When you enter retirement, you might have many vacations planned. Although you might spend time on the road, you will likely find that you spend most of your time at home. Home is where the heart is, right? If you spend a lot of your time at home, you might want to consider redecorating! The way you decorate your home sets the mood for you, your friends, and your family. Home décor affects the atmosphere and your productivity. If you haven’t redecorated in a while, it might be time to spice things up! Keep reading to find out five reasons to redecorate after you retire.
- Declutter your belongings
One of the first steps to redecorating after you retire is decluttering your belongings. You likely have collected loads of memorabilia or knick-knacks over the years. If so, it might be time to get rid of a few things. Since your home sets the mood, you might find that your anxiety and stress will lower once you declutter your items.
As you are sorting through your belongings, ask yourself, “When was the last time I used this? When will I use this next? Will I have more space if I get rid of this?” If your answers are leaning towards you getting rid of the item, then put it aside. You can either sell or donate your items to your local charity.
- Decorate for the future
If you plan on retiring in your current home, you will want to redecorate to accommodate your home for your future lifestyle. For example, if the lights inside your home are already dim, consider purchasing new light fixtures or lamps to place throughout your home.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 36 million senior citizens fall each year. Among those falls, many of them take place inside the bathroom. After you retire, consider redecorating your bathroom in a way that can help prevent you from falling.
For instance, you can take out the bathtub and add in a walk-in shower. Many seniors also install grab bars inside their bathroom, either by the toilet, the shower, or both. Just think, you might be saving some money on future healthcare bills by doing this.
- Nature is healing
An easy way to redecorate your home is by adding some greenery to it. Naturally, people become happier whenever they see something beautiful. So, if you add some landscape to your front or backyard, you may see your mood begin to boost.
According to the Alzheimer’s Society’s Garden, when you are surrounded by nurturing plants, it can help maintain your skills, confidence, pleasure and help with memory loss. Another study concluded plants could also decrease depression.
Go check out your local plant nursery and see which plants catch your eye to add to your home. A few low-maintenance plants seniors enjoy adding to their homes are the peace lily, snake plant, succulent, and spider plant.
- Spice things up
Some interior designers recommend redecorating your home every three to four years. If you have not redecorated your home in the past five to ten years, use this time to spice things up! Your style has likely changed since you last bought home décor, so treat yourself to purchasing new items that fit your style.
You can redecorate by hanging décor on the walls, swapping out furniture, and even purchasing a new bed comforter and sheets. Don’t hesitate to add pops of color, either! If you are going to retire in this home, you want to decorate it to your liking.
- Increases home value
Lastly, redecorating your home after you retire can increase your home’s value. Owning a home is likely one of your biggest investments, and over time, your home value can decline as time goes on. But, if you do a home redesign project and later decide to sell your home, it will likely sell for more than what it would have previously.
For example, redecorating your kitchen can add quite a bit of value to your home. You can change out your double-bowl sink with a deep, one bowl-sink. If your kitchen sink does not have a detachable faucet, swap it out.
If you were to ever downsize in retirement, redecorating would increase your home’s value if you were to sell your furniture and decorations with your home. But, if you try selling your home furnished with outdated items, it likely will sell for less compared to up-to-date décor, furniture, and fixtures.
Final point
Redecorating your home does not have to be a stressful task, especially if you have help from others! Consider these five reasons to redecorate after you retire and see how your mood and productivity can change.
