A Kim and Aggie Makeover

Every morning I check through my blogs and see photographs of beautiful made-over rooms by talented DIYers and amateur designers. I have, in the past, had a bad habit of moving the furniture around or painting walls different colours, while my husband has been out. Either that, I would plan the new layout, and wait for him to get home so he could move the furniture! It was all to satisfy my desire to give my belongings new life, perhaps to show off a neglected artwork, or create a new little world of style. I always find room makeovers energise me and get my creative juices flowing.

Unfortunately, rooms can only be madeover so often. So I find myself looking at other people's beautiful homes and feeling frustrated.

This morning, however, I had an idea. Kim and Aggie of How Clean is your House? work miracles on the most disgusting and depressing homes without buying a single piece of furniture, painting any walls, or adding accessories. All they use is a LOT of elbow grease, and a knack for sorting and organising to bring order and sparkle to people's homes. I have been amazed at how beautiful someone's home can look if it is loved, and arranged with a careful eye. When I walked into my bedroom last night, after an incredibly busy weekend most of which was spent away from home, I realised that I had the perfect setting for a Kim and Aggie makeover.

This is what it looked like first thing this morning.

You are now asking yourself, "Does her mother read this blog?". (Yes she does, but I am sure she will forgive me). Actually I am sure most people's homes look like this at some point, and what amazes me is how a room can go from pristine orderliness to complete chaos in a matter of hours. All it took to get our bedroom looking like this was two days of clean laundry dumped in haste on the surfaces (because we were rushing out and it might rain); children importing their books and toys from their rooms into our bed (for night-time reading and cuddles); books and papers unpacked from a day-long conference (still to be found a place for somewhere in the house) and one or two miscellaneous items that came from I know not where (Singaporian dollars?).

Here is my quick and easy method of making over a bedroom disaster zone.

1. Take everything off the bed that doesn't belong, and put it on the floor.
2. Make the bed.
3. Start clearing the surfaces one at a time. Do this by sorting items out in piles on the bed e.g. clean laundry, books (by owner), toiletries, papers and receipts, hats, toys etc etc. The only exception is dirty laundry (straight into the laundry basket) and shoes (straight into the cupboard).

4. Once all the surfaces are clear, put away all the piles of things that belong in your bedroom (toiletries, books etc).
5. Sort and fold all the clean washing into piles, and put away all the clothes that belong in your bedroom.
6. Take each pile of things that belong elsewhere and put them away.
7. Put in a load of the laundry you have collected.

Now your room is completely tidy and just needs to be loved. Furniture polish sprayed generously gives a shine to the furniture, and makes the room smell really fresh.

Open the windows to get in the fresh air. Vaccuum thoroughly, arrange your ornaments and nicknacks, and cut a small posy of flowers from the garden (or some foliage from the closest tree) and pop in a vase.

Voila!

How this for a great before and after!

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