Simple Steps for a Seasonal Spruce Up

Winter is almost here, and that means dark nights, dull evenings, and potentially lots of snow. You'll be spending a lot more time than usual at home over the next few months, so maybe it's time to give your house a face lift?

Dressing up your home doesn't have to mean getting the decorators in for a weekend. Check out these quick and easy fixes that can give your home a new look this holiday season.

1. Window dressing: If your curtains are looking a little dated, consider investing in some made to measure blinds. Not only will they fit perfectly, you can pick out your own design to get the perfect look for your home.
2. Open sesame: If your door handles are boring old lever ones, why not change them up for something flashier. Changing your door handles is just a matter of spending a few minutes working with a screwdriver, and the results will be something that you'll appreciate every time you open a door.
3. Give old furniture a new lease of life: Buy some extra material when you invest in those made to measure blinds, and turn it into a set of throws and cushion covers for a nicely matched set. Your ragged sofa will turn into a stylish centrepiece.
4. Out with the old...: The holiday season involves a lot of gift-swapping. Make some room for all of those gifts by taking the time to de-clutter. At this time of year, charitable donations will go down well, and not only do you get the warm feeling of spreading festive cheer, you'll also enjoy the benefits of an organized and clutter free home.
5. Embrace Culture: Why not support the local art club by purchasing a couple of paintings? Not only will you get something beautiful to hang on the wall, you'll be supporting local artists, and there's always the possibility that the painting you buy will turn out to be the early works of a future famous artist.
6. Find your tree: If you use a synthetic Christmas tree, it's probably a good idea to check it out this month. Do you still have all the bits? Do the lights still work? How do your decorations look? Hopefully, everything has survived spending the year in storage, but things do break. It's better to find out now than to end up in a panic at the peak of the festive shopping season.

Think of this winter spruce-up session as being a prelude to the big spring clean. While you're measuring and de-cluttering, plan ahead for your future efforts. When you're taking the measurements to order those made to measure blinds, maybe you'll notice that your window frames are drafty and need replaced. Or, maybe when you move the sofa you'll discover that the carpet is damaged. If you start checking your house out now, then you'll have a better idea of what the damage to your wallet will be in the spring.

James Harper wrote this article on behalf of Moonshadow Blinds, suppliers of made to measure blinds. James is planning to spend some of his winter evenings this year making over his home.