Ten Ways to Redesign Your Home for the Summer

The weather's heating up, and with it, people are getting hot for the idea of redecorating.  Instead of settling for a new picture on a wall, or some throw pillows you hope will show off your personality, you can make more considerable changes.  Summer should be a time of fun, so why not give yourself the best opportunity at that by making the home one that makes you proud?

Give Your Yard Life

Most Americans don't know what to do with their yards, which means we're wasting most of our properties.  Instead of giving up on your yard, make a project out of it.  Consider putting in a deck, a gazebo, or getting full use out of the ones you already have.

Break your yard down into sections, from lounging to grilling, and layout these sections so that you'll want to use them.

Take It Bit By Bit

You can't overhaul your home all at once and not get burned out.  Take it project by project so that every section of your home can get the full attention it deserves.  Even if you have to break it down weekend to weekend, take that designated time and make the most out of it.  By going slowly and steadily, you'll have the time to make sure everything is precisely the way you want it.

Make Your Room an Oasis

People spend six to nine hours in bed every night.  With that much time spent there, we deserve to make the most out of the rooms our beds take up.  Take the time to make sure every inch of your bedroom is comfortable and soothing.  If your mattress isn't performing to keep up, you can skip out on a trip to the store and get a new mattress delivered to your door.  Better sleep means more time spent focusing on the rest of your home.

Clutter Be Gone

Having too much clutter can quickly sour any mood.  Make a pact with yourself to get rid of anything you don't need, and reorganize the things you do.  Most people have more than enough room in their homes, but it's not getting used smartly.

If you have the time, go room by room (one room a day so you don't get burned out) and target your most cluttered areas.  Decide if the things you own need to have a place in your future life.  Can you see yourself using it within the next six months?  Is it overly sentimental to you? Take the time to figure out what you need to throw away, donate, or sell- and then follow through.  You deserve a clutter-free life.

Fresh Coat of Paint and Finishings

We all know that a fresh coat of paint can change the feeling of any room.  You don't just have to paint the walls, though!  You can refinish cabinets, paint old furniture you've grown old of, and even paint your ceiling if that's your style.  Make sure to carry through that new feeling with new finishings like doorknobs, lights, and handles, so that your home will feel fresh.

Repurpose Forgotten Things

Do you have something you're attached to, but you're not sure how to use it?  Take a step back and consider how it could get repurposed.  An old sewing cabinet can become an entryway table to catch keys and bags, or an old wine rack can become an organizer for other things.  Don’t let an item’s original use stop you from being creative with it.

Have Fun With Color

This phrase goes beyond just wall color and throw pillows.  Have a brightly colored chair in your favorite color, be bold with tables and blankets.  You can even have an accent wall, without committing to painting, by hanging up paintings of one color all over a wall.  Let yourself have a little whimsy in your life.

Here Comes The Sun

Summer is all about the sunlight.  It tans and warms us and gives us vitamin D, which makes people feel good inside and out.  Pull back thick curtains and let the sun into your home.  If you have a room with fewer windows, mirrors, and bright wall decorations can help replicate the feeling.  Summer is about sunlight, so let it in.

Greenery For Everything

Don't grow a garden just for looks!  You can grow fruits and vegetables, plants that keep bugs at bay, or plants that call bees to pollinate (which is handy since their species are in decline still). Think about what your gardens can do for you, and enjoy them.  Nothing's better than enjoying some fresh vegetables you've grown, or decorating a table with flowers from your garden.

Map Out Room Layouts

If you're staring at rooms full of furniture and feeling a little scared of change, you're not alone.  Instead of moving everything around thirty times, pull out a notebook, and draw a layout of your room.  You don't have to measure at first, just sketch out where you think things would look better.  Try a couple of different layouts, even if you like your first sketch, to check if there's a way to improve it.

After you’ve picked a layout that you like, take the time to change your rooms around to fit them!  If you still notice things that can get moved or changed, it’s never too late to keep changing it.