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Wondering How to Make Your House a Home?
No matter what stage of homeownership you are in, it’s likely that your space needs some repairs and that there are some renovations you have been dreaming of. But before you get all “demo day” and start swinging hammers, check out this free printable home renovation planner! You can save time, money, and perhaps your sanity by thinking about what your goals are for your home and how you can realistically achieve them. This planner will help you audit your spaces and figure out what you need to do to finally make your house a home!
Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
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Step #1 Figure out Your Interior Design Style
I always like the think of a house as a whole. It’s important to think about how the rooms flow together, the function of each space and the overall feel of the home.
What do you want your home to feel like?
Think about what you are naturally drawn to in a home. Do you like open, airy spaces, or do you prefer a darker, moodier feel? Do you love cozy spaces with lots of décor, plants and sentimental items, or do you prefer a more minimal feel?
If you aren’t sure check out what you’ve pinned on Pinterest over and over again. Look at all your favourites, there’s likely a pattern that shows you what you love most!
You can also take my Home Design Style Quiz to get an idea of what your preferred home interior style might be!
How do you need your home to function?
It’s always important to remember that your home needs to be functional first and foremost. It doesn’t matter how pretty it is, if it isn’t functional you are never going to be happy with it.
Making sure you have enough storage is key. “A place for everything and everything in its place” is a good motto to live by at home. I always make sure that I have a specific place that things are stored and if I run out of room to store things, then something has to go. If you need help with decluttering check out my CLUTTER FREE LIFE course.
Step #2 Perform a Home Audit
What are your home renovation needs vs. wants?
This one isn’t fun, but it’s necessary to consider before you get really excited about fancy new appliances or luxurious chicken coops (or is that just me lol?!). You need to differentiate between your needs and wants for the home. For example, you may NEED to replace the furnace if it isn’t working before you all freeze in the winter, but you WANT to install a fancy coffee bar area in an underutilized corner of the kitchen. Obviously, the coffee bar is way more fun, but you better put the furnace at the top of the list.
What can you realistically accomplish?
Know your strengths and acknowledge your weaknesses! If you work full time, have young kids or aren’t handy, planning to DIY an entire kitchen renovation might be a bad idea. Just sayin’. If you will need professional help with a project, make sure you get quotes and budget accordingly. Also, make sure you have a realistic idea of how long a renovation will take and how much work it will be.
Step #3 Make a House to Home Plan
What home renovations or upgrades can you afford?
It’s surprising how quickly the cost of a repair or renovation can skyrocket. The hidden costs and unexpected issues that you inevitably run into on any project can break the bank if you aren’t careful. Make a realistic home renovation budget before you start each task by doing your research, getting quotes etc.. and make sure you know what you are really in for. Then add another 10% on top of that number just in case.
What is your home renovation timeline?
Renovations usually take longer than expected. I’m not sure we’ve ever completed a renovation on schedule! So make sure you plan for setbacks or unexpected issues that may arise, especially if you are renovating a space that really disrupts daily life like a kitchen or bathroom.
Step #5 Take Action and Make Your House A Home
What are the actions you need to take to complete each renovation or project?
To avoid getting overwhelmed work on one renovation project at a time in order of priority. Break each project down into smaller doable tasks.
How can you hold yourself accountable to complete your projects?
Make sure you have clear goals for when each project needs to be finished. For example, if you really need to fix the furnace, make it high priority to get that task done before winter.
Sometimes I like to reward myself for finishing tasks. For example, when we finally finished our kitchen renovation I splurged and bought myself the kitchen aid mixer I’d been eyeing for a while! It totally motivated me to finish the tedious finishing tasks like trim and paint touch-ups!
Free Printable Home Renovation Planner
Ready to get started and finally make your house a home? Download your free printable home renovation planner and get started today!
I hope this free printable home renovation planner gives you the help you need to finally make your house a home! It can feel overwhelming making design choices and deciding where to spend your hard-earned money, but when you break it down into smaller tasks and make a solid plan you can gain the confidence to finally get started. And small changes can make a big difference! For some of our best DIY projects and budget décor ideas check out:
