I am not a rehab guru by any means. I don’t know about you, but I would love to have had Chip and Johanna Gaines to come right in to my house and fix it all up before I moved in? But without them, I am looking back and realizing how much hindsight is sure 20/20 as they say.

There are 3 some things that I believe are imperative and wish I had done before moving into my house. However, we were pressed for time. By my own doings, I suppose. I lived in an apt that the lease had run out on. We moved into our house to “rent” it, while going through the process of buying it. So the things I really wanted to do were put on hold anyway. When renting, the renters are at the mercy of the owner as to the things you are allowed to do or not to do.

I have also heard the fuss about, “who wants to put money into something that isn’t your own?!” I’m going on record to say, I would be that person. I am not opposed to putting money into something that I am going to enjoy and live in. Even if I am not the owner. Of course this would need to be done with the owners permission, but still.

I visited a lady for delivery with my mother once, that lived in an apt and had lived there for 12 years. It was truly the “homiest” apt I had ever been in. This woman had personalized every single room. She had painted, put up border (which was popular in that day), just any little thing she could do to spruce up. As we talked about it, I realized that she had made a point to enjoy where she was and a little sprucing goes a long way.

1. Bring only the bare necessities

Become a minimalist. Maybe not forever, but I am extremely serious about this concept, at least for a time. My circumstances were unique, in some respects, but I can see the application in any situation. Having things everywhere, makes it hard to move around and clean. Your later self will thank you! The first time you decide to change things up with a room full of furniture, you will completely be rethinking this one!

2. Clean everything

Yes! That’s it, simple! Good ole soap, water, and elbow grease. Many times people overlook the basics. The specifics of this go way deeper than basics. When you buy an older house, chances are, things have sat for a while. You have the elements of weather, etc. Wash down the walls, baseboards, trim, wash window, window seals, EVERYTHING!

3. Invest in paint

Invest the time and money into painting every, single room! Paint really isn’t all that expensive and if you are doing the minimal thing with furniture, it should be easy. “But what?!” you say, “Every room?” From my experience, YES!! Every, single room! I don’t care if it isn’t your forever home. You signed on the dotted line to pay for it. Why not make it your own? Like I said earlier about the lady I had visited with my mom. A little sprucing goes a long way for your own sanity. Living in a house that is “always a work in progress” is daunting! I see how homes lose their appeal. People just live there, day in, day out without seeing any change, without any sort of vision. They just live daily life.

What happens as time goes on? Nothing. Then they fall into what we call the definition of insanity, which is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results. It is easy to fall into the trap, because here we are 4 years later and I am just now getting it.

What are things you wish you had done or known before you moved into your house, whether old or new?