When you move into your first home, there’ll probably be all sorts of things rushing through your head. After you’ve got through the excitement of your house-warming and the stress of unpacking, the next step is to make your home yours. I’m talking about interior design. This is one of the most fun parts of being a homeowner, but there’s a right and wrong way to go about it. Here’s what I wish someone told me!

First of all, don’t be too quick to reject free stuff. When your friends and family hear that you’re moving out, they’ll probably be extremely eager to give you free furniture. Whether they’re genuinely happy for you or they just want to get rid of some stuff, your first impulse might be to turn it away. I recommend reconsidering! I rejected pretty much everything I was offered, wanting to go my own way. Since then, I’ve looked back on one or two pieces and really regretted not holding onto them. Obviously, you don’t want your new place to get cluttered. However, if there’s anything that you might want to use in the future, accept it graciously.

Before you get stuck into any real decorating, come up with a solid plan. Changing the whole mien of a home is time-consuming, and usually pretty hard on the wallet. If you jump into it without any real structure in mind, then you may end up pouring a load of money down the drain! Start off by looking for some inspiration. Go to some interior design blogs, and write down any good ideas that come up. It might help to focus on one specific designer. Juan Pablo Molyneux is one of my personal favourites. Start off with the larger necessities, like the living room and kitchen. These communal spaces are great for testing ideas, and laying a foundation for the rest of the house to follow. Spend in baby steps as well. You don’t want to fill a room up with priceless artwork and have nowhere to sit!

My final tip is to embrace what annoys you. I hate to tell you this, but you’re not going to get everything right the first time around. After you first try to redecorate your home, there are going to be one or two things that end up annoying you. If you keep pouring over interior design mags, then your first impulse is going to be to change it all immediately. Again, this is a sure-fire way to burn through your budget! Instead of ironing out every little thing, try to live with it for a little while. Soon enough, a much easier and cheaper solution will come to you. Sometimes the position or lighting on a certain piece can make it seem ugly, when it would look wonderful in another place. Take your time, and don’t do anything rash!

Take my advice, and you’ll dodge a lot of the mistakes I made! My final tip is to forget about the look of your home once in a while, and simply enjoy the freedom!