The best part about moving into a household is that it may have a history, character built over years, and evoke the era of its design. The worst is that people before you have lived there. This can be acceptable if the homeowner before you took time to care for the space, and really attended to upgrades and repairs. But sometimes, they don’t. And sometimes, they do a terrible job. Perhaps you were willing to unfurl some of this after your home inspection revealed the space was still worth living in and safe to purchase, but the true scope of odd changes only came after you had time to unravel them all.

So, how can you undo the damage of a previous homeowner? In this post, we hope to make that effort easier and more logical to deal with. Without further ado, please consider the following:

Identify Any “Upgrades” They’ve Made

One of the most frustrating things about moving into a previously owned home is discovering all the “improvements” that weren’t really improvements at all. Maybe they attempted a DIY plumbing fix that barely holds together, or they painted over wallpaper instead of just removing it properly. Maybe they added a mirrored wall. Some homeowners mean well but cut corners and that’s very apparent, while others take on projects they really shouldn’t have, though it gives you a nice warning as what not to do. Either way, you have to identify the issues they’ve caused before changing them, and really identify the scope of the problem safely before you make any adjustments.

Clean In Neglected Areas, Internally & Externally

It’s safe to assume that some parts of the home haven’t been cleaned as thoroughly as you’d like. Even the most well-kept houses can have areas that the prior homeowner couldn’t get to, for instance. if a lovely old couple lived there before, they might not have been able to get into the attic as much as they had liked.

A deep clean is the best way to reclaim your space. Its’ wise to open up vents and clean out accumulated dust, power wash the exterior using pressure washing equipment if it’s looking tired, and don’t forget about any outbuildings or neglected corners of the garden. Having everything formatted allows you to identify the issues like in our first tip, but also give you room to spot areas of improvement.

Bring Out The Natural, Subdued Character Of Your Property

A home might have suppressed character you didn’t know about until you deep cleaned. That’s a plus. If it’s an older property, uncovering hardwood floors hidden beneath outdated carpet or restoring original molding can make a huge difference for instance, and help you increase its value. Or if the chimney has been stuffed up and closed, see if it can be made functional again, even if for a wood burner you don’t use that often. Even if you’re just  toning down loud color schemes and letting the natural light and materials shine through, it can bring a sense of calm to the space.

With this advice, we hope you can more easily undo the damage and design of a previous homeowner.