It’s hard to believe, but we’re a third of the way through 2021 already…astounding! Happiness at home, and all things related, continue to be hugely important. In the last year, your home has been many things: your office, your school, your movie theatre, your restaurant, your haven, and your protector! If you’re lucky, it may even have been your romantic getaway!
And although things feel like they’re closer to “back to normal,” the truth is that our homes will continue to provide us with many of these things for some time to come. So, maybe it’s time to think about our homes in a bigger, more dynamic way.
In my design practice, I’ve always focused on the way my clients live in their homes. It’s important that your home nurture you and provide you with a respite from the world outside. Even in normal times, the world can be scary, intimidating, and perhaps just a little chaotic. Home should be that place where you go to feel totally relaxed and happy.
Wondering how to achieve that peaceful feeling? Here are 5 simple ways to get started…
1. Reduce the Clutter, Relieve Stress, and Increase Your Happiness at Home
I will only speak for myself here, but if I’m being totally real, all this time in the house has not been kind! I honestly am tired of cleaning and, since no one sees it, the clutter has piled up. Spring cleaning season came and went and as we’re getting close to summer and being able to entertain again, I’m feeling the need to do a thorough decluttering to increase my happiness at home! Do you want to join me?
A couple of easy hints (and what I’ll be doing!):
- Pick a room.
- For instant results, pick the easiest room.
- For the most mind-shifting results, start with the hardest. YES. The hardest. The change will be the most significant and therefore the most motivating.
- Grab some paper bags, plastic bags, boxes, storage bins, and laundry baskets
- Label (or just remember if you’ve got a good memory and aren’t easily distracted) with:
- Keep
- Donate
- Recycle
- Sell
- Keep: Either bins (for storing) or laundry baskets (one per room) are good for this.
- Donate: Put clothing in plastic bags. Load, take a picture before closing, make a note of donations for tax purposes, then TIE THE BAG SHUT. Use boxes or paper bags for non-clothing items. Take it to the car. Have your husband, your driving age kid or a friend take it away before you change your mind.
- Recycle: This is self-explanatory, but DO IT.
2. Implement Organization to Improve Your Daily Living
Years ago, I read an incredible book, “Organizing from the Inside Out” by Julie Morgenstern. A good read, to be sure, but the biggest takeaway for me was to look around you before you start organizing and make sure you’re setting yourself up correctly from the beginning.
If you ALWAYS drop the mail on the kitchen table, maybe a filing system on the other side of the house is not a great idea. A better idea is to have a pretty bin or basket where you already leave the mail, then make an appointment for yourself to go through that basket once a week. Put that in your calendar and DO IT.
Follow this logic for all the problem areas in your home. Don’t just put the stuff away. Analyze why it’s there and what might be a better way to address it regularly.
3. Create Positive Habits through Your Careful Planning
Handling your clutter in this way will help you develop better habits and enhance your happiness at home. Don’t overwhelm yourself at the beginning with lots of changes…keep it simple at first (the mail, for instance).
Years ago, I got tired of having all that junk mail piled up. One night as I got out of the car, checked the mail and headed towards the door, I saw the recycling bin right next to the car. I spent about 30 seconds in the driver seat, sorting the mail (I think it was raining that day!). Then, I made a pile of all the flyers, coupons, and catalogs. Finally, I took all the bills and notices I wanted to save out of the envelopes and everything except what I wanted to save immediately went into the recycling bin! Presto! No more junk mail on the counter.
4. Explore Your Favorite Colors to Enhance Happiness at Home
Once you’ve dealt with the clutter and disorganization, it’s time to treat yourself with a little pick-me-up in your home. Paint is a great way to bring a room together and infuse some happiness into your home.
There are countless articles on my site about easy transformations, but since we’re in nurturing mode, what’s YOUR favorite color? Have you ever embraced that color in your home? If not, maybe now is the time. How can you incorporate your favorite hue into your favorite space?
Don’t be afraid to experiment. And don’t be afraid to re-imagine your spaces by shuffling your furniture, using it in new and creative ways, or even searching Pinterest for the latest painting technique to turn a functional piece of furniture you tolerate, into a piece of furniture you LOVE.
5. Use Design Elements that Uplift and Inspire You
In the personal places in your home, treat yourself to items that please the senses. We’re currently trying out different scented candles. (The Hubs idea – go figure!)
A cozy throw on the sofa is perfect for cuddling. A fluffy down comforter is a multi-season option in your bedroom that always feels luxurious. Real cotton or linen sheets, and even plush bath towels, will make languishing in your home more enjoyable. And if you’ve got hard surface floors, some soft rugs underneath.
Finally, don’t forget about some greenery. Living plants inside your home help connect you to nature, are good for the air quality indoors, and are proven to increase your happiness.
It really doesn’t take too much to treat yourself to some comfortable and welcoming surroundings. Focus on YOU and those that share your home. What brings your joy? What makes you happy? Embrace this and surround yourself with it.
What’s your most-loved item in the house? Why? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below.
Xoxo,
Pamela
