Written by Lisa Proffitt | 5th February 2021

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Love the space you’re in: How to boost the feel-good factor of your home

It’s Groundhog Day. Evenings out are a distant memory and we’re all spending more time than ever looking at the same four walls. However much we love our homes, many of us are craving a change of scene. Although we can’t make social plans yet, there are some things we can do to make our inside and outside spaces feel more inviting and revitalising.

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Not only that, small investments in your home now will pay dividends when you come to sell. So what easy changes can you make to boost the feel-good factor of your home?

  • Cosy up your living room

Endless evenings spent watching the latest series trending on Netflix may well have taken their toll on your sofa. If the cushions are looking depressed and deflated, buy a couple of pillow-sized bags of stuffing, unzip the seat cushions and top them up. Add a couple of wool throws from The British Blanket Company and some colourful cushions for a luxuriously layered, cosy, look.

 

  • Plant bulbs

Last year gardens up and down the country flourished as people lavished love on their green spaces during the first lockdown. We all need something bright and beautiful to look forward to and what could be more positive than spring flowers? February is an excellent time to plant lily, agapanthus and summer hyacinth bulbs and the Gardeners World or RHS websites are great for planting advice. Don’t get too bogged down in the technicalities though if it puts you off having a go. Bulbs and seeds are inexpensive to buy, so choose a few packets, stick them in the ground and let mother nature do the rest. These dark days will have passed and you’ll be looking out on cheerful, colourful displays before you know it.

 

  • Fix your shoe storage

Less poetic than planting bulbs it’s true, but effective shoe storage is a life-changer for those of us not lucky enough to have a dedicated boot-room. Daily outdoor exercise means that muddy footprints on the kitchen floor are hard to avoid, and that’s even before you add a couple of children and a dog to the household mix. Fortunately, shoe storage solutions are compact, stylish and easy on the wallet. Wayfair has a wide selection of reasonably priced shoe storage benches and Oliver Bonas has a sturdy welly stand which holds six pairs of upside down boots. With footwear off the floor, shoe and welly racks are easy to move out of the way for mopping and vacuuming.

 

  • Invest in a pressure washer

If you have decking, a driveway or a patio, a pressure washer will clear months of built-up algae and dirt with minimal effort. They also do a good job of sprucing up garden furniture and cleaning cars if you get bitten by the pressure washing bug or are just looking for another satisfying lockdown hobby.

 

  • Empty a cupboard and re-fill it by half

There are few household jobs more rewarding than emptying a cupboard, giving it a spring clean and having a contents purge. Storage is a national obsession and you can be sure that one day a potential buyer will be opening that cupboard door and judging your home on its storage capabilities.

 

  • Buy diffusers and scented candles

Scent is a huge part of creating a sense of wellbeing at home. Aldi’s Lime, Basil & Mandarin scented candle is a dead ringer for the Jo Malone candle of the same scent, but with Jo Malone commanding a ten times higher price tag, most of us will treat ourselves to Aldi’s £3.99 version rather more readily. However, these are unusual times. Given that we can’t spend money on a night out at the pub or a treatment at a day spa, it’s easy to justify splurging on a designer brand to give you and your house a treat this Valentine’s Day. Go on, you deserve it.

 

At Michael Graham we are open for business and safely carrying out market appraisals. Why not book your free home valuation on the website now, or call your local Michael Graham office to discuss your 2021 moving plans? Together we can find your dream home.

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