Taking The Stress Out Of Decorating A New Home

Moving into and decorating a newly purchased home doesn't have to be a daunting activity, it just needs some thought and creativity.  Hardly do you have the opportunity to purchase a home that is already completely to your liking, but there are a few tips you can try to make your decorating easier.  If you are fortunate enough to get possession of your new home before you give up your old home, you'll be able to hit the ground running, if not, don't be nervous.

Cleaning and painting an empty room is obviously easier than it is in a room full of furniture, but this usually isn't possible.  To minimize the amount of rework and shuffling of furniture, try to get your cleaning finished (including steam cleaning carpets) before you move in.  If you want to paint, try to leave as many things packed as possible so you don't have to keep moving them around when you're painting.  This will save you a lot of time and will help to protect valuables from wayward paint splatters.

Try to match your paint colors to the furnishings you already have or are planning to purchase.   It's easier (and cheaper) to paint walls a matching color than to buy new furniture to correspond with your paint.  If your flooring is worn or isn't a great match to your furnishings, try covering it with a neutral area rug until you can look into getting new flooring.

Window coverings are an important part of home decor, and can be expensive when moving into a new home.  You might be able to reuse curtains or  draperies that you've brought from a previous home, but chances are they would need to be altered to fit your new windows.  Select your drapery colors when selecting your paint colors so you can make sure everything blends well, and then check your sale flyers for the best deals.  The prior owners of your new home may have left their window coverings behind.  If you like them and they fit with your furnishings, you've just lucked out, but make sure to carefully clean them to get rid of any dust.

Don't rush into shopping for home decor items just to fill an empty area.   Make sure you know what you want and how it will impact the feeling of your home.  It's usually best to work with what you have first, and then add to your decor slowly with carefully selected pieces.  Your home is a reflection of your personality, so be heedful of things you might no longer want six months from now, especially for more expensive things.  Possible accessories include: decorative mirrors, artwork, plants, side tables, candle holders, and shelving.

It's absolutely fine to not have a perfectly dressed home right away after moving in.  Decorating a home takes time, but try to get the larger projects such as painting and flooring out of the way sooner rather than later.  The fewer things you have to move around the easier and faster these jobs will be.  Then you can put your basic room together and take your time accessorizing.