Keeping with the theme for this month’s blog posts about love, why not show some love to place where we spend most of our time. With extra time being spent at home, people not only are checking things off their to-do lists, but they are also looking at their homes in a new light. From creating practical storage solutions to a backyard oasis, I have some great ideas of how to fall in love with your home all over again.
#1: Declutter and Reorganize
If your junk drawer has transformed over the years into a cabinet, closet and now its own room, it’s time to purge. It may seem overwhelming to tackle the entire house in one go which is why starting small is the best place to start. If you did one organizational task per day, you would feel the satisfaction of completing many small tasks rather than the daunting feeling of never starting one large task. A 30-day declutter project focusing on one area of the house will help keep the momentum throughout your entire house. Take your kitchen for example, one drawer or one cabinet a day will have your kitchen feeling a like a brand new space in a week or two.
It’s hard to let go of mementos and things that we “might” use one day. An easy way to start the purging process is to create 3 piles: Keep, Sell/Donate and Toss. If you haven’t worn it or used it in 2 years, it’s probably time to part ways. Create a box with keepsake items. Take photos of your children’s artwork and create a digital collage instead of years of school art projects. Clearing your home of clutter is proven to reduce stress and allow creative juices to flow. Not to mention, it looks great too!
#2: Clean Your Home
I’m talking a real deep clean here, on your hands and knees Cinderella style. Not all the time, but a once or twice a year is needed. Doing this will not only make it easier to maintain a regular cleaning schedule, but you are also extending the life of appliances, windows, etc. with regular care and maintenance.
#3: Get Some Natural Light & Fresh Air
Proper lighting affects mood and is essential to our sense of well-being. Open curtains or blinds and move furniture that may be blocking natural light. Add lamps or ambient lighting to darker spaces to create a soft glow and a cozy environment.
#4: Add Some Personality
Bringing in photos, keepsakes and specific design elements that reflect your style will make your house feel even more like home. Want to paint your walls mint green and accent it with coral and pink cushions on a white sofa? Go for it! Trial and error is the best way to find your style. Try moving things from one room to the next, experiment with paint swatches and feature pieces that you find beautiful or meaningful. Incorporate favorite pieces of art, treasured collections, or even cozy new throw pillows into parts of the house where you spend the most time.
#5: Change Things Up
Sometimes just moving the furniture around can change the energy flow of a space. Try something different and see how it feels. Ask for feedback from a friend whose taste you admire.
Plants are a simple way to add beauty and life to a room. If you don’t have a green thumb, try fresh cut flowers or beautiful faux plants will also do the trick.
It doesn’t have to cost a lot of money to transform your home. Sometimes it just needs a little sweat equity and time to remember why you fell in love with it in the first place.
