Creating a home just how you like it takes time. It can be a daunting process! There’s so much advice out there. Now we all move more regularly than previous generations so we never know if we are investing in a change for us, or a change for its saleability.

Our home was a mix of very bright decor and bodged repairs when we bought it. What we’ve learnt in the last few years of updating, is that there are 5 main things that make a difference whether you’re planning to stay or sell.

1. Paint

No matter how much you love your current decor, a fresh coat of paint makes a huge difference.

All those knocks and hand prints you might not notice actually make your house appear less clean and darker.

A repaint or even touch-ups in each room make a big impact once you start. Don’t forget radiators, doors and the architrave as well. You will be slightly horrified how much these fade.

2. Declutter

The dreaded topic of storage! It’s almost impossible not to have ‘stuff’ these days. Particularly when you have children.

However we’ve found everyone having their own place where they can put things helps enormously.

Especially when you're in a hurry and need all your belongings put out of sight. It makes you feel happier as well to have clear spaces. There’s also no worry about last minute visitors.

We have one of these units in our kitchen, everyone has a box. The children can tidy up their own things and I stop nagging!

3. Utilise every space

We all know adding bedrooms increases the value of your home.

You may or may not have the option to extend and add a room. However, it’s not just about adding square feet!

It’s possible to convert an existing loft space or create multi-functional rooms such as a spare bedroom combined with a study.

You can look for local self-storage units near your area and transfer the items that prevent you from maximising your space. Here in London, residents living in Rise Park can look for self storage in Romford or around East London. With a storage unit nearby, you can easily move your belongings back and forth while you create new rooms.

Other ways you can create extra space is by rearranging your home. You could have your children share a bedroom and then use the spare room as a playroom or den? Or forget the children and have an exercise area or study!

Sometimes a connecting space which you walk through can have fold-down or built-in furniture to make a wonderful office.

We all live in our homes in much less traditional ways now. Maybe you love working from your kitchen because you enjoy the view of the garden.

Think about how you can maximise the function of each space in your home. It will give it a new lease of life.

4. It’s cold outside

One of the most overlooked but most profitable ways to add value to your home is to update your gas central heating.

Purchasing a new boiler or having central heating installation especially with energy saving in mind; not only is beneficial to you but is a huge selling point for buyers.

Most people will happily change decor as everyone has different tastes. However they would rather not have the added hassle of fitting a new boiler once they’ve moved in.

Apart from making your home cosy and comfortable having this in place makes your property more desirable if you decide to sell.

5. Exterior

What’s your curb appeal? There’s nothing like arriving home and feeling proud of how your home looks to passers by.

This is also the first thing buyers notice and these impressions count!

Does the outside of your home look tired? Garden need attention? Broken paving?

Try and fix all the little issues and think about lighting, door bells that don’t work and cracked steps. Sometimes we don’t notice all of these even though they were put on the ‘to-do’ list some time ago!

Is there a way to put bins out of sight? Will some pots and plants, real or fake (If you don’t have green fingers!) improve things?

Step back into the street and think about what your eye is drawn to.

It doesn’t matter if you are selling or staying. Your home is your sanctuary and looking after it makes a huge impact on the joy you feel when you arrive home.

**This is a collaborative post**