The truth about house hunting is that you will never come across a space that meets your needs 100% unless you build it from scratch, of course. But not all of us would want to go through the process of coming up with plans, finding contractors and going through the process of building a house from the ground up. For most of us, if you’re buying a house that was already built by someone else, odds are it’s going to have things you don’t like and things that don’t quite fit in with your taste or your needs. That doesn’t mean you should just accept living in a home that has things that clash with how you live your life. Did you know that it’s actually so easy to turn something you hate about your space into something you actually love? Can you actually work around or even solve the key navigation issues? Here’s how you can turn some issues with your space into actual solutions? Here are a few ideas.
Study Your Life & Find Choke Points
The truth about moving into a new home is that you won’t know from the beginning what changes you need to make for your space to be more suited to your style, and more convenient to your life. When you move in, give yourself a couple of months to figure out the choke points in the space. Choke points are areas of inconvenience that get in the way of your home being clean, organized and convenient. For example, do you find that there’s a specific closet you have to constantly rummage through to find stuff, creating a huge mess. Is there a room that always ends up a mess because there isn’t enough storage? That means that is a choke point and that’s something that needs to be solved.
Here are a few questions you can ask yourself;
- Is there a type of storage that is missing from your space? In the kitchen, it could be that your cleaning supplies have no proper place that are easy to reach for you.
- Is laundry a choke point for you, do you find that once you have washed and dried your clothes they end up messing up the laundry area? Why not get a custom hanging rack and shelves to put folded clothes before they are put away in the closet.
- Does your home have an unnecessary wall that blocks the energy, why not consider doing an open concept?
- Is there a high-traffic room that always ends up with dirty floors and disorder? You might need to change the flooring or add more storage. Or you can consider adding a mudroom to your home which can solve that issue.
- Do your clothes end up on the floor at the end of the week because you have nowhere to put them. Why not invest in a storage basket to go by your bed?
- Is there an area in your home that feels like it doesn’t have enough light? It might be time to invest in a wall sconce or a standing lamp.
Come Up With Solutions
Nowadays when it comes to home storage, just about anything can be customized to your needs. It’s not about following the rules that suit other people, it’s about considering what you would want and then customizing your home according to that strategy. For example, if there’s a door in your home taking up space and getting in the way of the flow, why not change to a pocket door or a barn door. If your kitchen is narrow, why not get a slide out pantry, if you don’t have a lot of surface space, you can add an island on wheels that you can move around your home according to where and how you need it. According to kitchen remodeling contractors, Hestia Home Services, “ The kitchen is a place in the home where people spend a considerable amount of time daily. Whether to quickly grab a cup of coffee on the way out in the morning or relaxing in the evening to enjoy dinner with the family, it’s the place where loads of memories are created. It’s important for that space to feel authentic to you.” Remember, whatever changes you make should be within budget.
It can be hard coming up with solutions without the help of a professional, so be sure to talk to an experienced contractor and walk them through your house to discuss the choke points and how you can fix them with a little bit of work. Any home can be made beautiful and functional if you apply some thought to it.