Your home is your domain. It speaks volumes as an expression of your style and your lifestyle. And your DIY skills. And your taste level (or lack thereof). So this year, resolve to make it the best home it can be. No more ignoring the stuff that needs fixing. And no piddly tinkering with it. Do it big, with intent and purpose and pride. Here's how to Kanye your home for 2015.
"Work it harder, make it better,do it faster, makes us stronger,more than ever, hour after,Our work is never over."
-- Kanye West
Harder
This year, make a little more effort in everything you do at home. More attention to preparation. More attention to follow-through. Prepare your walls and room more carefully when you paint—or pump up your cutting in technique. Either way, this could finally be the time you end up with a cleanly painted room and no streaks, drips, spills, messy lines, or dribbled floors.
Apply this to whatever you do in your home this year. Having a party? Think ahead and use some clever techniques to up the festivity quotient instead of making a last-minute Costco run. Putting up a new backsplash? Invest a few bucks in the right tools—and invest your time, effort, and patience—to make sure it gets done right (otherwise you'll spend the next few years cringing at the crooked tiles behind your range).
Making a little more effort toward everything won't just make your house pretty and your parties fantastic. It'll also make you proud.
Better
This year, stop waiting, delaying, and dreaming about what you want. Instead, make smart renovations for much-needed improvements and get a space that will come close to paying for itself.
It's said that kitchens and bathrooms sell homes, and those are often the areas people want to improve for personal enjoyment as well. If you're renovating your kitchen this year, keep in mind that kitchen remodels can recoup between 68 and 79 percent of the cost and bathroom remodels approximately 70 percent, according to Remodeling's Cost vs. Value Report. "In the hottest housing markets, springing for a kitchen or bath remodel is a sure-fire investment, often returning more than 100 percent of the cost," they said.
Keep in mind that "What you'll get back on your investment depends on the value of your house, the value of houses in your immediate neighborhood, the housing market where you live, how soon you sell after making improvements, and the quality of the project itself."
Faster
When it comes to the home, many of us stare at the things we want to change for years without ever taking a step to change them. But now, it's the end of procrastination! Why do next week (or next year!) what you can do right now? Get off the couch, go to Lowe's, get your supplies, and get started!
"Nothing is more exhausting than the task that is never started," said Gretchen Rubin.
One of her tips is to start a task first thing in the morning, before you have time to talk yourself out of it. Another: "Suffer for 15 minutes. You can do anything for fifteen minutes, and fifteen minutes, day after day, adds up surprisingly fast. That's how I finally dug myself out of my crushing (if virtual) load of digital photos. Fifteen minutes at a time."
Stronger
This year, it's all about you, so get ready to sharpen your DIY skills! The first step: Banish "I can't afford it" from your vocabulary. There's so much you can affordably do to improve the look and function of your house—if you just do it yourself.
"There are plenty of ways to get the skills you need to properly maintain your new home, and even tackle those upgrades and improvements you have on your list," said Lifehacker.
A few of their ideas:
"Visit your local hardware store…especially large national chains like Home Depot and Lowe's, both host classes and workshops designed to help new homeowners get comfortable with doing their own work around the house, making their own improvements, and fixing their own problems without spending a ton of money on contractors or specialists."
Also, use the Internet, for "a number of truly useful and helpful how-to videos on YouTube for basic home repairs. Check out tutorials and how-to guides on sites like The Family Handyman and This Old House --good, reputable sources for home improvement information.
With a little inspiration, a lot of follow-through, and a touch of Kanye's motivation, you can have the home you want this year!
