Home is so important right now, and its design plays an important role in creating feelings of joy, peace, security, calm and even creativity.
Yes, feeling these things might be a little more difficult as of late, but I know that a few simple and practical touches can bring you the extra support you need!
Today’s tips will help you create a space that makes you feel exactly how you want to…
1. Create A Breathable Space
Decluttering is one thing that is so simple to do, yet so intimidating. But if you tackle one room at a time, trust me, you won’t feel nearly as overwhelmed. Here is my best action plan for you:
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The first thing you need to do is remove everything from the room. I know that sounds drastic, but believe me, it makes the process much easier.
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After you have moved everything out, clean and dust all the little nooks and corners.
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Then bring back one element at a time, but ONLY the things you want to keep or that are important to you.
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Donate all the “things” you don’t need, don’t want, and are just “over,” My favorite charity is Lodi House. You can read more about them here.
Once you have tackled one room you will experience the feelings of lightness, breathability, and control that come with a decluttered space. Now you’ll be eager to move onto the next room…
2. Get Organized & Create a Routine
Organizing is not the same as decluttering — it’s about creating spaces for daily items to go and taking the flow of one’s daily routine into account. There is extreme power in organizing. What can you do?
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Gather beautiful bins and baskets to corral those daily items, so they don’t seem to wander throughout the whole house.
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Label anything that needs to be labeled for your daily functions (especially bins that are not see-through!)
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Consider the flow of your daily routine and move items to more functional locations. For example, what kitchen items could be closer at hand during meal prep? Which pantry or refrigerator items would you prefer were more accessible?
The structure of organizing will give you a sense of freedom and add more ease to your daily routine. With this newfound feeling you’ll be more than willing to start organizing the next room, too!
3. Start Designing for New, Positive Habits
When you’ve designed areas in your home for all the “things”, you will help reinforce positive habits. Waiting for normalcy to start that new exercise routine? Or be less dependent on technology? Why not start now?
For example, by putting tennis shoes or exercise equipment in plain sight, you’ll be more apt to use them. Better yet, put them right in the doorway so you literally have to trip over them. Trust me, you’ll get the hint. 😉
You could also create more tech-free zones, so that your family will be inspired to converse. You could even add “clean-up” to part of you organization systems (from #2 above) to streamline the process. Every tiny bit helps!
4. Add Mood-Boosting Colors
Use color in your home – it is a powerful tool. I see so many homeowners “opting-out” of color and living in a sea of beige. I understand that neutrals create a clean canvas to work with, but our brains actually like and seek out color.
For example, green stimulates freshness and creativity, perfect for your “new” home office or classroom.
Red and oranges give us a boost of energy, ideal for any room containing workout equipment.
And of course, blue is known for being a soothing color that brings forth feelings of trust. Try shades of blue in a bedroom, living room, or other gathering space for relaxation.
Pro Tip:
Look around your home for ways to refresh your space with color, using things you already have. Remember that decluttering we talked about? What items did you find that you had forgotten about?
For example, did you find some interesting bowls or vases? What about pretty towels in the back of the linen closet that you planned to use when you had guests? Or did you find a big colorful scarf that you could drape across a chair or sofa?
Use them now to add these colors back into your home. These tiny details can bring a nice and easy refresh to any room.
5. Use Design Elements that Support You
In each and every room that we design, we try to create a sense of what “feels good”. What does that mean exactly? We want people to walk into a room and feel something. Yes, it’s important that it looks good, but it is even more important that it feels good.
To make a room feel good you need to add things like soft texture for cozy security (this might be the fabrics on the drapery, blankets on the couch, etc.). Sometimes, we design rooms that have absolutely no pattern or color, but they have many, many different textures to feel right.
For comfort, try furniture pieces that have symmetry. Plus, add some organic elements in every room for a breathable touch of nature. It could even be something as simple as a wooden vase with fresh foliage (forage your yard for interesting branches and leaves – not all vases need flowers).
These are small touches with big impact on your overall wellbeing. Keep trying until it’s just right!
You’ve been stuck at home a good long while, and it seems our country is beginning to open back up. This is a good thing, but it is still a scary thing when there are so many unknowns.
By controlling the one place you can – your home – you can gather strength from it. Take these small steps toward a space that makes you smile, feels peaceful, and helps you make the most of these crazy times that we are in right now.
If you decide you’d like a professional to help (virtually) design your most joyful space, don’t be shy…we’d be happy to help!
Warmly,
