Five ways to update a home after spring cleaning

For many, this time of year brings spring cleaning. A deep clean of the home is not only sanitary, but it’s also good emotionally and psychologically. Blowing away the cobwebs (sometimes literally) can make residents look at it with fresh eyes. It’s a bit like the end of tenancy cleaning, it’s the end of a chapter and a new start.

It’s worth taking advantage of this fresh perspective to update or even transform the home. For an idea of where to start, it’s good to think about what kind of feeling one has in the space. Does it create a sense of calm or dread (especially when opening that cluttered wardrobe)? What about the bathroom? Is it tired and dated, making the morning routine less than luxurious? For anyone who finds themselves nodding along, here are five easy and quick ideas to try:

Change the mood through lighting

Updating lighting can have a subtle or dramatic effect on how a home feels. Modern lights, such as the UK LED furniture from UltraLEDs, are easy to install and, thanks to their low energy usage, cheap to run. This is especially important, given today’s soaring energy costs. Light options include under-cabinet LEDs, spotlights and strip lights. They can be equipped with dimmers, door sensors and even PIR motion detectors to give complete flexibility and ease of use.

Declutter

Marie Kondo may be the latest TV guru to champion decluttering the home, but she is not the first. In fact, many have probably been doing some version of her approach since they were told to tidy their room as children. Asking oneself, “Does it spark joy?” is today’s way of choosing to throw things out that are no longer used. It helps because clearing our spaces gives us a mental lift. It can even bring back positive memories about why the space was chosen in the first place.

Update kitchen and bathroom cabinets

The global pandemic and lockdowns forced us to spend more time at home. Many adapted to working from home, some permanently. This has led to increased wear and tear on our homes and furniture, especially kitchen and bathroom cabinets. If it’s time for a change, kitchen or bathroom cabinet carcasses can be kept, with only the doors replaced. Not only is this idea more cost-effective, but it’s also less disruptive and better for the environment. If units are still in good shape, an even cheaper option is to simply paint the cabinets and replace hardware.

Change soft furnishings

Pillows, bedding, blankets, curtains and other soft furnishings suffer wear and tear too, and if not, sometimes they can simply look old-fashioned. One way to update them on a budget is to buy new covers or inserts separately.

Paint or wallpaper rooms

It’s easy to spruce up spaces with a lick of paint or wallpaper. For those happy with their colours, this job might be as simple as touch-ups. But, for a more radical transformation, it’s worth looking at adding wallpaper to one or all of the walls in a room. Home improvers can check out Pinterest for current trends.

A spring clean is a great opportunity to change things up. Use it! 

The editorial unit