Making A House A Home: Fall In Love With The Space You Have

We’ve all heard the saying “love what you have, don’t yearn for what you don’t.” As the changing shape of global economics encouraging many of us to put off selling our homes, rediscovering the space you live in is more important than ever.

Even though the pandemic has made selling our homes easier than ever, depending on where you’re located in the country “easier” doesn’t necessarily translate to better or more profitable.  If you’re joining the thousands of families across the nation in “staying put” for a while, here are a few tricks you can deploy to make your space more livable and enjoyable than ever.

The first thing to do is conduct an inventory.  Go through your home (and get your family involved too).  Go through absolutely everything in each room and decide what you love, like, or just tolerate.  If it’s doesn’t make the top two categories, it’s time to dump it - or if it’s in good condition get it to a charity or shelter.  Then repeat the process until what you have is only what you love to have around you.

Doing this will help you relieve all of the sentimental value that you may have to some of your “stuff.” Once you’re surrounded by all of the things you love the most, that warm fuzzy feeling is going to permeate your entire home.

Create space all around you.  There are only a few kinds of people that sincerely enjoy clutter, so unless you’re planning on making it onto a reality TV show about hoarders, it’s a good idea to declutter your life - and to declutter often - and start making some space around you.  This opens up rooms, common areas and even your spaces outside - and will allow new energy to “flow” throughout your home.

Light loves spaces. Decluttering and reorganizing common areas and bedrooms will literally “shed new light” into areas that have been well worn or somewhat neglected.

First impressions count - and that’s not just for the neighbors.  If you drive up to your home every day and instantly swallow down a deep sigh because the swing on the porch hasn’t swung in years or your garden looks more like a tired amazon, that mood is permeating your subconscious every single minute upon arrival at home.

Your garden, porch and exterior of your home are the first elements that invite you in.  They’re the first points of engagement with your family, so show them some love and if they need repairing or updating, consider Renewal by Andersen Windows & Doors.

Share the space you love, with the people you love.  If you need to re-inject some lively energy and love back into your home, start hosting weekly or bi-monthly dinner parties or backyard BBQs.  It’s more acceptable than ever to have your guests “bring a dish” to make budget and labor easier, and the time together will lift your soul and invigorate your home.

Laughter, conversation and sharing food with people who matter to you create bonds beyond your yard and broaden your world and lived experience.

Flowers instantly bring life into specific spaces and corners of your home and different scents create personality to rooms.  You don’t want your home to smell like a 17th-century French perfumier (unless you do), but two or three different scents throughout your home can create new experiences for different rooms.

The gift of smell is a powerful sense that can instantly take you back to a memory, place and time.  So a home with beautiful scents will mean that you leave an impression on the people who visit with you, for a long time.

Make like Picasso and paint.  You don’t need to be nearly as good, but getting out some canvas and brushes is a wonderful way to bond with your family or friends and the better versions of your masterpieces hung in strategic places around your home will give an instant feel-good buzz of wonderful memories every time you walk past them.

Along with scents, visual reminders of what makes us happy are powerful motivators.

It’s fun browsing real estate magazines and property websites, but take care not to find yourself yearning for that $5 Million property that you may not be able to afford.  We’re big fans of vision boarding and it’s important to always shoot for the stars, but take care not to feel “less than” because your current home might not be featured on television.

It’s one thing watching property shows to inspire you on ways to make your own space better, but they shouldn’t leave you feeling like your home isn’t good enough.  You do, you.

Change is as good as a holiday, so a simple furniture rearrangement can create new and interesting spaces within your home without breaking the bank.  Repurposing old sofas and coffee tables to different areas of your home, inside or outside can free up some space for new acquisitions while still retaining some of the sentiment of the “original”.

If you’re on a tighter budget, accessorizing your living room furniture with throws, scatter cushions and interesting plants on side tables and long lamps will create a stunning effect and retain all of your personality.

Remodel, renovate, create.  If you have a bit of extra cash floating around, small remodels in existing areas - or increasing the size of living rooms or outdoor spaces can give your home a brand new lease on life and this will also increase the value of your home when you sell later on.  

Take “before” photos. This creates an emotional link to your journey from the past and your vision for the future of your family home.

In an age where instant gratification is king, taking a fresh look at what’s happening around you in the space that you’re already in will go a long way to achieving a sense of renewal and remind you of just how much you have to be grateful for.