Four Steps to Fixing Your Space

Y'all ready to start fresh?

I know I am!! I have been dreaming, thinking, and processing all week and I think I have a detailed enough plan for this little bloggy-blog of ours. I'm excited. I'm feeling inspired. I'm just hoping that between work, a baby getting ready to make his grand entrance, and everything else going on, that I have the time to stick to my plan!

Will you guys still stick around if my blogging becomes sporadic? Oh heck, who am I kidding...it already is!

Love me anyways? 

Ok? Ok. :)

Today's topic is a bit of design advice that I want to share with you. It is no secret around here, that I absolutely HATE our master bedroom. You may be wondering what the heck I'm talking about, but the hubs hears about it on a daily basis. I'm just not digging it anymore. The color is off. It feels too unfinished for my taste. It doesn't reflect out taste/style. It isn't romantic. bla bla bla.

Don't get me wrong, it isn't horrible. I just think we can do a lot better. I'm blaming it on a combination of nesting, feeling the best I have in my entire life, and a seemingly endless bought of energy--I'm ready to tackle this room. If this is what pregnancy is like, I will just plan to always be pregnant!!! Don't freak out Jonathan, you will get used to it! :) 

Of course, this is easier said than done. The reality of the situation is that this room, along with the rest of our house, needs some major work done to it. Eventually we have plans to gut our living room, dining room, kitchen, and entryway. We also plan on adding on the rest of our second story--think at least two more bedrooms and a bathroom. Finally, there may be a two-stall garage in our future--something that would be perfect to house all of the tools Jonathan uses for his business, all of our yard maintenance stuff, and maybe my car. 

But the reality is that those construction projects are a long way off. We have a plan to tackle those things after we pay off our house and we aren't going to get into that stuff today. Today is about our master bedroom!

So, what is one to do when there is no money to put towards changes, but the urge to fix something is overwhelming?

Well, I'm glad you asked!

Oh. You didn't? Well maybe you should have....cause I have some great ideas. Yea...you want to stick around for this!

Today I am going to share some of my thoughts on how to cost effectively tweak a space to your preferences. This is just a list of the things that I mentally go through before I start to change a space around. Next week I'm hoping to share with you some of the changes I made. I think you will see that even with no money, you can significantly change the feeling of a space. All you need is a bit of creativity.

Let's get started!

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How to tweak a room for little to no moolah:

Step #1: Take it all in. 

One of the biggest problems I see with some of the rooms in our house, is the lack of consideration for the 'big picture.' When I chose furniture, paint, a rug, etc for the room, I didn't consider what it may all look like together. So, when I decide that there is something about a room that is bothering me, I immediately take a step back. I analyze the space and try to determine what it is exactly that isn't quite right. Usually, it is a simple tweak that can make a world of difference, but I don't act on anything until I take the whole space into consideration.

Step #2: Start small. 

Don't stress out about changing everything all at once. Instead, start small. Try something, first, that doesn't cost very much. For instance, does the floor plan need to be changed? Would switching out or rearranging your accessories create the fresh new look you are going for? Can you swap a chair, mirror, rug, etc. from one room for one from a different room and get a more cohesive look? Try removing things and stepping back to see if that does the trick. This point of advice is all about not rushing into a change that will cost a lot or be made rashly. Sometimes all it takes is something small to completely reinvent a space. 

Step #3: Come up with a plan. 

Ok, so you have figured out what is bothering you. You've played around with the stuff in your space and pinpointed what you think needs to be changed. Now is the time to come up with a plan. If you are going to need to spend a few bucks on paint or a new piece for the room, make a plan as to how you are going to go about saving money, figuring out exactly what you would like, and where to purchase the item. If you decided that the floor plan for you room is driving you crazy, sit down and decide how a new one might look and be sure to MEASURE! If you want to switch out your accessories in one room, for those from a different room, go for it!--but maybe think about it for a second and come up with your plan for the new look. Coming up with a plan of how to execute things  can help you foresee any issues that may arise. 

Step #4: Execute with an open eye. 

With your plan in mind, execute your new ideas. But don't fall into the trap of sticking to your plan, if it doesn't seem to be working out. Go with your gut. If something doesn't feel right about the new furniture arrangement, try a different idea! Better yet, have a friend come over and help you--they may have a different perspective that you never even thought of! If an accessory just doesn't seem to fit in, get rid of it! Don't think that just because you have everything all planned out, that it has to end up that way in the end. Some of the best things I have done to our house have been on the fly. They come out of my willingness to try something out of the box or unconventional. Ironically, those are always the things that my friends comment on most when they come to visit. All that to say, decorate with reckless abandon :)

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So, stay tuned!  My plan is to walk you through these tips as I work on our master bedroom over the next few weeks. I can't wait to show you some of the ideas I have!