The New Year is officially here, and you know what that means – everyone will want to know what your resolution is for the upcoming year. Instead of choosing a new diet or joining a gym like everyone else, try a resolution for your home instead.
Making changes to your home is the perfect solution if you aren’t thrilled about New Year’s resolutions. New home construction projects don’t take all year to complete. In fact, some changes in your home take only a couple of hours, and at most, the changes would take a couple of months.
No tracking a habit, no wondering if you’re going to keep up with your goal – just a one-time effort that will have your home looking beautiful and you feeling fulfilled. Check out our step-by-step New Year’s projects for your home.
Project 1: Arrange Your Yoga/Meditation Room
Tired of practicing yoga in the cluttered living room? It’s pretty hard to be mindful when your chores are surrounding you. Maybe it’s time to find a new space to practice.
Here’s how to arrange your yoga and meditation room:
Choose the Right Room
When you choose a room for your practice, it doesn’t need a lot. The most important thing is space. The room doesn’t need to be huge, but you do need space to do your favorite poses. Test out your favorite yoga routine in the room to see if you have the space you need without hurting yourself.
There are a few other things that are nice to have in the room:
- Extra Space (for furniture, decorations, etc.)
- Natural Lighting
- Distance from Noise
Once you’ve chosen the room, it’s time to get to work.
Install Hard Flooring
Is it possible to do yoga on carpet? Yes. Is it ideal? Definitely not. So if the room you choose doesn’t already have a hard floor, it’s time to rip out the carpet and put in tile or wood.
Wood is especially useful for yoga practice because you won’t feel each piece of the floor like you might with tile. Also, if you’re looking to feel closer to the earth, wood flooring makes a great connection to the natural world.
Repaint
When you do your yoga practice, you want to be in a room that invites peace. Color can be a big help for that. Generally speaking, light blue or white would make good, low-stress colors, but sometimes dark colors like navy or violet can be restful colors as well. Find the color that calms you and cover the walls in it.
Hang a Yoga Mat Rack
With new floors and a fresh layer of paint, the room is ready to be your sanctuary. Well, almost. There are a few things to add, and the first of those things is a yoga mat rack.
The last thing you want is to have your yoga room end up cluttered. Clutter is what you’re trying to escape when you enter your yoga space. So hang up a yoga mat rack to keep your yoga mats organized and out of the corners. Another option is to set up some cubbies along one wall to store your mats and other tools.
Arrange an Incense Table
Another way to make this room distinct from all others in your house is by changing the smell. Put a small table or shelf in the room and place incense, essential oils, or candles on it to bring a focused and peaceful scent to the room.
You can also place small meaningful objects on the table that can help the room feel sacred and intentional. Whether it’s a statue of Buddha or a photo of loved ones, make sure the object serves a purpose.
Set Up a Media System
The media system is optional, but it can be extremely useful. Bring in a small table or cupboard to set up the system. Then add a speaker, organize playlists, or even include a tablet stand so you can do your practice with video guidance.
Comfort Features
Finally, you’ll want to bring in a basket with pillows, blankets, and socks so you can have a cozy practice. This is especially useful if you want to do your practice right before bed. You could also include a water cooler and water bottle so that everything you need for your practice is right in front of you.
Project 2: Revamp Your Office
Is your home office dreary and stressful? That’s never an ideal situation. Time to construct a new home office so you can work without dreading your time in the office. Here are a few things to try:
Declutter
The best way to get rid of stress in your office is by clearing out and organizing all of the papers and knick-knacks. Set up an organized system to keep yourself on track in the future – storage bins, folders, the works.
Assemble New Shelves
Once the clutter is out of the way, you can make sure those bins and folders stay organized by building some shelves. Whether you opt for a bookshelf look or a cubbyhole look, these shelves will move all the clutter from your desk to the walls and make your organization system work.
Build a Wall-mounted Desk
The desk you’ve been using has served you well. But it might be time to say farewell. Replace the old Ikea desk by building a wall-mounted desk.
A wall-mounted desk can be as large or small as you’d like and frees up space in the middle of the room. Plus, you can make it fit the style of your home better than any other desk ever will. If you opt for a larger desk, it can also help the room feel less cluttered if you do get behind on your organizing.
Bring In New Furniture
With the desk off to the side, you’ll have space to set up a couch or a couple of armchairs in the room. You’ll love the new furniture, especially if you work from home. It will give you the perfect place to host visitors, read a book, or brainstorm away from your desk.
Add Local Aesthetic
In other words, decorate. Head out to galleries and buy art from local galleries.
Project 3: Design a Mini Movie Theater
Maybe what you need is a place to relax and enjoy movie nights with your family and friends. Here are some ways you can turn your TV room into a miniature movie theater:
Turn Your Wall Into a Screen
It’s pretty simple to replace your TV with a projector screen. Some screens you can buy and hang on the wall. But if you don’t want a giant screen hanging on your wall, you can try using screen paint. It’s matte paint designed to give you a great image when you watch TV.
Install a Projector and More
This is where you might want some professional help. You’ll need to buy a ceiling projector, sound system, and source system. But installing some of these systems can be tricky. If you’re tech-savvy, then you might be fine, but otherwise, ask a professional to help you install everything so you can have the best home theater experience.
You could also get help installing dimming lights for a true theater experience.
Decorate for a Theater Feel
While the tech is installed, you can bring in some shelves to display all of your DVDs. Sure, they might be a bit outdated, but a large collection can still look pretty impressive. Plus, you’ll always have a back up if the Internet isn’t working.
You could also frame movie posters, add some vinyl movie quotes on the walls, or even repaint if you want the room to feel darker.
Add a Snack Bar
What is a movie without snacks? While you might not have the full-out movie theater options, you can set up a counter or cupboard filled with your favorite snacks. Even better, add a mini-fridge to keep your drinks icy cold.
Project 4: Create an Outdoor Retreat
Has your patio or balcony been sitting empty and unused for a couple of years now? Time to change. There’s nothing better than breathing in the fresh air for destressing and enjoying your friends and family.
Here’s how you can make the perfect outdoor retreat:
Choose Comfy Furniture
Nothing makes a balcony more inviting than comfy furniture. Make sure the furniture has weather-proof cushions and pillows to prevent mildew. And don’t leave it at chairs – set up a mix of side tables, couches, hammocks, rugs, and maybe even a dining set.
Decorate with Plants
If there aren’t plants, you might as well be inside. Drought-resistant plants make a great balcony or patio option because you don’t have to worry about watering them as much. Plus, they look great no matter where you place them.
You can find some fun pots for your plants, or you can find hanging planters for a more unique look. Either way, the plants will liven up your balcony.
Grill It Up
If you’re the go-to hosting house, try buying a grill for your balcony. It makes it easy to serve a meal to a lot of people, plus you can have more variety in your meal planning. A grill is an excellent idea if you include a dining set in your furniture.
Bonus Resolution
Maybe, as you read this article, you realized that you can’t do some of these ideas in your house. You might need more space, more modern features, or a house that you own instead of rent.
If you wish you could do some of these projects but need a newly constructed home first, consider Wright Homes.
