We don’t know about you, but Pinterest and Instagram home envy is a serious affliction of ours. While scrolling through the endless sea of flawless ‘lifestyle’ shots - the perfectly curated cushions, Moroccan rugs, colour coordinated artworks and human sized palm trees so lush you've no clue how on Earth they survive indoors, in England - one can’t help but wonder how these seemingly normal people, who lead seemingly regular lives own such enviable homes. And, while some of them probably used interior designers (but would never admit it because social media enigma is a thing), there’s a handful of tips and tricks us mere mortals can apply to make our homes Insta worthy.
1. Have a deep cleanse
A good rule of thumb for a quality spring clean is to ask yourself the following question: “Have I used this item in the past 6 months?”. If the answer is a ‘no,’ then you really don’t need to keep it. If someone were to secretly chuck it out, you probably wouldn’t even notice. Most of us are guilty of hoarding stuff for sentimental reasons, or maybe you spent a significant amount of money on the item and feel guilty throwing it away. Stop the excuses -the bottom line is that clutter is never a good look.
Case in point: how many of you have a barbeque, a futon or weights that you’ve only ever used a handful of times (if ever)? “But I swear I’ll need them one day”, you protest. Sure, but allow me to let you in on a little secret: you don’t need to own stuff to use stuff. You’re probably aware by now that we live in a beautiful time of technological innovations - the sharing economy is booming, and consumers are becoming savvier and less likely to buy into marketing spiel. Take Rentuu - an online hiring service that lets you have your cake and eat it, too - as an example. Rentuu lets you hire just about anything online, for any length of time. So if you’re feeling sad about thrifting your air mattress ‘just in case you’ll need it one day’, you shouldn’t, because you can always hire one online.
2. Stow unsightly stuff away
Now that you’ve got rid of the stuff you don’t use on a day-to-day/weekly basis, make sure you put away all the things that don’t add to the vibes of your interior. This can be anything from crumpled up packets of crisps, stationery or coins that are lying around aimlessly or chargers that are best served being tucked away in a chest of drawers. Display the most visually striking items on your shelves and your coffee table, and have a play around with different types of creative display. This is particularly important when you don’t have the luxury of space: if you’ve too much needless clutter lying around, you’ll detract from the aesthetic charm of your home. But don’t go overboard - you don’t want it looking sterile.
3. Keep it sparkling clean
Having a clean, tidy place makes a world of difference - your pet’s hair fluffing about your sofa is not going to add to your home’s aesthetic, no matter how much you love them. If you’re particularly short on storage space, it’s worth noting that you don’t need to own a hoover or a carpet cleaner - you can hire a hoover and carpet cleaner online. It’s extremely convenient to do this through Rentuu, too - it’s both dropped off and collected directly from your home, and you can hire it for the period of time you need to deep clean your home (which hopefully won’t take more than two days!).
If you have any form of carpeting at home, you should hands-down be deep cleaning it every six to twelve weeks. Carpets have a tendency to accumulate disturbing amounts of dust and grime, which has a negative impact on the air that you breathe (and is generally quite uninviting). Luckily, through Rentuu, you can hire a trusted Vax carpet cleaner which is a pretty fantastic tool for picking out even the most stubborn of stains and dirt.
4. Foliage is everything
There’s nothing like a bit of green to lighten up a home. Not only do plants help keep your air clean, but they’re also fantastic props for styling and sprucing up virtually any room. Don’t believe us? Check out the @urbanjungleblog for some serious plantspiration. Make sure you choose your plants appropriately, based on how much lighting and TLC you’re able to give them. Sturdy indoor houseplants include aloe vera, the spider plant and widow’s tongue. Succulents, too, can be a great addition to any home and are nigh impossible to kill.
5. Devil’s in the details
Little things can make a big difference. Layering small accessories - books, stools, framed art, sculptural pieces and textiles, to name a few - can make a room really come alive. We always recommend to go with unique pieces rather than standard items. Dig around thrift stores and antiques for hidden gems and look out for standout textures and colours - remember, when layering accessories, balance is key.
