1. Look back on your first step even after 20 years
Great. After years of saving, planning and dreaming you are finally going to step into an abode of your own. Save that first step you take for posterity. Take an impression of your feet when you first step into your house. This beautiful memento will surely become a treasured keepsake.
Even after several years you can have a look at the first step you took. A few things in life are more precious than this!
2. Paintings
Those nightmarish days when your dominative owners asked you not to meddle with the walls are finally past you. Give your home an artistic touch by shopping for fabulous works of art that can add beauty and serenity to your home.
Buy works from local painters to not only support a dying profession but also to flaunt artwork that are originals by gifted painters and are knockoffs of famous ones.
3. Let them scribble
Your tiny ones have an artistic side too! Most children practice their first works of art on walls! It is a blank canvas for young children and they paint it and make it more colorful with the imagination of their innocent minds.
But this can mean having an argument with your owner or agreeing to whitewash the house before an argument breaks out. Now make up for all those years of warning your children sternly, “no scribbling on walls”.
Let their imagination run riot. Let your walls sparkle and shine and the magic of those little minds adorn your walls. It is not just an expression of a small child’s creativity but also an expression of freedom and independence.
4. 4-5 generation photos
This is your house. Your permanent address. What better way to stamp your identity on it than to have your family tree to become a vital part of your decor. This house is going to be the space of several generations after you. It should be a living, breathing document of your family’s lineage and proud history.
Make an awesome family tree with photos of your ancestors.
5. Become eco friendly
Say no to plastic has become a way of life and not just a slogan. Environmentally conscious millennials have eliminated plastic from their lives and prefer wood and clay to do up their homes. You could too. It is inexpensive, gives your house an old-world charm and is environmentally friendly.
Instead of shopping at expensive ‘ethnic’ stores source your decor from local artisans. It is not only much cheaper but you can also customize the decor you are buying.
6. Make way for ample sunlight
Want your house to be flooded in warm , sunshiney light? There are a few simple steps you can take to get ample sunlight into your home. Install large windows that let in a lot of light. Use light, cotton curtains instead of heavy drapes. Use Roman shades.
Add skylight to your home. It will make your house airy, pretty and filled with natural light. You can also save up on electricity bill. Install a tubular skylight, it is cheaper.
7. Dispose kitchen waste
Are you still throwing out kitchen waste? Stop. It is a natural compost. Use newspaper, cardboard and vegetable scraps to create a compost Feeling queasy about handling waste? Approach a recycling center near you.
8. Give your porch a green touch like inner garden
Porches are the little charming outdoor spaces that can be given a complete makeover. Most Indian homes treat porches as an afterthought and is usually the place to leave behind footwear. Give your porch a special touch
Hang small potted plants and for an added touch of beauty use fairy light strings to adorn them.
If you have a bigger porch plant fruit-bearing trees and experience the happiness of eating homegrown food.
9. Have a beautiful garden
It is everybody’s dream to own a house with a serene garden. Make it come true. Nurture a well-maintained garden in your backyard or wherever there is space. Do it as soon as you step into your new home so you reap the rewards of your hard work by the turn of summer.
A lot of factors go into maintaining a garden. The quality of soil, water etc., If your soil isn’t too plant friendly consider containers.
10. Use false ceiling
Look up. What do you see if you are indoors? A blank, white ceiling that is uninspiring. False ceiling are a great way to spruce up interiors. Choose a ceiling that isn’t too loud or artsy.
LED backlit false ceiling will give your house a posh, uber cool look.
11. For kids
You know what kids crave for? A little space of their own. Have a kids room and do it up in bright colors and have a starlit ceiling. Your kids will be thrilled.
Don’t forget to shop for kiddy furniture such as writing desks and comfy chairs.
Ensure there are no electrical equipment or sharp objects in the room. So you can let your kids be in there without much parental supervision. A dream for you and your kids!
12. Pooja room
When you are living in a rented space your pooja room is usually shelf in the kitchen. Or a small wooden slab. Finally you can have a pooja room of your own. Partition a small space and make it your pooja room if you are living in an apartment.
Use a paint that is scrubbable. It will help you scrub off and clean soot from your pooja room.
13. Have a conversation-starting shoe rack
Shoe racks are a must-buy as they keep your footwear organized and save on space. Buy a shoe rack that is artsy and cute. It is almost the first thing people see when they walk into a house.
Buy a shoe rack that is sturdy and pretty because you want to make a great first impression, don’t you?
Buy a fish tank near
Would you like to add a new member to your family? A fish makes a great pet for people living in the city. It doesn’t take up any space at all and is low maintenance.
It gives a beautiful and posh look to homes. Buy a tank that is small so it is easy to clean it. Softly swimming fish and the tiny lights in the tank that illuminate the water, can just be the right remedy for nerves frayed by stress and insane commute.
15. Give the house a personal touch
With your own new space, you have all the artistic freedom you can ask for. Anything that was forbidden in a rental space is now open to you in this world! Turning your house into a home depends on how personal you make your home. Include your family members and come up with a one personalised pattern and colour scheme to follow throughout your home. You could use the same pattern and colours to create wall papers or wall art, furniture, cupboards, lamps and other kitchen equipments. Nothing gives a personal touch than colour coordinated home items!
16. Use effective water treatment
Water supply is the most important factor for a new house. Clean, and purified water supply is something that every family deserves. The World Health Organization (WHO)reports that water can be contaminated by pathogens, harmful chemicals from human activities and industrial activities. For an effective water treatment, reducing the concentration of chemicals should be the first priority. Household water treatment systems such as boiling, slow sand filter and domestic chlorination are some of the regular practices you can carry out in your home. Storage and transportation of water in clean and hygienic utensils are also important factors.
17. Have a swing
Now that you have your own home, you can get creative with a lot of things. And a swing is a great recreational treat for a home! Whether you want to spend a peaceful evening reading a book or your kids want to entertain themselves during the weekends, a swing is the perfect way to lighten up the vibe in your home! If you are going for an antique vibe, you could get the traditional Indian swing to add flavour to your living room. They are vintage and will never go out of style. For a more modern look, you could go for the popular swing chairs that are both classy and minimalistic. Either way, they will fill your home with joy and laughter!
18. Use loft doors for storage
When you finally move to a new place and unpack your stuff, you are met with the reality check of how much stuff you own! Decorating a new home comes with a new search for storage. This is where you could get creative and efficient at the same time. Loft doors are the perfect way to save lots of space while increasing the elegant quotient of your home. Whether you are storing clothes, old family items, or even valuables, loft doors are the perfect way to work efficiently with the space you have. You can also design them to match the style of your home.
19. Put cane chairs in patio
Your outdoor space is just as important as your indoor space. As we tend to use our outdoor space for relaxation and gazing at nature, we can make it more attractive by decorating it to serve the purpose. Your outdoor space would look more welcoming with some cane chairs and table. This could be the perfect hub for having your morning tea and reading newspaper. If you live in an apartment with no backyard of your own, you could try this method in your own balcony. You could spend your peaceful evenings here with your family. You could also beautify the table with some fresh flowers every day for a natural look.
20. Install water overflow alarm
With being a home owner, comes important responsibilities. And saving water efficiently is one responsibility. During water shortage times such as summer, the last thing you want is to waste water. With an overhead water tank being the water storage staple in many houses, the risk of wasting water is high. It is easy to forget to turn off the motor system during busy times. Installing a water overflow alarm is the perfect solution to that problem. This useful gadget will alert you to switch off the motor as water gets filled accurately in the overhead tank. This will effectively prevent water overflows. Thanks to the alarm, you will never waste water again!
21. Install a video calling doorbell
As much as your new home brings you and your family happiness, it is also important to feel safe inside. As the world around us gets unpredictable, it is best to invest in high quality security systems for the safety of your home. With a video doorbell/ smart doorbell, you can check who your visitors are through the video, before letting them in. You can also train your children on how to use the doorbell, ensuring they are in safe hands even when you are not at home! The newer models come with a two-way audio feature, which can help you interact with strangers to enquire about the purpose of their visit.
22. Take steps for desalination of water
The purity and clarity of water plays a huge role in leading healthy lives. We always want to provide the best resources for our families. In the war against unhealthy water, desalination can be the solution. Desalination is the process of removing salts and minerals from water, making it fit to drink. Experts say that thermal, electrical, and pressure are the three types of methods to do it effectively.
Though some of these techniques are in need of energy, you can do some simple methods at home. The materials you will need are a ceramic mug, a glass bottle, a plastic cling wrap and a small weight.
• Pour the salted water in the glass bowl, place the mug in the middle of the glass bowl and place the cling wrap over it.
• Finally, place the weight on top of the plastic wrap.
• Keep this setup where you get enough sunlight at home; for example, your window sill or balcony. Leave the setup for 3 to 5 hours.
The humid air will condense into water droplets on the plastic wrap and flow into the mug as drinking water. Check the mug for fresh water after 3 to 5 hours. You have now performed desalination with just a few materials at home!
23. Have a writing desk
The methods for leisure are endless. You could spend your time playing games, watching TV or even going out. While these are fun ways to bond with your family, productive leisure activities are also important at home. You can start this by getting a writing desk for your home. Apart from being a great decorating piece, this will improve the productivity of your leisure time. This can help you discuss your goals with your better half and kids and write down future plans for your family. You could record income and expenditures while your kids can use them for studying and homework. You could also decorate them with flower vases, lamps and photo frames for motivation; and desks with drawers make efficient storage spaces!
24. Use a gas pipeline
It is well known fact that natural gas is the most effective and least expensive way to fuel a furnace or boiler. It is also used for its non-stop supply against LPG which has its own downsides like delivery problems, supply issues and cylinder use. Gas pipelines are speculated to be the future of gas usage in India. This makes it the best and wisest investment in your new home.
25. Invest in UPS
In this modern era, perhaps the most used resource is electricity. This important resource is needed for most of our day to day activities at home. Fans, lights, refrigerator, air conditioner, charging units are some of the most used appliances at home at any given time. Now, we can all agree that there is nothing more annoying than a power cut. Especially during the morning hours when everyone is getting ready for their day. We need electricity to go on with our day smoothly. Installing an UPS device is the best investment you can make in your new home. This will make sure to provide your home with emergency power while you carry on with your everyday activities.
26. Use LED
The best way you can decorate your home is by using LED lights. They are elegant, modern, and contemporary. They elevate the look of your new abode. Some of the common areas that you can use LED lights are the ceiling, top and bottom of the walls. You can make your creativity shine by fixing LED lights in different designs, shapes and sizes. The benefits of using LED lights as opposed to normal lights are many. They are more energy-efficient, they last long, they do not emit heat and their small size is useful when fitting anywhere in your home!
27. Utilize utility area properly
When you start moving in to your new home, it becomes chaotic when you unpack. When you have too many things, you are easily tempted to stuff a lot of them in the utility area. This not only makes the room messy, but also deprives you from using it in a better way! There are so many ways to make the best use of your utility area. The most efficient way is to place the washing machine in there. If you want to use the room for other needs, put some curtains to separate the washing machine from the rest of the room. You can put up a hanging rack on the wall to store necessary supplies. You can also use shelves to store cleaning supplies.
28. Build Indian toilet too for convenience
Many modern homes come with western toilets. Although it seems like we have evolved into using more modern methods, this can still be inconvenient for the elders in our homes. Therefore, it is always better to include an Indian toilet as well in your home. If you have multiple bathrooms, you can keep one out of them for the Indian way.
29. Plastic Free Kitchen
Our country is moving towards creating an eco-friendly, plastic free environment. With the plastic ban, we are moving forward and creating a more sustainable ecosystem for our future generations. But this doesn’t have to be regulated by the government alone. Change starts at home; and specifically in your kitchen. Here are some ways you can manage a plastic free kitchen. Firstly, say goodbye to all your plastic containers. You can store food in glass containers. This also means you have to replace plastic cutlery with long-term usable stainless steel ones. You should also replace the usage of plastic covers or bags with cloth bags instead.
30. Maintain a relaxation area
Our body and mind crave for relaxation in the midst of our hectic lives. And if we do not tend to its needs, it may end up affecting our physical and mental health in the long run. Activities like painting, crafting, experimenting science, playing musical instruments and yoga have proven to reduce stress and keep our brains active. This also means you need a peaceful environment to carry out such tasks. Maintain a separate area in your home especially dedicated for this purpose. You can adorn it with some lighted candles, aroma inducing agarbathis, and even some philosophical books.
31. Furniture
As we mentioned in point number 15, your house needs a personal touch to be called a home. And furniture plays a huge role in it. For the living room, you can get colour coordinated sofas, tea table, a display cabinet and a TV unit. For the bedrooms, try not to stuff it with too much furniture. Go for a minimalistic approach with a bed, wardrobe and a dressing table. Also, for a personal touch, try to find unique and antique items that mean something to you.
32. Security measures
Providing a safe environment for our family is our number one priority in any community. And being aware of security measures is as important as taking such measures on your own. In many modern gated communities, the traditional registration book to record the entrance and exit of visitors has been replaced with modern methods like mobile apps. Make sure that you are well aware of the different security measures that are in place in your community by talking to the builders and also doing a check on your own.
33. Find out the nearest extra-curricular classes for kids
You want your new home to stage cherished memories for your kids. And you can take steps to ensure that. Ensure the after school activities that your kids are interested in. This will help you to find suitable places that will help grow your kids’ talents and also ensure some fun time. Some extra-curricular classes that you can send your kids to are dance classes, classical singing, painting, pottery classes, sports coaching and so much more.
34. Speak to your community’s go to person on your needs upfront
Every family has different needs. And your community’s person-in-charge works to make sure you get what you need. It is best to talk about your needs in the beginning; whether it is about water needs, electricity, security and maintenance, miscellaneous payments, etc. But in case of any inconveniences during your stay, you can always explain your plight to them to ensure it gets fixed right away.
35. Spiritual places
A new home means a new blessing. It is always important to keep in touch with our spiritual side wherever we go. Find out the nearest spiritual place that you can visit regularly. And offer thanks to the deity for all your blessings in your new home!
