The journey of buying your own home can come with big surprises.
Sometimes your eyes are opened to the reality of the neighbourhood you live in, that it wasn't what you thought it was, but sometimes the problems lie within the home itself. If your home is making you stressed, you are not alone. There are numerous factors that can impact our ability to just relax and feel comfortable in our own home. So in this post I'm going to talk about a few of these issues, and what you can do to overcome them.
Structural problems
Everything seemed perfect when you moved in, but as time has gone by there appears to be structural problems coming to the fore. The best thing you can do at this point is to get a specialist to look at the property. You can get a contractor to do this for you. But if it's something blatantly obvious, you've got to nip it in the bud. Sometimes there are issues like termites that we might have overlooked, but there are plenty of termite treatment options out there so you can get to the root of the problem. Structural issues are one of the biggest headaches anybody can have in their own home. And naturally, it can be very stressful, especially if you have to contact contractors, as well as leave the property for a while. But if you notice this early on, it's hopeful that you can get it fixed without a major financial cost. It's also worth consulting your insurance company to see what is covered in this respect. It is always recommended that you have a survey when buying the property. A basic mortgage valuation for the lender, if you are having a mortgage, should pick up any glaring issues but I would recommend you instruct a homebuyers report for a more detailed inspection of the property you intend to buy, so you are not hit with any unexpected problems later.
You don't like the look of the place
The look of the place is one of those things that could chip away at you. You don't like that wallpaper or the house could do with a fresh lick of paint. And after a while, it can stress you out, after all, this is your home - your little haven. If you don't have the opportunity to make any significant changes it's important that you make time. The great thing about a fresh lick of paint is that can completely reinvigorate the property. But these days, we tend to feel that we don't have time to do these things. Instead, take a week off work, and ensure that everything is done from top-to-bottom in that time. The big issue we have, especially in terms of renovation work, is that it can go on for a long time.
Renovation stress
One of those ongoing sagas. If you've got a contractor in, and they are dragging their heels, or there has been problem after problem, this can take its toll. Renovation stress is one of those unique types of anxieties. You can feel that you can't get away from the place, and there are various sorts of conflict involved in renovating a property. One of the best things to do is to set yourself a deadline, but you should also ensure that you aren't so singular in your vision of the “perfect” property. This is the downfall of many people, that they want something so specific that it is almost impossible. In one respect you need to go with the flow, but when dealing with contractors, you have to be firm. And also, get away from the property once in a while. Time away to recalibrate helps you to come back with a renewed sense of enthusiasm.
You rent a property
Renting a property can come with its own abundance of stress. Either you are frustrated you don't have enough money to buy your own property, or you live with other people that get on your nerves. There can be so many other stresses too, from the landlord to the worry you may be kicked out in a matter of weeks if the landlord has a change in circumstances. Ultimately, saving up for a property is the solution, but it's not always feasible, especially if we have specific ideas in mind. If you are single and you haven't met “the one” yet, or you are more than happy to be by yourself, question if you really need to purchase your own property?
The place is a mess
Mess is stress! If you find yourself struggling with the mess, this little thing can have a huge impact on your stress levels. Decluttering is the best approach, but it all depends on the items you want to keep. Also, the size of the property has a major bearing. If you live in a house that is too small, it could be time to upgrade to a bigger property? If the place just needs a spring clean, there are many ways to reinvigorate the space by adding extra storage, as well as getting into the habit of cleaning little and often. We can feel overwhelmed by the magnitude of cleaning a property especially if we are forever busy. But if you can get into the habit of the right cleaning hacks, so that you don't spend a few hours every week cleaning the property, giving you the opportunity to enjoy the place, everybody wins! There are also little cleaning hacks that you can take advantage of. For example, when cleaning the bathroom spray everything with the cleaning spray, then move onto the next room to give the spray time to absorb any dirt, this will make the cleaning easier. As well as this, invest in a handheld vacuum. This will help cleaning up those little bits of dust and dirt, rather than having to go over the whole place with a vacuum every day.
Your own home can make you stressed for many reasons, but sometimes they are so obvious. As life is stressful enough, it's important that we make our home our sanctuary. It's the one place that we need to go so we can escape the anxieties of the real world.
Love Tx