Should Improving Your Home be a Priority?

8/25/2014 03:31:00 AM

Just the other day, we went to a friend's studio apartment to celebrate his birthday. It's just his half-way house since it's just across the street from his work, but he's been staying there on workdays for years. It's small, around 15 sqm(?), no proper furniture in sight because of space constraints, the walls are in need of a new paint job, and well, the space is begging for a makeover.

(I'll be including inspiration photos, and links to previous posts that you might find helpful)

>> Studio Units: How to Make it Work <<


I asked him, "Will you still be staying here much longer?" he said yes. I then proceeded by offering to help him makeover the space. I kinda begged actually. Haha... He won't budged. I then pointed to his collection of expensive rubber shoes.  He got around 7 or so in there. "May pangbili ka ng sapatos, pero ayaw mo ayusin bahay mo?"  (you have the money to spend on shoes, but you don't want to fix your house?). He just laughed. I told him that I'll steal one of his shoes, sell it, and fix his place. Haha.. Of course I won't.

>> How to Deal with a Small Bedroom? <<


But it got me thinking, is improving one's home a priority? Don't get me wrong, if he's happy with it, then I'm all for it. I felt like an annoying meddling kid but I just got the itch to help, since I know that for less than the cost of one of his rubber shoes, he'll have a nicer place to go home to everyday. But as I always say, your house, your call.

I know that a lot of people can relate to him, why spend on a place that is not yours? Something that is just temporary.  You'd rather spend it on food, on clothes, on shoes, on rent, on your kid's allowance or something that is much more important than paint or some furnishing. I get that, we all have our priorities. I guess I'm just biased since I've been dreaming of sprucing up my own space for a long while now. 

>> Spice things up in your bedroom <<


So why should improving your home be a priority? I believe it should NOT be the number one on the list, but it should be there somewhere. There's only one reason I could think of, a very important one...

You spend your precious time there. You go home to wind down and relax after a long day's work. You spend time with your loved ones there. You have your friends over once in a while. You create memories there. That's where you start and end your day. If you work at home or you're a stay at home mom, you spend most of your time at home. You deserve a nicer place. I always say that your environment deeply affects your mood, your outlook, and I believe it to be so true. I'll know for sure once we're done with the Tiny House Renovation and I'll report if I'm in a happier mood, haha.. But seriously, whenever you're in a nice and organized space, may it be a restaurant or a friend's place, don't you notice a difference in your mood? As for me, it makes me calmer, and it clears my mind. 

>> How to Use Pattern for your Windows <<


Okay, I'm not saying you all spend hundreds of thousands and fix your place. I'm not even writing this so you'll feel inclined to get my services (it would be nice if you did though.. haha).  What I'm saying is, maybe you can sacrifice a little to have a happier home? Instead of buying your everyday starbucks fix, put them in your house fund. Or why not skip this month's shopping spree? Or instead of purchasing the latest gadget, give your home some love. But please, still eat okay? You're health is more important than your house. Hehe..

>> Decorating with Silhouettes <<


The point is, you do not need to spend so much. A few gallons of paint is not that expensive. You can DIY. You can refurbish your old furniture. You can add some nice throw pillows. Frame some of your beloved photos and hang them on your walls. Put up some nice curtains. Heck, even changing your light bulbs can change the ambiance of your house. Clean. Organize. Throw away all the unneeded clutter. Your house will thank you. Your family will thank you. And most importantly, you'll be in a calmer happier mood every time you're home.

Are you happy with your house right now? Or do you have a long list of to-do's to have the house of your dreams? You can do it. Little by little, you'll get there. 

Oh and if you're curious on what our house looks like, check out this page--> Our Old House
All posts were from years ago, but it's fun to see all the DIYs I did before my professional decorating days. You might even learn a thing or two about budget makeovers. Happy Decorating!

>> Budget Bathroom Makeover <<



6 comments

  1. I so can relate to this! Thanks for the reminder. Been wanting to paint the living room but i just never got to it. Should do it soon!

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  2. I think it really depends on the person and their preferences. Some would be contented living in a tiny topsy-turvy room inorder to accommodate their precious luxury apparels and others would buy a P1 million sports car and live in a freaking garage. These scenarios tend to frustrates us---the obsessive-compulsive-interior-design-inclined individuals. *sigh*

    I saw a movie wherein the architect son was encouraging her mom to move in a new house since theirs is old and a lot was needed to be fixed. The mom refused and replied, "What for? A house is just a house." I was like, "Nooo~~~" Haha!

    ---
    Looking forward and best of luck to your tiny house renovation. : )

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    Replies
    1. Exactly my point.. I'm wondering if these individuals really doesn't care about their place, or they don't know how a nice place will affect them, or even if they did do something about their house, it really won't make a difference at all in their lives since they don't care. Haha.. I guess to each his own, since i don't care about luxury bags/ shoes/ apparel.

      Thanks for dropping by!

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  3. Improving my home (a very tiny apartment) is one of my topmost priorities (together with eating healthy and good food) because I work at home so it's basically where I am at 24/7. Some people though put off improving their homes thinking that doing so is expensive. But is sure isn't (one of the many things I've learned from you). A bunch of flowers, cozy bed, and some beautiful odds and pieces strategically placed all over the house can make a huge difference.

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  4. Psyche, yes exactly my thoughts. Simple updates to liven up your mood, or give you a happier vibe is not a waste of money, especially in your very own home. :)

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Thanks for dropping by. I'd love to hear what you think! :)

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