You don’t need to spend a fortune or transform your home completely to improve family life. Even the smallest update can make a difference if it’s carefully considered, properly implemented, and looks good. Here are eight ways to simply but effectively update your home to make family life easier.
1. Swapping taps
Something as simple as swapping your taps can make everyday tasks a lot easier, while also adding a modern touch to your kitchen or bathroom.
You could choose a pull-out kitchen tap with a shower head for greater flexibility, making washing up and rinsing vegetables less of a chore. Or perhaps you still have pillar taps in the bathroom. Fitting modern mixer taps offers better temperature control, an updated aesthetic and potentially saves water.
The average tap replacement cost is less than you might think, and the payoff is a smart new look in your home.
2. Smart lights
There are many ways that smart lights can make family life easier. They are great for security and saving energy, but also incredibly simple to install yourself. Whether you opt for smart bulbs or smart plugs, upgrading your lighting has never been easier or more affordable.
You can choose to operate the lights from an app on your phone or via voice control through Alexa or Google. There are many different colours, moods, and ambience settings to choose from, making it simple to change the feel of different rooms.
3. Washable rugs
Households with kids and pets know only too well how much having washable items can make life easier. Whether you’re dealing with muddy footprints, spills or just general household traffic, having rugs that can be washed is ideal.
No more hiring rug cleaners or scrubbing stains, just pick up the rug and put it in the machine. Make sure to vacuum the rug before washing it and ensure your washing machine is the right capacity for the size of the rug.
4. Shoe bins
Kids love having boxes and bags to put their stuff in. It promotes independence and builds good habits that can last a lifetime. So giving everyone in the household shoe bins by the front door not only makes the area more tidy but encourages responsibility.
And it’s not just for the kids – make sure everyone has their own shoe bin. Remember to dry shoes thoroughly before putting them away!
5. Soft-close toilet lid
Just like your soft-close cupboard doors and drawers, a soft-close toilet lid saves loud banging, trapped fingers, and potential damage. The quiet, slow mechanism is great if you have small children or impatient teenagers – particularly at night.
It’s also a more hygienic way of shutting the toilet lid, as just a slight touch will activate it. With less chance of slamming, it’s likely your soft-close toilet seat will last much longer.
6. Smart thermostat
A smart thermostat gives you control by allowing you to switch your heating on and off remotely from your phone, tablet, or laptop. This flexibility saves you money and ensures your home is always at the correct temperature, and can save you between 12 and 15% on your energy bills per year, on average, too.
If you’re running late, you can alter the time that your heating switches on – making sure your home is warm when you get there but without wasting energy by heating an empty house.
7. Wipeable paint
We’ve all been there: chocolate fingerprint marks on the wall, muddy splatters from your wet dog on the skirting board or scuff marks on doors. It can be hard to remove these marks without taking off the paint unless you use a washable variety.
Switching to a tough, washable paint takes the worry out of all these unavoidable incidents and keeps your home looking clean, fresh, and in great condition. It also reduces the amount of cleaning in an already busy household.
8. Create drop zones
Not everyone can have a mudroom, and let’s be honest, not everyone needs one. But a drop zone near your front door can be indispensable for busy families. Creating an area where everything you need when transitioning from inside to outside has a place keeps your home tidy, organised, and prevents last-minute frantic searches.
You may only need a place to safely keep your keys, hang your coat, and leave your shoes. Or you may need a box for schoolbags, sports equipment, or pet supplies. Whatever it is that you regularly need when heading out the door, make sure there’s a place to store it when you get home so it’s always at hand.