It’s becoming more and more common, especially for Millennials, to skip the smaller starter home and upgrade right from a smaller rental apartment to a much larger home.
Most of these new homeowners find that when they do purchase a home and upsize from that little apartment, the opportunities abound. They now have plenty of closet space, a spare room to create the great home office they’ve always wanted, a big yard for a dog and much more.
However, after the moving van has pulled away, and the boxes are finally all unpacked, these new homeowners also face a new dilemma; all the furnishings and extras that fit so neatly into their old place now only take up a fraction of their new living space.
Their first thought is often hitting the nearest big box or home store to pick up new furniture and accessories as quickly and inexpensively as possible. However, while bulk budget furniture does have its place, it really shouldn’t be all that you buy to properly furnish a larger new home.
There are, in fact, many ways to make great use of what you already own – and optimize your spending on what you lack – that will help make your new place both cozy and stylish. Here are just a few tips to get you started.
Don’t Spend Just to Fill Space
Many new homeowners succumb to the temptation to stockpile new furniture to fill up an empty looking living space, but that can quickly backfire. Things may not really fit, or not match the final decor scheme, and that can result in a basement full of unusable ‘stuff’.
Instead, begin by placing what you already own. Once these items are in place, you can better access what you really need, and shop accordingly.
Make Some Sensible Big Buys
The space they suddenly have available in a living room can be challenging for many new homeowners. The sofa from their old place now floats in the room oddly, the chairs are too small, and the room looks sparse and cold.
Investing a little extra in a great sectional can be a solution to this problem. These versatile pieces of furniture can be assembled and placed in many ways, and these are all simple to rearrange whenever you like. Pieces can also be added and subtracted as your tastes change. Invest a little more in an excellent quality piece, and you’ll have the ‘backbone’ of your space for years to come.
Give Furniture Placement Serious Thought
Yes, after a big move you’ll probably be rather tired of moving things around and simply want to get settled. However, in order to really create a great space, and figure out what additions you do really need to purchase, several ‘move-arounds’ will probably be called for before you can get things just right.
Use Spare Rooms with Care
If you find you now have an extra room that has no clearly defined purpose yet that can be both exciting and challenging. Will it work as a home office? A guestroom for visiting family and friends ? A mini gym equipped with things like a treadmill, weight set, and stationary bike?
It’s more than OK to take some time to think it over — just shut the door if the emptiness bothers you. But whatever you do, don’t use that extra space as a storage room, or it will never become anything else.
Go Slow
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and a great Waterloo Region home isn’t either. It is more than OK to live in a sparsely furnished home for a little while until you come to understand it better and begin making it your own.
Add extras little by little; a great area rug one week, a new coat rack for the entryway the next. And don’t be afraid to bargain shop slowly. Thrift stores, flea markets and even eBay can often provide you with those perfect decor extras that simply can’t be found elsewhere but will add the great finishing touches your new, much bigger space, really needs.
Getting ready to buy a Waterloo Region home, or sell the one you own? Let Team Pinto use our huge experience and expertise to help you. Contact the award-winning Team Pinto here, or book a free Zoom consultation to discuss your unique Waterloo Region real estate needs here
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