Marie Kondo has taught us lots of things about cleaning up our homes (and our act). And if there’s one lesson we can take out of her Netflix show, it’s that decluttering shouldn’t be a one-off thing, especially when we’re bringing new items to our home once in a while.

If you haven’t had the chance to clean up during the new year, now may be a good time to do it. Because it’s already summer, we’re getting higher temperature and humidity levels day by day. The amount of clutter in our homes also gives us less air to breathe it.

Aside from cleaning up using Marie Kondo’s prescribed method, there are other things you can do to give your home a fresh look this summer. Try switching up your living spaces for a change of environment without really breaking the bank. Our homes are the first and last thing we see every day and it plays a huge role in influencing how we think and feel. To help you get started, here are some do-it-yourself tips to consider.

Functionality

When adding a new item or a piece of furniture, practicality is key. While it’s important to weigh in colors and other aesthetic components, most professional designers agree that furniture should be multifunctional. We are always looking for ways to save money and space so think about the value it adds to your home. Will it allow you to entertain more guests? Can it also act as extra storage?

And while you’re at it, choose items that have light colors that are easy on the eyes. They give off a fresh feel especially during summer.

Lighting

Choosing where to position your lamps and other light fixtures is a make or break situation. Gone are the days when lights only serve the purpose of illuminating rooms. Strategically placed lights can set the mood and add dimension to a room. Ask yourself this: Does it create a flattering ambience?

You can invest in a customized lighting system for your home or you can purchase inexpensive lamps and light dimmers and create your own special effects.

Personal Touch

Most homes today go for minimalist and modern styles but overdoing it can make your home look uninviting and intimidating. Take it down a notch by mixing and matching modern with classic pieces.

Check out antique shops for accent (but usable) furniture or go for something smaller like old-fashioned photo frames, lamps, or rustic décor. It’s a great and affordable way to add personality to your home. It’s also a great conversation starter when you’re having guests over.

Going Green

Plants are a great way to cool down your home. Adding indoor plants to your home gives off a good energy flow. Plants don’t only make great decorations but they carry a ton of health benefits, too. They purify your home’s air and increase humidity, all while reducing stress and sharpening your focus.

There are also tons of ways on how you can position them around your home: on top of tables, on a hanging pot, or on the floor.

Minimalist Aesthetics

Most of us feel that tidying up our homes is a chore, but this couldn’t be all the more opposite for our favorite declutterer Marie Kondo. The secret to achieving a “minimalist” home, according to her, is to change our outlook and relationship with our home. Treating our living spaces with more respect, by only keeping items that are meaningful to us, is one way we can achieve this.

Here’s one tip: Begin by scanning one room at a time. And from there, try to determine which items “spark joy” for you and which ones are essential. Otherwise, you can donate items you no longer need to charity.

Technology

During summer, we avoid going outdoors as much as possible because of the scorching heat. But staying at home doesn’t have to be boring. After all, we can do pretty much anything from home now, from watching full-length movies to reading e-books and a whole lot more.

PLDT’s all-new Google Wifi plans help you eliminate pesky Wi-Fi dead spots at home and let you enjoy strong and seamless Unli Fibr connection anywhere in the house. Simply put, it gets rid of the need to sit beside your router to get a stable connection nor install multiple router extensions around your home.

The Google Wifi app also allows you to see which devices are connected to the internet (including those mooching neighbors), prioritize a device for faster speed, pause the connection of a device (useful for parents who want to monitor their kids’ usage), and more.

Powered by Unli Fibr with speeds ranging from 30Mbps, 60 Mbps, 120 Mbps, 250 Mbps, up to 1Gbps, the PLDT Home Google Wifi Plans let you stream videos seamlessly, upload and download heavy files in an instant, play games without lag, and make clear video calls without any interruption starting at Php2,299 per month. Check out PLDT Home for more details.