New Year’s Resolutions for Your Home
By Corena Lea Kessel, Interior Designer -
Design Wise San Diego

It’s that time of year again. Time with family and friends helps us reflect on our surroundings and how good it makes us feel. It’s the time of year when setting goals for the year to come, seem easy and realistic. Why then do we lose sight so easy? As your Interior Designer, I believe it starts with your environment!

So let’s look at some ways that making New Year’s Resolutions for your home will not only help boost it’s value but help you achieve the balance you need to actually conquer the next year’s list of goals! Picture above is after our change, Picture just below is before.

Get Organized and Clean Up

• Clean out that closet. If you have not worn it in a year, take it off the rack or out of the drawer. If it’s an item you just can’t seem to part with, make 2 piles. One for Good Will and one that you can put in a box and revisit in 3 months. If you haven’t missed it, give it to someone that will.

• Out with the old, in with the new. Go through the junk drawer.

• Toss old magazines.

• After dusting, redisplay your things in a different way.

• Create a storage area.

• Wash your windows and chandeliers. You’d be amazed at how the sparkle will brighten your interior.

Become Greener. Conserve Water and Energy

• Fix that leaky faucet.

• Upgrade your shower heads and toilets with a low-flow type.

• A new energy efficient heat pump and cooling system will pay for itself in a couple of seasons.

• When you upgrade your appliances look for the Energy Star Rating.

• Change your habits. Close the fridge and turn off the faucet.

• Recycle.

Take Care of your Walls

• Paint them. Make that accent wall. Don’t be scared to use color.

• Add wallpaper.

• Patch that hole.

• Hang a mirror or two. It will open your space up.

• Reframe that picture.

Finish the Bathroom

• Change your fixtures.

• Get a new shower curtain.

• Hang a shelf.

• Put in that sink.

Rearrange your Space. Create a different flow.

• Swap your sofas. Add a slip cover or printed pillows.

• Angle that rug.

• Get a lamp.

• Add some plants. But yourself flowers.

Change out your Old Flooring.

• Get a new rug.

• Add tile.

• Mix wood and carpet.

Dress that Window.

• Use fabric or a natural woven shade.

• Add shutters.

• Use privacy lining, it will keep the sun out or your heat in.

TIPS:

• Be specific. Focus on what room you want to start with and finish it before you move forward to the next.

• Take little steps, sometimes we bite off more than we can chew, get overwhelmed and then just leave it. Look at the big picture, then back step it and tackle one item at a time.

Corena Lea Kessel on Big Blend Radio
Discussing New Year Resolutions for Your Home, Interior Designer, Corena Lea Kessel was a featured guest on Big Blend Radio's 'Garden Gossip' home and garden online radio show on Dec. 12, 2009. Click Here to meet the rest of the guests and Listen to the entire show! To listen to Corena's interview, please double click on the Play button below.



There is a procrastinator in all of us so let’s make that list and actually make it happen this year!