Declutter your home and make way for the summer
Summer! It's a season where you want to leave your windows wide open and let the fresh air circulate around your home, sheer curtains fluttering in the wind. Good friends can drop by unannounced to share their latest news and a cheeky wine or G&T. Of course, you proudly usher them through your beautiful home to the kitchen, living area or back deck that's perfectly set up for informal entertaining. Isn't that the dream?
The reality for many of us is that getting our house presentable takes massive effort, and keeping it that way, let's just say that can be easier said than done. As the silly season is upon us, we thought we'd share some tips on decluttering, storage and changing basic styling to help get your home ready for summer social scenes.
A minimalistic approach
Despite common belief, decluttering and storage are two completely different concepts. Decluttering aims to clear up space by getting rid of useless items, whereas storage is just the act of putting everything in it's respective neat space. You may find yourself relating to one or the other of these two simple concepts, but you'll definitely need to employ a bit of both to get your home back into the game.
It can be difficult letting go of items, especially when they hold sentimental meaning. To help you decide, set up three boxes. They will be to hold items you want to keep and display, put into storage, or donate or throw away. Work through each room of the house - it's a good idea to set aside a few hours each week for one or two rooms, because after all, Rome wasn't built in a day!
Having cleared most of your items out, you can start putting things back on display. Remember, less is more. Not only will many items clutter up a surface, but it's also harder to dust, and creates an environment that attracts other knick-knacks that fill up your home again. If it's an item you haven't used in the last month, it should be stored, donated or thrown away - not left on a tabletop. Items that are seasonal (think blankets, throws, heaters) can be tucked away somewhere dry until next year rolls around.
Having a clear, minimalist display can help to reduce overwhelming feelings of anxiety and distress when faced with a disorderly home.
Is your home ready for summer socialising?
It's time to tuck away your fluffy rugs, decorative knit throws and heaters. Instead, you can pull out your sheer curtains, bright cushions and patterns!
Dip-dye (or ombre) is a trend that comes back every summer, and you can easily incorporate it into cushion covers, curtains or even a feature artwork to hang up. Mix and match this gentle texture with patterns to suit - bold zigzags and stripes will really make a statement. Playing with patterns is typically something that you can't do during the cooler months, so make sure you take risks and go bold!
To promote a seamless indoor-outdoor space, bring some pot plants inside. They're not only an environmentally-conscious way of brightening up your home, but can easily help direct the focus of the room to a particular area whilst tying elements of your interior design together - think flowers, floral patterns and green accents!
As you want to open up every corner of your living room for use, intersperse chairs throughout your space to ensure that there are ample seats for all your guests. An armchair with two small stools on either side invites socialising, whilst collapsible chairs grouped around your outdoor table allows people to enjoy the summer breeze.
Make the most of dead wall space by placing a long ottoman against it - you can stack magazines and cushions or leave free for guests to sit and chat. At BedNest, we offer two different styles - Otto or York. The beauty of these is that they complement your other furniture whilst providing a well of storage space inside! You can quickly sweep up any miscellaneous items inside before opening your home to others.
If you'd like to have a look at pieces that'll help freshen up your home for summer, contact us today.
