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Seven things that make your house look cheap and how to fix them.


Have you ever thought about why people love staying in hotels? We come to a room with no clutter, no personal objects, the bed is always done and looks so inviting, then we leave the room and come back later and it’s clean again, the bed is done and everything has its place. Magic, right? Our eyes and mind are at ease, nothing screams for attention, there are clean straight lines all around, and our sight is not jumping from object to object and our brain is not screening the overload of personal and random information, as it happens in many homes.

If you feel like you need to make some improvements to upgrade the look and value of your home quickly, feel more relaxed and productive in your home without major renovations, here are a few things that help to improve how you and your guests perceive your home.


1. Exposed wires

A big subject that must not be overlooked. You can buy the most beautiful and expensive desk, but if your wires are all over the place and poorly organized, your desk will lose all the protagonism. Usually, our eyes are drawn right away to multiple hanging wires under the desk since they are perceived as additional lines running in all kinds of directions opposite to the desk.

We recommend mounting a multi-plug-in extension cord on the back wall of your desk, as high as possible, to the top; this will allow you to plug in all your desk items and hide the wires. Use the sleeve to group all the wires and hooks to attach them to the wall. Here are some of our suggestions:


2. Wrinkled Fabrics: Curtains, linens, and undone bed

Never hang your drapes (even shower curtains) before steaming them first.

When we have wrinkled fabrics surrounding us in our home, it forces our eyes automatically to follow the wrinkle or fold lines. It makes the curtain panels look uneven and creates an effect of a cheap bathroom curtain on the window. That, of course, makes your home look cheap. Here is our compact steamer suggestion that will help you prepare your drapes.

The same applies to your bed. We don’t say that you must iron all the bedding (those times are over). We recommend using fabric that doesn't wrinkle that much, accent pillows with thicker material upfront, and blankets on the top layer when making your bed (which we hope you make every day:).


3. Too many family photos = too much information

We love good photos and memories, of course, but many homeowners tend to overdo it, creating a complete exhibition of their life story.

Not only will it clutter your home, it will make it very nostalgic, and your guests will be confronted with more information than they were ready for. In addition, displaying all your life history works like a time machine, which keeps you living in the past and makes you constantly drawn to memories instead of the present moment.

We recommend leaving just a few pictures that are tastefully framed, and for the rest, use the digital frame. Here is the link to our favorite one.


4. Too much clutter

Sometimes we must force ourselves to get rid of clutter and donate things we don’t use and may never use.


Kitchen Gadgets

Too many gadgets on the kitchen counter also will cause a messy perception. Try to keep out only the devices that you use the most and store the others away.


Shoe clutter is one thing that we want to mention here.

A variety of shoes at the entryway can immediately lower the good perception that your beautiful home can create. It is unattractive and creates a messy look. We recommend using shoe organizers that hide away the shoes and are easy to access when you are running out. Here is one suggestion for shoe furniture.


5. Yellowish paint color

Yikes! Yes, Yellow wall paint still lives in many homes and kitchens.

Yellow walls can create feelings of frustration and anger, which is why it is not the best color in your house. It also makes your home look very outdated.

You can still use warm light colors that can brighten the space and make it sunny and inviting without being yellow. Here are some of our favorite colors from Benjamin Moore: Swiss Coffee0c-45, Linen White OC- 146, CSP -185.


6. Kitschy décor

We know some decorative items hold a very special sentimental value and are hard to get rid of, but too many miniature ceramics and little animal statues will make your home look childish and unsophisticated.

The ceramic cups and plates might look good in the farmhouse style décor but are much harder to incorporate in modern homes.

Now, let’s talk about fridge magnets. Yes, you get them during your trip in an attempt to bring some memories or a piece of vacation to your home, but every time you do so, you are bringing home more and more clutter that actually serves no purpose. Very soon, your mind stops perceiving it as a piece of vacation; it turns it into an annoying bright eyesore. Unfortunately, we are often unaware that something is visually annoying us at home, but as soon as we leave that specific area, we immediately feel less irritated; that is why it’s called visual noise.

We recommend placing the kitschy items in the cabinet with glass doors where they can be out of immediate sight, but at the same time, you can still see them if they hold so much value to you.


7. Mass-produced wall art

Nothing makes your home more ordinary and cheap like the mass-produced wall art. (Especially those with quotes).

You don’t want your home to look like a cheap motel room with a “me too” painting on the wall. Your wall art should reflect your personality and make a statement, not just occupy an open space on the wall.

Don’t forget about framing; the right framing and mat will make your wall art stand out immediately. Here are some good framing options:


You can easily buy digital art that speaks to you on Etsy, print and frame it, shop at local galleries, and even order custom artwork online.



This post may contain links from our partners. We may receive a small commission if you purchase through a link. We only recommend items we use or love and always have our readers' best interests at heart.


All items are subject to availability and may go out of stock at any time. All prices are subject to change by the seller.






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