Reinvigorate Your Living Spaces With These Simple Changes

Friday FOOTEnotes

Friday, July 8, 2022

by Shirley Martin

Redecorating your living space can help you achieve several things at once, from eliminating clutter to creating areas that work better for working or entertaining. If you’re unsure of where to start, it helps to think about what you use each room for and what your ultimate goals are for them. If you don’t have a home office, you might consider creating one that will make working remotely much smoother.

Evaluating your spaces achieves another important task: it tells you whether your home is actually meeting your current needs. If you think you might need to start looking for a new place, consult a professional to begin the search. The FOOTE Team can help you find your dream home so that you and your family can make the most out of every room. Here’s a simple guide on how to maximize several areas of your home.

Make your home office work for you

If you work from home, you know better than anyone how difficult it can be to get things done when you have family members and distractions all around you. There are a few things you can do to make your home office work better, however. Sit down and make a list of all the things that keep you from managing your time wisely; do you have a nice picture window that invites daydreaming? Move your desk to the other side of the room, or turn it around so that your back is to the window. Do you lose track of important paperwork or tasks? Time to get organized with a filing system and a few apps that will keep you on track.

If you’ve outgrown your office space and find that it no longer works at all, you may need to think about finding a new one. Take a look online at the housing market near you and learn all you can about the neighborhood you’re interested in. To give you some perspective, the average sale price of a home in West Dundee is about $250,000.

Give the kids their own space

Whether you work from home or go into an office each day, you and your family will likely benefit from having an area that’s just for the kiddos to play and relax in outside of their bedrooms. If you have space, you might set up a game room with comfy chairs, a table for puzzles and board games, and a small television for video games. Smaller spaces might accommodate a reading nook in the living room with some soft pillows and good lighting. Keep it simple and budget-friendly so you can change things out inside the space every few months to keep it interesting.

Rearrange

The kids aren’t the only ones who can benefit from having a place to be entertained. If you often have guests over and need a better space for them, take a look at your furniture placement. You may be able to move some things around to create a more conversational style in the living room or better flow through the kitchen and dining room. Arrange small groups of seating areas for guests to have more intimate conversations in, and don’t forget to utilize outdoor space as well.

Relax

Everyone needs a nice relaxing space to unwind in after the kids are in bed and the guests have gone home. Comfortable seating is a must, and you can also add soft pillows and blankets to couches and chairs for a cozy feel. Stay neutral with the paint colors, and place a few plants around the space as well, since they can help the air quality in your home and can even reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. If you spend your days looking at a screen, give your comfy space a tech-free vibe by removing devices and adding books and lighting for reading.

Updating your home to make it work better for you and your family doesn’t have to be expensive or time-consuming. Making a few simple changes can really make a big difference to your spaces while benefiting your mental health at the same time.

Ready to start the search for your dream home? Contact The FOOTE Team at [email protected] or call (224) 699-9499.

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