the working day is done, If we don’t adapt our living spaces to fit this new way of life, we’ll start feeling trapped.
Organisation is the key to our housebound condition, make space, de- clutter, tidy up. Not only will this create space in your home it will free space in your mind as well. Previously time poor we now have the ability to attempt all those DIY projects we have previously ignored or put off.
There are some really simple tasks we can undertake to make 24/7 home life a whole lot better.
Painting
Painting a room not only improves that space but is good for the mind. The rules of painting remain pretty basic: read the invaluable small print on the can; go slowly — and don’t overload your brush with paint or it could drip, splash or splatter.
You can set up your favourite music, take plenty of breaks and stop when the daylight fades. There is a reason professional painters start so early and finish at 4pm! Place sheets or old bedding and towels over furniture, there are lots of paint companies still delivering online and at B & Q you can click and collect.
Gallery wall
Photo frames! One of the quickest and easier ways to make a part of your home look contemporary and stylish is to add a statement gallery wall to a room.
Find photographs, postcards, artwork or even flyers that you find aesthetically pleasing and add them to a mix of frames. Then, determine a suitable space to create a visually pleasing and playful gallery wall. Forget about parallel placement and straight lines, use your creative side to play with shapes and create something truly unique
De-Clutter
Take the time to declutter the most visible places in your home over the next few weeks – the living room shelves, your kitchen countertops, your bookcase, the toy room. Remember the golden rule – if you’ve not used it in the last six months, do you really need it? Minimalist is in, and your home will instantly look more elegant after a bit of a clear out and it is also a fantastic way to clear your mind.
Garden
Whilst de-cluttering the home is on the cards why not do the same in the garden? One thing we have been blessed with in this lockdown is good weather and we have all been spending time outside. Have a look around your garden, yard or outside space – are the plants all well, pull out anything dead or any weeds. Recycle those old plastic toys or plant pots, sweep up any hard standing areas and if you have a fence why not give it a paint? Do not be scared of colour, painting an old garden fence sage green or duck egg blue can instantly brighten your garden.
