January is synonymous with new, new, new. It's the time of the year when we aspire towards change and refreshing the old. But a change doesn't have to be big or difficult to be effective. Follow me after the jump to see a few inexpensive ways to liven up your home…
Bring the Outdoors In: Having flowers and plants indoors instantly cheers up a room. If you haven't had any in a while, this just may be the time to start. If you live in a warm climate, you could pick a few outside, and if not, head to your local market and grab a bright bouquet or sweet potted plant. Maybe even plant some herbs in pots for your kitchen window sill.
Get Moving: Nothing gets old like the same old routine. Try moving a few things around in your house that always stay in the same spot. Maybe it's the vase that you put your newly cut flowers in. You could swap the neutral pillows from your bedroom to your living room. You can even re-arrange some furniture for a new perspective.
Go Thrifting: Head to your local thrift store and browse around for some fun, quirky home accessory that will liven up your home and your outlook.
Start Re-thinking: Is there an unused closet that you can turn into that sewing space you've always wanted? Is there a window that could become a lovely reading nook just by bringing over a small chair and table from another part of the house? Look around and see if there are areas in your home that would be best suited for another purpose.
Listen Up: Do you listen to music in your home while you're doing chores or cooking dinner? If not, maybe start there. If so, what if you changed up what you listened to? What if instead of your usual playlist, you put on some jazz or classical or reggae? How would that change your mood and the feeling in the house?
(Image: Sue & Grame's Eclectic Victorian Townhouse House Tour)
Must-See Small Cool Homes: Week Two
Beth's Romantic & Retro Residence
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Shaw's Original Fir...
How To Make Perfect Bacon in the Oven
How To Cook Tender, Chewy Wheat Berries on the Stovetop
Can anyone tell me what paint color that is? It's exactly the shade of blue I'd like for my kitchen.
Also, listening to music in the kitchen is wonderful. I think Sam Cooke may be my favorite cooking-whilst-listening artist.
The colour of the wall behind the sofa in the living room is called 'slate grey' (mid-sheen emulsion) by Crown.
And if you like the Two Pipe Problem print (Sherlock Holmes quote) you can buy it and lots more lovely prints from
ttp://www.atwopipeproblem.com/
The meltdown poster was bought during the festival so I'm really not sure if they are still available to buy.
Sue Huey
Last month Reply
an unused closet?! do such things exist? ... this is just me lamenting about my overall storage issues.
Flowers definitely add life to any room. And while not exactly under $10, new pillows on the bed, sofa, or chair can bring a whole new look to a space. HomeGoods has a lot of affordable options. Additionally making covers for existing pillows from scrap fabric is affordable and a very simple sewing project.
Yes, they do exist! Sort of. Even my 1 bedroom apartment had four closets and one simply became a junk closet because I didn't know what else to do with it. When I moved, I gotrid of the junk and still had four closets so one sat unused for a few months. Now there's a purpose for it, but then it was just empty.
Can someone please tell me where that sofa is from? I've been looking for one EXACTLY like it!
Using the chip it tool it came up with "Cyber Space" by Sherwin-Williams. http://letschipit.com/Chip/ZWC12B?ow=1
olivewilk, I think it might be this one.
http://us.sofa.com/shop/sofas/isla/#130-HOUCOO-0-0
Flowers and music, what simple but brilliant ideas :)
Agreed re: unused closet comment-- who has one of those???
I have an unused closet but I live in a 2 bedroom, 2 car garage condo. It's the small coat closet that stands empty. It's where the guest coats go when I have visitors. If I had someone else living with me, I don't think I could say that.
I have a garage that has shelving that I put all the stuff I don't use on a daily basis. So yes, I do consider myself blessed.
I also clear out things every 6 months so I don't accumulate junk I don't need.
I would kill for that fireplace...
Where can you find that Sherlock Holmes print on the website? I don't see it anywhere... please advise..
<3 Sam Cooke. How he died is pretty whack, though.
I too love that sofa! Ours is similar but has chunky square feet which I am not a fan of. Can I change out just the feet of a sofa (or chair for that matter) easily? Might be a "good question"!
Well well google to the rescue! Check this out: http://www.sofalegwarehouse.com/hanger-bolt.html?limit=all
I'm totally doing this!
That small pillow looks cool.
Bring in outdoors: done; expecting a hard freeze, so 4 messy ferns will be inside for about a week. :-(
Get Moving: moved some furniture & tech stuff as part of 'cure' but need a longer tech cord; go to store; store out of 'that one' component.:-(
Go thrifting: done TOO much from last Fall to the end of the year; need to STOP thrifting :-( (in the middle of refinishing a 'thrifting item in the kitchen; is going to take some time).
Start rethinking: also been doing that re 'cure' but having some brain freeze/crash.
Listen up: meh. :-( That won't help much.
Right now, this place looks worse than Dec. '12 pre cure. :-/
I'm thinking thrifting more is NOT a good idea! That doesn't work with decluttering.
You've inspired me to see if I can move a comfy chair to a new sunny location. Now, what to do with the stuff by the window?
go vertical! i used to have a tiny corner with knick-nacks that I just couldnt find a table to work....once i realized shelves would work a lot better for them and and a lamp but also keep the floor free.
ps jealous of your sunny window. use it up! i get no direct sunlight :(
For those with little sunlight.
Try clipping a few branches of a philodendron or other water-loving plant...but it in a tall glass or vase and it will live forver! it wont grow but it wont die! I love having plants in my bathroom but there is NO light. this option works great.
@samiplease, good tip! I have a philodendron in my living room but no plants in my bathroom
I have an 1884 house with 3 bedrooms and 2 closets (total), so I envy Pi. I've been scrubbing and decluttering, throwing out all of those things that should have been discarded long ago or sending them to the thrift shop so someone else can enjoy them. It feels absolutely liberating!! I feel like I have a clean slate to try new things with!
Does anyone really have an unused closet? Sigh ;}
I have multiple unused closets. I hate filling up all the space. Hence I will not be going thrifting.
I am surprised. Everyone is appealing to the sense of sight and hearing, yet no one has appealed to smell. Adding a new fragrance to any room can allow you to travel anywhere without leaving your home. I personally enjoy the wall plug ins from bath and body works. Of course there are scented candles as well as oil diffusers. You can turn your room into a meadow, forest, beach, cozy ski resort in winter, just by adding smells. Hope you enjoy your own personal oasis. :)
When I'm doing homework, I often listen to classical for background noise. It's calming when I'm stressed out!
Unused closet? I don't even have a freakin closet. Ah, Europe!