6 Tips for Decorating Your First Home

Moving into your first house is a liberating, landmark life passage. After you've freed yourself of your college futon and your roommate's attempt at fine art, it's time to come up with a plan for turning your empty shell of a house into an inviting home. Here are some suggestions for pulling it off:

1. Clean house at the old place. 

Even before you make an offer on a new place, get ahead of the game by starting this process. This critical first step will not only make your current digs easier to pack up, but it will put you miles ahead during move-in. Be strong and rid yourself of anywhere from 25 percent to 50 percent of your old stuff: wobbly furniture in the attic, faulty appliances in the garage, questionable accessories you received as gifts. This is the perfect time to start over. Pare down your accumulated possessions to the minimal amount. Have a garage sale, auction it off on eBay or donate it to charity. You'll be amazed at what you won't miss.

Decorating Your First Place

Trying to figure out how to decorate your first place can seem scary, maybe even a little overwhelming. Fortunately, if you follow these simple steps, your first place will come together within a matter of months, and you'll be sure to love it

Step 1: Create a plan

Before you begin trying to decorate, the best thing to do is create a vision in your mind. Decide which style you prefer: vintage, mid-century modern, chic, shabby, traditional, or something more eclectic. Figure out exactly what you'd like to see each room turn into. Next, write down any measurements you may need to ensure this vision can come to life.

Tip: Utilize the internet if you are having trouble deciding what style you prefer. Today there are many resources to help you create your perfect room. A few of these resources include Pinterest.com, Houzz.com, Flickr.com, and many more.

Step 2: Pick your color scheme

Once you've come up with an idea of what style you prefer, you should think about the colors you want to live with. If you aren't a fan of paint or are unable to paint, the color of your end tables, couch and any other furniture you have will affect the feel of the room and provide its main color accents. After you have decided on a color scheme, you can later add-on décor such as rugs, curtains, throw pillows, pictures, or framed prints to enrich the look and color of a room.

Step 3: Take your time - don't buy everything at once

The biggest mistake you can make, in my opinion, is trying to purchase everything at once. Although it can be tempting, it's best to take your time. If you've already decided on a style and color scheme, making these purchases will come very naturally.

Live in your new place for a month or two before you make any major purchases. The reason for this is because sometimes there is a big difference between how you thought you would live and how you end up living. You may find that certain pieces of furniture in one room actually fit better in another. You may also decide the style you were going for doesn't quite fit the personality you think the room should have.

Tip: Thrift stores such as Goodwill are great bargain options, as is Craigslist. Target, Tuesday Morning, Ikea, Marshall's, Ross and World Market are also good home décor options.

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