apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Rearranging furniture or moving art to new walls.

I have a stretched canvas that hangs above our bed which I "repaint" when I feel the need to refresh the bedroom. Over the years it has been a Monet inspired reflective pond, Bold horizontal stripes, and a large tree...

Yes, cleaning. It's amazing how much better the place looks. I have this subconscious idea that if only my place were nicer, I'd clean it more often. Ha ha. I've finally determined that until I start cleaning my existing apartment like it was my dream home, I'm never going to be able to recognize my dream home under all the dirt!

Also, doing all the little things like opening the windows/curtains, lighting candles, putting on music, burning incense, etc. I rarely remember to do these things daily so it makes everything much more inviting when I do.

I'm with sagekitten85, cleaning and de-cluttering is the best way to see your home in a new light. Once you start to throw thinks away you really do think about how you use your home and what you can really do without.

I declutter as much as possible, re-arrange, and then I generally tidy.

In summer, fresh flowers from the garden seem to do a lot to freshen a place up.

Definitely cleaning... I like to take everything off the shelves and get rid of clutter, and then put everything back up in a different way! It helps everything feel fresh and new!

Go through my boxes of linens, vases, etc., that I collect from thrift shops, and switch them out so I'm looking at new stuff.

I have wooden floors, so once it warms up in late spring I roll up the area rugs, put them away, and go bare for the summer. In the fall I put them down again and they look new again and make the place feel cozy.

I just washed the windows, inside and out- made a world of difference! Re- caulk those dirty base mouldings and wash the walls. Spring cleaning at its best!

tsteele is right! I cleaned our windows last fall and it made a HUGE difference! It took me about 45 minutes to clean the sliding door because it has 3 main panels and 1 was pretty much screwed in place (dumb!) so I don't think anybody had ever cleaned it before me! EW.

I can't wait until the day that I have enough stuff (and space!) to be able to swap things in and out of storage!

Oh! And sagekitten- we redid our bedroom about 4 months ago...and for the first time ever, I've been able to keep it clean! And it's all because I'm totally happy with the way it turned out and when it's messy it really gets to me.

I agree with everyone else--cleaning helps a lot. Cleaning and polishing the windows, light fixtures, the walls (if they're painted), baseboards, moldings and switch and outlet covers can make a big difference. It can be surprising how dingy these things can get.

I open the windows, wash all of the bed linens, towels, blankets, and whatever else can go in a washing machine, spray and scrub floors and counters, light some candles, and "re-organize" (ie move things around a little bit.) My favorite "I hate my bedroom" activity is to take everything out of my closet, try it on, and then put it back in a new way. That's my no fail solution to a boring/rainy day.

I'd have to say editing and decluttering. Cleaning would fall in this category too, but I LOVE the way my place looks when I get rid of stuff, not bring more in.

fresh flowers and or house plants.

Today I discovered that re-grouting is not as hard as I thought it would be and makes a HUGE difference in a tiny bathroom. Just did a small section, but very excited to keep working on it.

OK, I am on that home body that is a project I have been wanting to work on for ages. I will have to do that!

I am so encouraged by all the comments about cleaning and decluttering. I often fall into the trap of thinking we need to rennovate or update our furniture...if only...we earned more money and could buy more stuff! What a trap. You have all reminded me that it's less about what you have and more about how you look after it/respect it/think about it. I feel like I am always decluttering and cleaning yet as soon as I turn around there is yet more stuff to tidy and clean. But now I feel motivated to keep it going in order to find true satisfaction with my home and my life.

a bunch of inexpensive, seasonal flowers...$1.50 for daffodils in the bathroom does wonders!

I tend to do very inexpensive, crafty stuff. I made some kind of mod flowers out of black and white wrapping paper, cleaned the grout in the kitchen floor (still working on it), changed out a light fixture for one I got on Craigslist. CL is actually great for cheap stuff that you can use as is or paint to change the look of your place.

Another thought might be that if you have a few friends in the same position, you could do an accessory swap. Each brings a print or vase, or something else they are tired of, and you swap.

Flowers, paint and cleaning make a HUGE difference. Keep all the paint from your walls, it's amazing what DIY projects you can find to freshen up old things. Swapping things from room to room also help (art, vases, even books).

De-clutter and re-arrange furniture. If done right, they can make your place feel like a completely different home (in a good way).

Cleaning.
Plus I really like organizing the pantry. I feel guilty over the amt of stuff that doesn't get eaten, but if I can sort it all out I feel so much more clear headed.

I agree with the other commenters, what great ideas. Most of us have leftover paint in the garage or some cuboard, mix the quart-ish of color with the quart-ish of white, and paint a wall, or some furniture.

Josie 6 brought up the great idea of a swap meet, but you don't have to limit it, just have whatever home items, and some coffee and cake (or adult bevs).

To that I'd add:
Have a friend some over who's style you like, and have them guide you (some of us -ahem- need more help than others).

Get some free cuttings and dirt from a friend's plant collection. Planters can be made from stuff you already have.

I am with the rummage through your old paint cans crowd..paint a little, bright and glossy SOMETHING!..big diff..shine the mirrors..

When I start feeling like my apartment is looking a little worn around the edges it’s usually because my books have gotten out of hand.

I’m a life-long bookworm *and* I worked at Borders for 3 years – which all adds up to a couple thousand titles floating around my 600sq ft apartment. I’m usually reading, re-reading, or referencing anywhere from 2 to 10 books at one time, and if they’re not reshelved I end up with piles everywhere. When I start to feel harried it usually always cures it if I rearrange them. I’ve had my books organized alphabetical by author, alphabetical by title, by genre, by genre and author, and (currently) by color.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1682767&l=7e9e5357b2&id=500186656

There's a quote out there that reads something like, "Good design is not when there is nothing more to add, but when there's nothing more to take away." That pretty much echoes what everyone is saying about purging and cleaning as a facelift for a home.

Also, I've been sick of my apartment recently, until I had some friends over that had never been - they kept gushing about how cool my space was, and it actually made me feel better about it! I'm sure most of the people on this thread have nice homes, so maybe the same will work for you!

I love to rearrange furniture and shift around my many house plants. It makes a huge difference and it usually inspires me to deep clean.

Brightening it up helps. This includes opening up windows and turning on (CFL) lights when you need some brightness. Often, while eco-minded, I will turn on every light in my apartment in the morning, just so that it feels like a sunny day, when its really rainy and dark.
Cleaning too, but I'm not too good at this one!

Hoovering, sticky rollering the throws (although this turns into a daily activity when they are casting), having a mini-spring clean in short bursts so not to loose motivation (eg. will sort out those plastic storage boxes in the hall closet), changing the candles scent- spice or vanilla in aut/winter and orange or grapefruit in spr/summer, have an air flow going as much as possible (open windows on opposing sides of the apartment or living/ bedroom at a minimum. Regular dusting helps heeps, but having jewelry in bowls in an expedit unit turned out not to be the wisest idea as they attract tumbleweed.

I declutter as much as possible, re-arrange, and then I generally tidy.----> Ditto!

I agree with boxing paints. I just make sure I combine water-based (latex) paints with the same; oil-based with oil-based, etc.

And since I sometimes have 'project fatigue" (i.e. I got all excited about a project, bought the supplies, but ran out of steam), I go back and either finish the project or get rid of those supplies I will never use or changed my mind or whatever.

I can't remember who on this site to give the credit to, but someone once suggested that photographing your home is a great way to get a better critical view of it than walking around looking at the real thing. It is true; in a photo it is easier to see what needs to be edited, repaired, re-arranged, etc. I've used that trick ever since.

CLEANING! Also, de-cuttering: Ruthlessly.

God, I REALLY need to clean our windows. We finally got some sunny weather this week and it was embarrassing how dirty our windows looked.

I go down to the local flower shop and spend about a half hour talking to the owner, picking out flowers, and pretending like I know something about plants. Then I go home and put them all over the house and have friends over for a dinner party. I usually end the night thinking, "wow. I am so lucky to live here".

I hate to clean, but I LOVE to rearrange the furniture in my living room (my husband of course HATES change). I got rid of our old furniture and now have smaller pieces. There are 4 chairs, two storage hassocks, a coffee table, a sofa table, a decorative fireplace screen (no fireplace) and an old end table painted white to match the sofa table. Four chairs can be arranged in several ways for different looks. I think moving them also confuses the cats which is comical to watch.

A good cleaning is always refreshing and renews the love I have for my place. I have a studio apartment so I can't do major re-arranging but I do switch and move a side chair and bookcase from sleeping side to living side. Sometimes the small and inexpensive changes can make all the difference. I change my sheets and duvet or change out the color of the bath towels. I don't have the budget for a major bathroom makeover so I bought some new hardware on clearance. And I can't say enough about a new paint job. Hands down the most effective way to make a major change at a minor cost.

If nothing else just pick up and declutter. I tend to love it when things are picked up and put in their place, getting there is half the battle, one I don't win as often as I'd like :-)

Right now I have albums and CD/DVD's scattered on the media center and on the floor in front of or leaned up against it and am going through some LP's I brought from a box at Mom's that I got from a good friend. It's an ongoing project until the box is totally gone through and either disposed of or kept as I DO listen to vinyl.

Some new artwork on the wall and in general, pickup and put away can make a huge difference.

That said, there are times when you have no choice but to get rid of that ugly, too big piece of furniture that you loathe and it doesn't do a thing to the space and replace it with something that will or simply recover that upholstered piece that you love but needs recovering. I have a Danish Modern (vintage) recliner that's in a not so pretty green and it needs to be recovered to not only look better, but better mesh w/ what's in the room now.

I used to rearrange furniture a lot. By I lot I mean I rearranged furniture 6 or 7 times in 7 years in just my living room alone. I have run out of possible furniture arrangements. My need for surround sound limits my options.

I agree - cleaning, declutter and storage.

Also, I started making my bed to get an extra burst of joy in my condo.

Cleaning: bright, shining floors, windows, surfaces, everything.
Pillows: adds softness, pops of color, texture.
Lighting: inexpensive and provides ambiance. Depending upon the lamp you select, can add a personal statement as well.
Fresh flowers: even one bouquet makes a difference.
Paint: fresh, clean paint is cheap and easy.
Declutter and organize judiciously: I am a pile/procrastinator person but have been reading about "landing strips" in AT and now have one. Clutter is down to a minimum and the visual noise is toned down. Easy, easy fix.
Artwork: change out art in frames to freshen things up. This doesn't have to be expensive or extensive. Lighten something that is heavy. Add weight to something that is light. Color where there isn't any. Modern where it's vintage. Change is up.

Be social. Having company every so often forces me to clean more throughly. Makes the place look much better!

Every so often I rotate my art, especially the spot I see when I drink my coffee in the morning.

If you have plants, trimming back dead growth or replacing ones that are past their prime helps also.

I also clean out my closets/storage space every so often and donate stuff I don't need anymore to charity. Then I see if I can utilize the space better with what I have left. Books I don't want to keep get donated to the library or given to one of my reader friends (we trade books around).

If you have to take your recyclables to a recycling center, not letting them up too high helps also.

Changing things around makes a big difference. Changing pillow covers fall and spring, using different accessories, putting away some ornaments and displaying others, moving the furniture. My neighbour made me a bigger top for my small round table; without it the table is for two people, with it I can seat four comfortably or six with a bit of a squeeze, which makes for conviviality! The table is light enough to enable me to move it around. Changing pictures around helps too. Hanging pictures from bookshelves can look good too.

1. I drew and cut out a silhouette of a flying bird (easy to find shapes online), then used my printer to blow up and shrink it to different sizes on two colors of paper that coordinated with the kitchen colors. I used Elmer's glue stick to paste them in a nice pattern across my monotonous kitchen cabinets. Could work on the walls, too. Elmer's is perfect because if you make a mistake - no problem! Just rip off the paper, wet it with a sponge, and off it all comes. No money spent, no money lost, no damage done.

2. I got 8 teaspoons at the Salvation Army for 25 cents apiece, drilled holes in it with my handy cordless drill, and replaced the boring 80's kitchen cabinet pulls. Now I have really cool custom hardware!

3. The hem of my bedsheet started to rip off, so I cut the rest of it off and mended it. I was left with a six-foot-long by half-inch-wide piece of fabric, so I trimmed off the ends and used it as ribbon to sew around each of my white pillowcases. Now I have a completely coordinating bedsheet and pillowcase set!

4. I sell stuff that's just laying around on Craigslist, or donate to the local library bookstore or Goodwill. My house gets cleaner and more organized and sometimes I even make money.