Photo: Cord Shiflet

Finding great decorating ideas for your next home reno project is fun and easy, but finding a way to prioritize it all can be quite tricky! You may come by so many great ideas for things to do over the house; you’ll soon have a major case of disorientation. How do you make up your mind about what you really want, and where do you start?

Many homeowners get mixed up and decide to spread themselves thin over a number of projects. Often, they run out of cash in the middle, or give up when they see there are more important areas in their home to invest in. This leaves the home full of unusable areas, that’s why it’s super important to make a plan even before you start. Here’s how:

Let Your House Speak to You

Just moved into your new home? Do nothing at first and let your home do the talking. You’ll quickly see the different home-improvement needs and challenges the house may have. While you may get busy with a cosmetic update at one point, you may become aware of a far more demanding functional update needed in another part of the house.

A furnace that needs cleaning, wall mold, and cold bathrooms in the winter is far more pressing than painting a new accent wall, or a $300 living room coffee table.

De-clutter The Whole Home

When people decide on new remodeling plans, they often lose sight of the real reason they need the project in the first place – to make more storage space. Too much clutter in the kitchen calls for a remodeling project for more kitchen storage. Too many clothes, toys, and even furniture can lead up to a remodeling project to accumulate them. Tackle the root of the problem first – de-clutter.

Set a Budget and Focus

Budgets have a great way of telling you what needs to be done first. When you’re short of money, you will be forced to think about what really needs attention. If you only have a few hundred bucks, for instance, you may begin to see that new smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are far more important than getting new rugs. Draw out a budget and plan first before you begin purchasing blindly.  

Think About Return on Investment

Contact a real estate agency that you trust, and discuss the kinds of remodels that could raise the value of your home on the market. Usually projects such as landscaping (browse this site to see how important landscaping tends to be to prospective homebuyers), new windows for the front of the house, or even a new front door can drastically improve curb appeal. Remember that you don’t need to justify every single spending choice you make – a new set of curtains can simply make you feel better, which can be enough return on money spent!

Think About Functionality

Don’t work on expensive projects that won’t be used or in function right away. For instance, if winter is drawing close, it makes a lot of sense to put off a pergola purchase until spring. There’s no point sinking money into something that you won’t even get to use for a few months. You could use the money to update your insulation or add draught proofing to your home.

Living in a condo or apartment can sometimes get tricky when it comes to decorating. Limited space, not enough windows, and loads of knickknacks with not enough storage space can surely get you in a decorating rut. We’ve rounded up some fun, practical, and most importantly affordable essentials that will give your condo an easy makeover in a flash!

Celia James

Floor to Ceiling Built in Bookcase

Use all the space you can in your apartment, even if that means piling high to the ceiling! A floor to ceiling built in bookcase is a smart addition to your home and can turn your living room into the perfect reading nook! It’s best for those that have a big collection of books, videos, or magazines and takes up little space in your home. To add a finishing touch, install a rolling ladder for extra charm and cool-ness!

Lizette Marie Interior Design

Stylish Multipurpose Bar Cart

No apartment can live without a convenient, multifunctional bar cart on wheels. On my recent spring getaway, every stylish condo in Montreal had one of these – they’ve got to be onto something over there! Bar carts are a no brainer when it comes to small spaces and are ideal for holding drinks, glassware, plates and side dishes when entertaining at home. They serve as a additional countertop or tabletop space and can show off your favorite knickknacks when not in use.

Tiny Yet Functional Breakfast Bar

A breakfast bar, no matter how big or small it is can be a life saver. If your apartment is too small to hold a dining table, you can simply swap it with your breakfast bar and use the additional space for a home office or to expand your living room. This is also a smart way to minimize and keep the mess at bay with dishes and food.

Jeffers Design Group

Bookcase Space Divider

Most apartments are open concept layouts which can limit your ability to create separate living areas as everything seems to morph into one. Constructing additional walls can seem like a daunting task and will close off your space and make it appear darker and smaller. Instead use a cube bookcase to section off parts of your apartment but still keep everything flowing seamlessly together. There are lots of other apartment space dividers you can choose like beaded curtains, various screens, and bookshelves.

Corynne Pless

A Chic Mini Bar

Why let hotels have all the fun? It may be tiny, but including a small mini bar in your apartment is a nice way to pamper and give yourself a well deserved treat after a long day at work. Keep your mini bar stocked with your favorite drinks, minus the outrageous hotel fees!

Urritia Design

Stowaway Secret Home Office

Not enough space for your own home office? Consider purchasing a secretaries desk to easily stowaway your home office when your done with work! No one wants to look at papers, bills, or your laptop screen especially while entertaining or trying to have fun – it can be a huge mood killer. Just close up your secretaries desk or open it up whenever you have to get down to business!

Corynne Pless

Exposed or Wallpapered Brick Wall

A brick wall is an old apartment classic and brings a charming feel no matter what your current decorating style and situation is like. You can opt for the real thing or even purchase brick wallpaper to mimic this timeless style.

Avocado Sweets Design

You’ve finally taken the plunge into purchasing your first home! Moving in can be a very exciting and liberating experience. It’s now your opportunity to express yourself creatively in terms of decoration, and to be truly independent in your choices.

Barnes Vanes

If you’re renting or have purchased an unfurnished property, you can start to fill it with your own furniture and begin a collection of furnishings that you can add to for the rest of your life. For those who find the decoration experience a little daunting, there are plenty of simple ways to ensure that you make sensible choices and stay on budget.

JMA Interiors

Clear Out Junk Before Moving

Before you move, have a clear out. Sell, bin or give to charity anything that you haven’t used or worn for over eight months. You might be surprised at what you find during a major de-cluttering session and you may even be able to make some extra cash from unwanted clothing, DVDs, games and music.

Barnes Vanes

The benefit of cutting down on what you bring to the new property is clear; it’s much easier to move a smaller amount of stuff, and you’ll avoid cluttering your new place with unnecessary items.

Barnes Vanes

Start Buying Bedroom Furniture First

Apparently we spend around a third of our time at home in the bedroom, so it’s an important room to get right during the decorating process. Sort the bedroom out first and ensure that you’re sleeping properly. You’ll be in a better position to tackle the rest of the house if this is the case.

Morgan Keefe

Looking for high quality modern bedroom sets is an absolute must, so don’t be afraid to splash out on this purchase. Go with a long-lasting wood frame and you will never need to replace it.

Hirsh Interior

Choose a restful colour scheme for the room, and match the tone of the walls to your bedding and the colour of your furniture. In the bedroom, every item should complement each other.

Tobi Fairley

Stick to a Budget – Buy Second Hand and Refurbish!

Don’t feel like you have to throw money at every problem. If you’ve just purchased a house, it’s likely that you’ll need to stick to a budget, but this doesn’t mean that you can’t make the place look wonderful. Look for large items of furniture like sofas,dining tables, and even outdoor patio furniture from second-hand stores, online auction sites or discounted furniture warehouses.

Tobi Fairley

You can always brighten old or dull items with a splash of paint, and change hardware like cabinet and door handles quite inexpensively. If you want a cohesive feel in one room, simply paint old wooden furniture the same colour, and add matching accessories such as rugs, lampshades and throws.

Tobi Fairley

Little things like a couple of bold cushions or having a dimmer switch installed can make all the difference in terms of changing the atmosphere of a room.

Caitilin Wilson