Do you find your new single mama safe haven to be a bit dreary?  Maybe you feel a bit depressed about “downgrading” to get to a place of safety for you and the kids?  You don’t need to feel blue, hun!  Here is how to make it a cute and cozy home sweet home- FAST and on budget!  Any place you lay your hat can be transformed into a welcoming family home.

Congratulations!  You have just found a place to live that is in your budget.  Because it is close to a great school and a park and you are finally getting out of your abusive relationship you are excited!  Although that part is true, your new home feels like a huge downgrade.  Admittedly, it is not the charming home with the great curb appeal you shared with your looser ex.  I understand where you are at, Mom.

I am here to give you inspiration and practical how to ideas!  You CAN turn that dingy basement apartment or tiny town home into a beautiful, functional home for your babies.  Whats more, you don’t have to bust your budget to create and enchanting, cozy home!  Just imagine how you will feel when you come home every day to your quiet, peaceful,  perfectly “you” home!  Every child deserves and warm, welcoming and cozy home.  You can DO it mom!  Read on to learn now to create your very own cozy family home on a single mom budget!

You Can Make ANY Space Feel “Like Home”

Here is why you should.  Even if you only plan to stay in your home a short while, if perhaps you are planning to save to buy a more permanent home.  Your kids top needs are for security, stability and consistency.  Their home, how it looks, feels and functions helps them feel good.  Now that you have escaped from an abusive situation, it’s important to do everything you can to help them heal and grow into healthy young people.  Because nothing matters more than your kids!  As the saying goes, “home is where the heart is”, because creating a safe, comfortable and enjoyable “home base” is one of the easier things you can do for your kids to help them have joy and peace.

Another thing which is very important is YOU!  Imagine creating a home base that feels like “you”.  When you come home after a busy day, your place beckons you to unload the stress of work.  Additionally  you will feel confident when you invite friends and family over to visit.  Not to mention a well organized, highly functional space is easy to clean and maintain.  That means less time doing your chores, and more time having fun, relaxing and fun family times!

We live in a fairly modest, small space.  When people come into my home, they often comment that it feels peaceful and quiet.  I have 2 daughters, 2 dogs and 2 cats.  Imagine, with all that traffic in about 1000 square feet, peace and quiet!  For about 10 years prior to our move away from my abusive relationship last June, we lived in about 850 square feet of a semi basement apartment.  I can’t tell you how many times people commented that it felt like a “real home” and not a tiny little dark apartment!

So, I have been where you are.  This is how I know that YOU can do it too!

Start With the “Bones”- Easy Fixes While Staying on Your Cozy Home Budget!

What I mean is the basics.  Although starting out in a new home can feel overwhelming.  At the same time, it’s the start of a new chapter in your life.  Here is how to start with the bare bones basics!

1. Clean everything really well!  I call it “get ready to put your own dirt in”.  Mama, your dirt is way cleaner than a strangers!   Wash inside and outside your cupboards, closets and built in shelves.  Wash your walls.  Clean your floors and grouting.  Regardless of how clean it looks, sanitize the snot out of your kitchen and bathroom.
2. Fix or replace whatever is not working or doesn’t look clean.  Things like leaky faucets, squeaky hinges, ratty window screens, bent or broken blinds.  Many of these things are easy to do yourself, even if you have never done it before!  Check out youtube for tutorials and amazon or your local facebook marketplace or kijii group to get supplies cheap!  As much as you can, consider what you can re-purpose or make yourself.  I made really cute window toppers out of a pretty scarf, and curtains out of a plain flat sheet.  Additionally, I have used nailpolish to refresh worn drawer pulls.  Get creative and have fun!
3. Consider painting.  A fresh coat of a light, neutral colour can really refresh and open a space!  Even though you just moved in, consider inviting some friends over and have a pizza and painting party.  Again, you can get paint and supplies fairly inexpensively.  Shop around, Mama.
4. LED lighting ROCKS!  These days, you can even get led kits with dimmers.  They are inexpensive to purchase and operate.  Do you need under counter lighting?  How about you brighten up your closet?  Funk up your teens room?
5. Speaking of painting, do you know about chalkboard paint?  Its great if you have kids!  Then they CAN draw on the walls!
6. If your flooring is tired you can paint it, use place and press flooring, or even throw rugs.  Again, your imagination is the only limit!

Finish by Adding Personal Details To Make your Home Welcoming

1. Place your furniture how you will use it.  How about a desk in the kitchen so you can supervise the kids while you make dinner?  How about an armchair in your bathroom so you have a comfortable place to supervise them during bath time?  A pretty basket in every room to easy take out and put away toys.
2. How about using dollar store items for home organization?  Repurpose your moving boxes by recovering them with gift wrap.  Command hooks are FABULOUS for making kid height coat and backpack hooks.  Use them inside cupboard drawers to hang things you reach for often.
3. Keep clutter to a minimum.  This helps your space feel clean and larger.  Additionally, Keeping surfaces clear cuts down on cleaning time.  Store seasonal clothing and decor items.  Keep things fresh by rotating your kids toys every month or so.
4. Place your furniture how you will use it.  How about a desk in the kitchen so you can supervise the kids while you make dinner?  How about an armchair in your bathroom so you have a comfortable place to supervise them during bath time?  A pretty basket in every room to easy take out and put away toys.  Repurpose a Bookshelf to be a craft storage.  Hide the cat box in specialty furniture or make something yourself.
5. Lastly, hang pictures that speak to your soul.  Lots of pictures of your family of course, and any artwork you really love.  Pictures are the perfect, budget friendly finishing touch on your cozy home!  Take your time finding exactly what you adore, consider printing some of your favourite snaps of the kids.  Next, look for cute and cheap frames at your local dollar store. Finally hang them proudly in an interesting way.

Welcome home!

Wow you did it! Your little corner of this green plant is now a unique and cozy home that is warm, welcoming and on budget.  You should be proud of yourself!   Now put your feet up!  You deserve a nice bubble bath!  Isn’t it great to have a place to call home?  Your little corner of the world is clean, organized and a reflection of how you and the people and critters you love live!  Congratulations and welcome home!