Owning a home is expensive. You have a mortgage to pay for, not to mention insurances and maintenance costs (such as annual gas and electricity servicing) to keep everything running smoothly. You have to keep it stocked up with food and toiletries, plus there's cleaning costs such as carpet cleaner hire and window cleaners to cover on a regular basis. So when it comes to decor and furnishing, it can be tempting to want to find ways to keep costs down. And while some things most definitely can be done on a budget, there are a few home upgrades that are always worth spending money on. While there are bargains to be had, in many cases cheap products wear out more quickly, and the money you spend over the years replacing these kinds of things often works out more expensive than buying quality up front. Here are five examples.
Flooring
If you invest in a high quality flooring, it can last you for literally decades. Take solid wooden flooring for example, this can be sanded down a number of times throughout the course of it's life meaning every few years you can achieve a finish that looks brand new. Not only does it look smart, but it's incredibly hard wearing. You're not limited by styles and colours either, it comes in so many different colours and patterns that there's something for every home. You can see from this Linton range alone how many different options you have. Natural stone flooring is another good choice especially for downstairs, if you have kids, pets and lots of visitors it's easy to clean and of course will last practically forever if it's looked after well. You could then go with carpets upstairs, if you create a 'no shoes or food upstairs' rule, a high quality carpet will last a long time.
Sofa
Sofas are such a well used piece of furniture, buy cheap and it will almost certainly wear out quickly. Your best bet is to see it as an investment, choose a brand that rigorously tests all of their models and offers a guarantee of at least ten years. A cheap sofa might look ok at first, but things like the springs and foam are likely to wear out quickly and substandard materials can start to look scruffy. With it being a main piece of furniture in the home, you want something that will stay looking good and performing well for a long time.
Mattress
Buying a less expensive bed frame is fine, as long as it's sturdy it will do the job. But the mattress, like the sofa, should be seen as an investment. As humans we spend an insane amount of time sleeping, and for good health and comfort we need a decent, supportive mattress. Spend some time finding a model that's right for you, and go with the best you can afford. This will prevent it from wearing quickly and failing- this usually happens under your hip and can lead to a dip or indent. This then throws your body out of alignment and can cause issues with the back, neck and shoulders. It can also affect sleep, which comes with its own set of physical and mental health issues.
Dining Table
Research shows that families who eat together at dinner most days of the week tend to experience less teenage pregnancy, drug use and rebelling in their children. It's seems like a strange link but there's an obvious reason- families that eat together tend to be closer. Kids are more likely to approach their parents and talk things through instead of give in to peer pressure directly. If you want to start having more family meal times then purchasing a nice dining table is a good place to start, that way you can sit and eat with family as well as with guests when you have people over. If you choose a classic style, you can switch up the chairs over the years to match your decor and create different looks.
Smart Home
Smart home has really taken off in recent years, and is only set to become more and more popular. It enables you to control lights, switches, monitor your CCTV and much more, all using your phone or voice activated speaker. Not only does this make our lives easier (instead of coming home with an armful of bags after going shopping and fumbling with the lights, you can ask your speaker to turn them on hands- free) but it can also make our homes more secure. Since you can control lights and appliances from anywhere in the world from your phone, it's easy to give the impression that someone is in, even if you're in holiday or working late. Smart CCTV will alert you when it picks up motion, meaning you can quickly call the police if it spots something sinister and you're away from home. Lots of companies offer these kinds of products, do your research and work out which is best for you.
What home upgrades do you think are worth the investment?
