Feeling inspired to refresh your home but think that’s going to take a lot of money? Here are three quick ways to refresh your home without a big budget.
1. It’s not too late to channel your inner Marie Kondo
Marie Kondo’s book "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up" was already a bestseller before Netflix snagged her for a show. But now, thanks to the streaming content company, her tips and tricks to declutter and tidy up are widely known across the globe.
Chief among her tips are to discard items that don’t “spark joy”. As she puts it: “The best way to choose what to keep and what to throw away is to take each item in one’s hand and ask: ‘Does this spark joy?’ If it does, keep it. If not, dispose of it. This is not only the simplest but also the most accurate yardstick by which to judge.”
In fact, this litmus test is also a good way to say goodbye to sentimental items which you’ve perhaps put off chucking. If the item no longer sparks joy, even if it had meant something meaningful to you or a loved one, consider thanking it for its service and then letting it go. “Giving sincere thanks to an item will significantly reduce or even eliminate any guilt you may feel when you decide that you will no longer have it in your home,” she says.
As for the clothes you decide to keep, a quick way to free up some space in your wardrobe is to fold your clothes vertically. Instead of stacking them flat, line them up in rows so that you can see all your options at once without having to dig through your closet. Her method definitely helps in preventing a warzone in your wardrobe.
2. Add more indoor plants
A quick and cheap way to freshen up your home is to add indoor plants that inject life and beauty to your interior environment. As long as you provide the plant with enough moisture, potting soil, plant food and the light that it requires, you should be successful with any houseplant.
Some great varieties for the Singapore climate include peace lily, dracaena, and snake plant (most commonly known as mother-in-law’s tongue). If you prefer something even more low-key, consider air plants, which don’t need soil or a lot of water to grow. Still worried about not having green fingers?
Here are some useful tips from Keppel Land’s resident horticulturist to get you started.
3. Switch up accent furnishings
Renovating the entire room will cost a lot of money, but you can greatly change the look and feel of a space by simply replacing or switching up the details of your furnishings. Lampshades and curtains are a great way to start, because they can change the light in the room to create new and different vibes.
Cabinet and drawer knobs are also a quick way to update your kitchen and furniture to create a new visual statement at a low cost. For example, consider using more expensive hardware to give inexpensive pieces a luxury feel, or to make vintage pieces look a bit more modern.