A home is one of the largest purchases a person will make, and it requires regular upkeep to maintain or improve its value. Whether through paint, siding or decor, homeowners can invest in timeless styles and regular maintenance to keep their homes looking fresh.
While maintaining your home’s appearance and quality can require some time and elbow grease, it doesn’t have to mean entire home renovations. Here are eight simple tips for keeping your home looking brand new without breaking the bank.
Consistent cleaning is crucial for maintaining a home’s fresh look. It’s a simple and effective way to keep it looking new without much effort. For example, daily chores like taking out the trash and wiping down kitchen counters and coffee tables can help prevent dirt and clutter from piling up.
Set aside time weekly to vacuum, dust and mop all floors. Don’t forget to clean areas that are overlooked and good at collecting dust, like baseboards, window treatments, tops of frames, window sills and light fixtures. Keep your windows shining and mirrors with a weekly wipe-down.
Every month or at least bi-monthly, deep clean areas like your kitchen and bathroom. Don’t forget to scrub your tub and shower, sinks, toilets, grout, counters, fridge shelves, kitchen cabinets and faucets. If you have pets or children, consider shampooing your carpet twice a year.
Clutter can age a home, creating noise, mess and the perception of undone tasks. Decluttering reduces all that noisy visual input, creates a calm feeling and allows guests to actually see a space for what it is.
Decluttering can be a lot of work, so it’s important to be in the right headspace before you begin. By doing it seasonally, you’ll cut down on how often you have to declutter and give yourself a chance to move through each room in your home slowly.
For example, start with the kitchen and only focus on decluttering that room for one week. Each day, choose a small section, such as one drawer, cabinet, pantry shelf or under the sink. Slowly move through each section of your kitchen until the decluttering is complete. Then, move on to the next room in your home and repeat the process.
Outdated or broken fixtures are small details that can age a home immensely. Tiny updates to hardware can make a big impact and make a home look more modern.
Replacing light fixtures is a surefire way to update a home’s look. Start by replacing, painting or refinishing outdated entry lights, dining room chandeliers and bathroom vanity lights.
Look at the door knobs and drawer handles around your house. A new style and finish can be a simple DIY project with spray paint. Or, you can buy hardware with a new, modern finish. In the bathroom and kitchen, examine your faucets. Stainless or polished nickel are timeless styles that can easily upgrade your space.
Simplicity is key when choosing hardware styles. Anything too fussy or overly detailed is impractical and quickly becomes dated.
A new coat of paint can brighten any room, giving it a new lease on life. Paint is an easy and fairly inexpensive way to freshen up a space.
Painting can take longer than expected, so give enough time to tackle the project. Remove all furniture to ensure you don’t stain any decor, and put down drop cloths to protect the flooring. To avoid unwanted smudges, start with the ceiling and work down from there.
Keep the paint color on hand when finished to touch up chipped corners or surfaces affected by shoe or bag scuff marks.
No matter what flooring you have, maintaining it greatly impacts how your whole home looks. Depending on the type, sweeping, vacuuming or mopping it regularly is essential to remove loose dirt, pet hair and debris.
On top of vacuuming or sweeping, each floor type will have different maintenance requirements. If you have carpet, use a steam cleaner at least once a year to give it a deep clean. If you have hardwood floors, swap the steam cleaner out for a professional refinishing every seven to 10 years to restore the floor’s luster.
Those with tile should reseal the grout every six months to a year to prevent staining while those with vinyl or laminate flooring should use mild cleaners and utilize rugs to prevent wear and tear.
Modern homes are often spacious and have simple furniture while dated homes have big, bulky furniture that crowds rooms and eliminates free-flowing space. To make your home feel new, replace old, bulky furniture with simple, smaller pieces.
Simplistic furniture and decor have staying power. The fewer curves, details and complicated shapes you have in furniture, the more likely it is to remain timeless. Purchasing sleek furniture, however, does not mean you need to sacrifice personality.
Get colorful with pillows, throw blankets and other small textiles. Add lamps with clean lines and plated mirrors to reflect natural light. Adding built-in shelves can also help elevate a room and make a space feel bigger.
Smart home technology can modernize any home and increase its occupant’s quality of life. Three examples of smart devices you can add to spruce up a home are smart thermostats, smart lighting and smart security systems:
Siding, windows and landscaping are the first things visitors see when they arrive at a home, and they greatly impact its overall appearance.
Enhancing curb appeal is a transformative step toward creating a lasting impression. Some tips for enhancing your home’s exterior include:
If your siding is past the point of repairs and needs replacing, choose a siding that will leave a lasting impression and remain beautiful for the long run.
From wood-look vinyl siding to durable steel siding, Rollex has a style to match your home's fresh look. With Rollex, you can trust that you're investing in top-tier products that are durable, high-performing and come with a limited lifetime warranty. Check out Rollex’s siding and soffit offering and find the best option that will keep your home in tip-top shape for years to come.