LOCKDOWN MORALE AND PROACTIVITY: GET YOUR HOME FRIENDLY AND READY
We are all living unprecedented times, difficult to understand on so many levels, and difficult to process. We are forced to spend a lot of time on our own, or a lot of time with our families, housemates, or pets.
This is no doubt having an effect on our moods, our relationships, our productivity (if we are working from home).
But, as always, we have choices: we can choose how to live these days and more than that, we can choose how we want to look back at them in three months’ (or even a year’s) time. What we do right now is going to make a difference in what we can do on the day we look back at these times. How are we handling this unchartered waters, and what are we doing for ourselves, our loved ones, and our future?
So let’s use the extra time in your hands to improve your living space. After all never before you have spent so much time in your homes. And because of the amount of time we are currently stuck into your living space, we might have noticed all the things that are not up to scratch and all the things that can be improved…
There will be things you might have noticed in your home. These things are probably affecting you more than you might want to admit. Or maybe you were, prior to this times, thinking of selling your home and those things could be improved for that buyer that you need to entice once the market starts moving again.
So let’s see what you could do for yourself, for your family and for your home, while in lockdown.
In this article I am going to explore three areas that you can improve even while self-isolating and which are going to make a great deal of difference for you, and your companions, today and in the future:
Clutter Declutter
Home Office
Kerb Appeal
Generally, it is easy to think that only larger-scale home projects can add genuine, long-lasting value… but actually many of these smaller jobs can help make your home look and feel more spacious, organised, and cared-for.
In the current climate this alone is going to be beneficial to your psychological well being, and in the long run to your financial comfort.
Clutter De-clutter
Image Copyright: Valeria Romano
Whether you are looking to sell or not, a good de-clutter will have a positive effect: it will improve your morale during the extra time spent at home and it will give you an advantage if you are selling once lockdown is over.
it is really difficult to relax, wind down or concentrate on work, if your surrounding are not tidy. Of course, people will be emotionally affected by their mess in different ways. But it makes sense that a tidy environment puts you in a tranquil mood and that a messy home is unwelcoming and demoralizing: emotions that will make you mood worsen. Being unable to conduct our normal routines has an effect on our mood, so we should try and make our environment condusive of good feelings as much as we can. Also, having an uncluttered home, makes you more productive, so, if you are working from home it will improve your performace.
Besides, when have we been spending so much time at home and having so much ‘spare’ time in our hands before? Let’s make the most of it!
If you find it difficult to get started, take before and after photos of a small area: Choose one part of your home, like your kitchen counter, and take a photo of a small area. Quickly clean off the items in the photo and take an after photo. Once you see how your home could look, it becomes easier to start decluttering more of your home.
And for more extensive execution try the Four-Box Method: Get four boxes and label them: store away, keep it, bin it, or donate it. Enter any room in your home and place each item into one of the boxes. Don’t skip a single object, no matter how unimportant you may think it is.
You can DOWNLOAD THE CHART FOR FREE form this link.
Get four boxes and label them: STORE AWAY, KEEP IT, BIN IT, DONATE IT
Declutter one room at a time. Make a list of the rooms you wish to declutter and tackle them one by one, or the task will feel too big to face. Also remember this is not a competition so you do not need to rush it, but: FINISH WHAT YOU HAVE STARTED!
Home Office
If you are lucky during lockdown you have been re-arranging your work life and are now working from home. Or maybe you have been always working from home but never had the time to really set up your working space properly. Either way, this is the right time to do it.
So why not make the most of it and do it the right way.
Aim to separate work life from home life.
Easy if you have a spare bedroom, but even if you’re short on space you can create an ‘office zone’ – in a landing, under the stairs, in an alcove or even in the corner of a kitchen or bedroom. You could use different paint colors, a rug and/or a screen to help zoning the area out. For vertical storage try grids on the wall, they are cheap and they can hold lots of different items held by binderclips.
Use multi-purpose furniture
A dressing or dining table acting as a desk (although do invest in an ergonomic office chair if you can). If you are buying a desk, remember glass ones are great for creating an inconspicuous working area and slimline desks don’t dominate space.
Image Credits: TWITTER
Image Credits: COUNTRY LIVING
Aim to separate work life from home life
Image Credits: Broken And Beautiful
Image Credits: Pinterest
Image Credit: Love Create Celebrate
Image Credit: Real Living
Use binder clips to hold items up on the grid
Kerb appeal
Kerb appeal is the term used to describe the attractiveness of your home and the first impressions. It is important especially if you are thinking of selling as it has been demonstrated that buyers tend to decide whether to consider buying or not within the first few seconds of viewing a house.
First impressions count so when you're putting your home up for sale, it's vital it has kerb appeal in the listings pictures and during viewings for two reasons: If the main image isn't enticing, then you’re likely to have a low ‘click-through-rate’, suggesting that not many people are engaged enough in the first image to click through and find out more. Also, because drive-bys can occur at any stage during the marketing period, it’s important that you keep your kerb appeal the entire time your home is on the market for those who are thinking of taking a ‘drive-by’ visit to your place.
The exterior of your home in real life must match up to a good-looking image online, otherwise, buyers will feel disappointed.
Image Credit: London Door Company
Kerb appeal is the term used to describe the attractiveness of your property and the first impressions
Elements that are part of kerb appeal:
clean tiles/concrete/decking, clean windows, freshly painted front door (plastic or composite doors can be cleaned using specialist products to restore whiteness),
polish metal letterboxes, house numbers and door-knockers (consider replacing them if they’re past their best),
newly painted windows,
freshly paint fences and walls,
clean and tidy flower beds (pull out weeds and lay bags of chippings or chipped bark), and add some greenery if needed
For photography, getting sunlight on the front face of the house on a clear blue day can make a huge difference.
You’re not looking to cover things up Don’t forget to check out online lessons and tutorials on how to do things well.
Consider replacing metal letterboxes, house numbers and door-knockers, if they’re past their best.
Some tips on execution:
Safety first
First and foremost do not attempt any DIY that could result in injury, we cannot afford to put any extra pressure on our NHS, only do what is within your skillset and use the internet to make sure what you think you know is what you should know.
Attention to details
Whatever you set off to do yourself, remember the rule that attention to detail is critical when creating a pleasant result. My advice is: do not rush it, take your time and do it once. And even if you then do one thing during this time, make sure it is done to the best possible.
Use your local DYI store if you have one
Small businesses are struggling, support them by using them during these times. Give your local store a call and talk through want you’ll need… most will deliver. This will help bring your communities closer. If you live in a remote location or don’t have any luck locally, you should also have everything at your fingertips online.
I really hope this has helped someone feel and think more positive. Also, remember to DOWNLOAD THE DECLUTTER CHART FOR FREE form this link.