We moved into our forever home two years ago now, and while this place has good bones it was definitely decorated for someone else’s life. The previous owners were an older couple and they hadn't updated it for a decade or two! We had to strip away lots of wallpaper that wasn't to our taste (including 'borders' in every room- blast from the past), patterned carpet and heavy curtains. Luckily there wasn't too much in the way of structure to change aside from a dividing wall in the dining room, which is now a new open plan kitchen. But pretty much everything else had to go. A couple of years on the difference is amazing, so if you're in the same situation and just moved into a very dated home know that there's light at the end of the tunnel! Here are my tips as someone who has done it... and currently still is, as we're still not quite finished. 

After painting, flooring in my opinion is the next thing that will make the biggest impact on your home. There's nothing more satisfying than ripping out gross old carpets and replacing with fresh new modern flooring. We've gone with LVT in the kitchen and hallway which was an investment but so worth it. LVT is a luxury vinyl tile (not a sheet) that's incredibly hard wearing. Ours looks exactly like a wooden floor and has been laid in a herringbone style which is a nice 'modern meets traditional' and shouldn't ever go out of style. Because there's no actual wood in it it's hardwearing and easy to clean, the kids spills don't damage it and it feels warm underfoot too. The rest of the house (aside from bathrooms) has been carpeted. We originally got a quote from Tapi which was insanely expensive, a local carpet company ended up fitting something very similar for half the price, so definitely do shop around. The right flooring will instantly update a dated looking house and feel fresh and clean.

When you've finally got the keys to your new home it's tempting to want to do everything immediately. But most of us have time and financial restrictions, so taking it one room at a time is usually the best way to go. We did the living room first and then the kids bedrooms which were by far the most fun. I have a boy and a girl so got to pick completely different themes for them and had the best time choosing out coordinating pieces. The kitchen was one of the last projects we did, which ended up working well as by then we had a good feel for the house and knew how we used the space. If you give yourself some time to settle in and figure out how you use each of your spaces and rooms, you wont have to go back on yourself changing things after you find out they dont actually work for you. 

Lighting is one of the quickest ways to modernise a home, but it’s even better when it’s part of a bigger system. We linked the whole house to a smart home setup so most of the lights are automated or come on automatically. I can't pretend I know how my husband did this, lots of smart home wizardry has gone on in the background. But even if you're not tech savvy, it's quite easy to automate lighting in a basic way through Alexa. Smart bulbs that let you adjust the lighting level and different sources of lighting are always worth having too. It makes your home feel cosier and lets you use it in different ways too. For example our dining room light setting can be adjusted based on whether we're eating, or if me and my kids are doing a craft or homework at the table.

Bathrooms are one of those spaces you use every single day, so it’s worth taking the time to get them right. We replaced our main bathroom early on as it was one of the most dated rooms in the house, and the difference it’s made is huge. If you’re planning yours, it’s worth getting advice from professionals, if you search your area like 'bathroom designers Wirral' you'll find local places to pop into and get more information. This is especially important if you need to completely change the layout as opposed to replacing like for like.We went for a simple, clean style with easy to maintain surfaces, and it’s made the morning rush with the kids much easier. Our ensuite is still on the to-do list, but now we know exactly what we want and how to make it work for us.

One of the biggest lessons has been knowing where to spend and where to save. We didn’t cut corners on things that get heavy use like flooring and lighting, but we saved on things like decor pieces. I love a browse around Home Bargains and B&M and have got so many nice bits and pieces like cushions, fake plants and art that have brought life and personality to the place. If you have furniture that you can reuse from your previous home too, sometimes an upcycle can make it perfect for the new place. It’s easy to get carried away buying everything new, but sometimes the pieces you already own can look completely different against a new backdrop.