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8 simple ways to spruce up your home

Take pride in your home with these 8 simple small changes that will make a big impact to your home.

1. Give your windows a facelift
Curtains and drapes block light, sound, heat and cold. Use them to your advantage; if you’re in the city you might need thick drapes to shut off the outside noise, however if you live on property opt for light white curtains to let in natural sunlight and garden views.

Keep your windows free of streaks, dirt and dust, cleaning them regularly.

2. Cut the clutter
Clutter spreads like disease throughout your house, inducing stress. Remove whatever serves you no longer, and neatly store papers, gadgets and other items you simply can’t throw away.

Be brutal, don’t keep anything that will continue to gather dust and add to visual confusion. Sell unwanted items on ebay or hold a garage sale to generate some financial reward for your detachment.

3. Refresh the exterior
First impressions last. Refresh the exterior of your home by replacing or repairing broken or tattered mailboxes, window screens and gutters.

Pressure clean the roof, walkway and driveway, and make sure all windows are clean. Keep weeds at bay, lawn neatly cut, and tidy up the garden by trimming or removing overgrown trees and adding some colourful plants among the green.

Give your front door a new lick of paint, replace your Welcome mat, and keep the entrance clean and tidy.

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4. Lighten up
Brighten up the mood of your home by improving your lighting. Install brighter bulbs in dark rooms and add lamps for ambience, and open curtains and drapes to let the sunshine in to warm and brighten each room.

A fresh coast of paint in a light or neutral tone will add space to your home, while adding a selection of green, leafy indoor plants will help achieve a cheerful environment and clean the air at the same time.

5. Art
Covering bare walls with bright artworks needn’t break the bank. Print your favourite quotes, photographs or other art from your own or online sources and buy inexpensive frames and put the final product together yourself.

Black and white photographs of your favourite beaches, friends, and family add a personal touch.

6. Flickering light
Fragrant candles add a pleasant atmosphere to your home during either the day or night. Opt for environmentally friendly ingredients such as soy or beeswax, and never leave the house with candles burning.

RELATED: How to transform your home into a zen space

7. Fresh cut flowers
Brighten up your home by adding fresh cut flowers to vases in the kitchen, dining and living rooms, bathroom and even the bedrooms.

You don’t need to go berserk at the florist, take to the outdoors and search for wildflowers you can pluck and take home. Grow your own selection of blooms in the garden to keep a fresh supply on hand.

8. Re-arrange
You don’t need to completely re-decorate to spruce up your home. Simply take what you’ve already got and move it all around!

Think about adding simple items like a new rug, making the re-arranged space fresh and inviting.

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