It’s easy to get lost in the dreamy, picture-perfect world of decor DIYs and HGTV renovation specials. But while this content can be wonderful tools for inspiration and entertainment, it can also foster feels of discontentment or resentment towards our own living spaces. If you relate, this post is for you.
First things first, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to maximize your home’s potential; everyone deserves a home that rejuvenates them and embodies their sense of style. But there’s no need to feel ashamed or embarrassed if you feel you don’t have the time, money, or support you need to make your wildest domestic dreams come true. In truth, most people in America don’t.
The good news is you don’t need to hire the “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” team. Addressing these basics will notably improve your home’s atmosphere and make it a space you truly enjoy.
1. Decorate with Purpose
The way we situate objects in our home can overtly and subliminally influence our moods and behaviors. The science of it all is fascinating, and there are countless blogs, books, and interviews filled with advice on how to capture your preferred vibe. But I’m not an expert (and I want to leave the fun of discovery up to you), so here are just some introductory tips:
Accommodate Activity: If the purpose of a bedroom is to facilitate sleep, then don’t set it up the same way you would a room meant for intense exercise or acute focus. Keep the purpose of each room in mind as you decorate to encourage specific behaviors!
Work with All of Your Senses: Take advantage of sights, scents, and textures to reset the atmosphere of your space. For example, if you want a room to feel cozy, try implementing warm colors, comfortable seating, soft lighting, and gentle fabrics. If you’d prefer an energetic feel, go for bright colors, wide-open floor plans, lots of light, and minimal seating.
Make It Your Own: Nobody wants to live in a home that feels like a hotel. So don’t decorate with generic, “matchy” pieces— fill your spaces with YOU! Print pictures of your loved ones, experiment with paint, make artwork to hang on the walls, adopt a plant, and showcase your hobbies.
2. Keep It Clean
It’s a fundamental fact that we humans prefer clean and clear spaces to those filled with filth. That’s why cleaning feels great— you're actively improving your space! Now, I’m not saying to shoot for “perpetually pristine”— that’s a super unrealistic and self-defeating goal. But caring for your living space should involve maintaining a basic level of cleanliness.
Aim for the Obvious: When time and patience is short, we just don’t have time for deep-cleaning. So routinely address the obvious offenders: dispose of food waste, stay ahead of mold, and have clear pathways in and out of rooms.
Keep the Air Fresh: Open your windows when you can to let outside air, in and invest in a nice-smelling candle. (And for Pete’s sake, dispose of foul-smelling stuff as quickly as possible! That means dirty dishes, rotting trash, or sticky fridges.)
Let Nature In: Appeal to the basic human need for nature with some nice plants or good natural light. And if you don’t get a lot of sunlight or you don’t have a good spot for plants, there’s no harm in playing pretend— fake greenery and a decent lamp can go a long way!
3. Establish a Noise-Free Zone
Being routinely and inescapably surrounded by loud noises can increase stress, disrupt sleep, and negatively impact your health. This is why you need to prioritize making a space in your home that’s consistently quiet and peaceful— no matter if it’s a bedroom, a bathroom, or a closet. This may be particularly difficult (yet important) for people with kids or for those living in densely-populated areas.
Invest in sound-proofing: A 12-pack of sound-proofing foam panels will run you only $10.00 and significantly decrease incoming and outgoing volume. Mount them on your walls and ceiling to deaden noise.
Hang a Sign: Make a poster that instructs people to keep their voices lowered when in your quiet area. Politely ask those you’re living with to respect this space and to not disturb you while you’re there. Even if you don’t think it will work, it’s worth a try!
Purchase Sound-proof Headphones: If you have no physical way to block out sound in your home, cover your ears with noise-canceling earbuds or headphones. Pick a small “zone” in your home where you can sit with them to decompress.
4. Make Time for Maintenance
Taking care of a space means taking care of those pesky little nuisances that pop up when you last need them to. Yes, it’s annoying. But just as we routinely perform upkeep on our bodies, so too does our body’s home need maintenance.
Be Proactive: Nobody likes fixing things that shouldn't have broken in the first place. But the minor inconvenience you’re enduring now is a whole lot better than the outcomes of ignoring the problem. So call the electrician, hire the plumber, and do whatever else you need to do to fix small issues before they become BIG issues.
Toss the Trash: That burnt out light bulb? That rotted chair leg? Yeah, you’re never going to use them again. So let’s not stick them back in the closet or in the garage— make it easy on yourself by tossing it the moment it stops becoming useful.
Make a List of Little Things: Every home has annoying little quirks— loose doorknobs, slightly backed up drains, squeaking door hinges, etc. Whatever quirks you discover in your place, write them down. Then set aside one day every month to scratch a quirk off your list.
5. Organize What You Have
This might sound rich coming from a professional organizer, but getting organized elevates the home-owning experience like nothing else. There is unmatched satisfaction and peace of mind in knowing exactly where you put your favorite shoes or how to find an important tax document. So do yourself a favor and sort through your stuff, one room at a time.
Declutter When Needed: Both you and your space will feel much lighter if you take the time to dispose of what you don’t want, use, or need. Bear in mind, though, that keeping something near and dear to your heart is different from holding onto real junk. And if you’re struggling to let go of something, take a picture of it so you can keep the memory but gain the storage!
Throw Out What’s Broken: If your sandal strap is hanging by a thread or your underwear has a hole in it, there’s a 99% chance you’re not actually going to fix it. So bite the bullet and toss it!
Avoid Mindless Consumption: Filling your space with new objects is a very temporary solution to a short-term problem. Opt for more substantial means of happiness and entertainment than buying random objects— your mind and your closet will thank you!
Your home may be meeting more of your physical and emotional needs than you think; it may just need a little bit of TLC to truly shine. Combat dissatisfaction by investing time, energy, and resources into improving what you have, rather than pining for a procured image of someone else’s life.
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