Tips on decorating your first home

Planning how to furnish your apartment is one of the most exciting aspects of buying your first home.

The wonderful achievement of climbing onto the property ladder is often accompanied by an exhilarating feeling of independence: you can finally live your life in your way.

As an experienced agent in our neighborhood, I’ve worked with many first-home buyers who were as excited about decorating and furnishing their first home as they were about buying it. 

Choosing furniture is not as straightforward as it sounds if you’ve never done it before. 

You need to select pieces that will not be too big for your living area or bedrooms. Nothing makes an apartment feel small and cluttered more than oversized furniture.

And if you have a hectic professional and personal life, then it’s a good idea to make choices that will minimize the amount of time you need to spend cleaning.

These recommendations will help you ensure you can keep your home sparkling clean without losing your weekends. Hopefully, these might make your life a little easier.

Quality paint

Don’t skimp on paint if you’re going to decorate before moving in. Invest in quality, durable products that can be wiped down easily. With cheap options, you’ll find paint from the wall soaks into your damp cloth. Enamel paints have great durability, especially oil-based products. Semi-gloss is a lovely finish for the trims.

Get a leg-up

Furniture on legs and elevated off the floorboards or carpet offer an extra dimension of space. It’s easier to vacuum underneath and around them, too. If you’re a fan of robotic vacuums, this is definitely the way to go.

Off the shelf

Having open shelving has been fashionable for several years, though not so much anymore. Open shelving is a hassle to clean. Dust collects easily and your ornaments and photos will need a weekly work-out with the duster. Ideally, select glass-front cabinets. 

Sofa sense

Avoid white sofas, especially in fabric. Even white leather sofas are a headache. The beading and thread can discolour or hold dirt. Leather of another color is easier to clean with the appropriate products. For fabric, select a color that won’t show the stains and dirt.