For many, retiring means spending more time than ever before at home. This can be really rewarding after having worked for years to pay toward your mortgage, it is time to really enjoy the home you have. You are not only likely to be enjoying it alone but with more free time it may be that you host friends or look after grandchildren.
As you start thinking about or entering retirement there are lots of things you can do to prepare your home, the following are just a few of our top recommendations. Preparing your home for retirement doesn’t have to be as boring as it sounds!
De-clutter
Everyone knows that a tidy home helps with a tidy mind. Whether you plan on being home more often or you’re off to travel the world, a de-clutter is a great way to prepare for retirement. It will allow you to create a calmer environment to relax in and feel a real sense of pride in your home.
It is also an opportunity to see whether you have any items you no longer need or want which could be sold, and the money made can handily be put towards any plans you have for retirement.
Upgrade your bathroom
Now you are retired your bathroom no longer needs to be somewhere you hurriedly get ready in the morning before running out the door to work. The bathroom should be a treasured space for pampering.
It is undeniable that re-doing a bathroom can be a big task, whether you choose to do it yourself or get a professional to do it for you. Either way, it is a job that is worth considering before or at the start of retirement to ensure you can have it done exactly how you like it. When upgrading your bathroom, make sure to not cut corners and don’t just consider the aesthetics (as important as they are). Replace any fittings which have seen better days, this may include installing a new toilet, upgrading your extractor fan for better ventilation, or installing better storage.
Consider whether your bathroom is mobile-friendly, even if you don’t currently have any mobility issues, now could be the time to cater your bathroom to requirements you may have in the future.
Garden
Arguably one of the biggest perks of retirement is getting to really enjoy summer. Whether you start your retirement in the summer or not, it is definitely worth sprucing up your garden so you can really get the most out of it during the summer months.
There are lots of great ideas online for gardens of all shapes and sizes, so you won’t be short of any ideas. Consider how you like to use your garden and go from there. If you love to host it could be fun to install a pizza oven or BBQ, if you love to cook then a veg patch could be a great addition.
At home gym
Some people may find that when they retire, they quickly fall out of an active routine very quickly. One way to prevent this is to invest in some home gym equipment. This can be anything from a single set of dumbbells to a full garage conversion featuring multiple fitness machines. This will all depend entirely on your exercise preferences and budget, but making these considerations is a great way to stay active.
Due to the pandemic, there has been an influx in working out at home, meaning once you have prepared your workout space and equipment, you’ll be spoilt for choice of which online workout to follow.
