Simple and budget-friendly ideas to help you love your home, just the way it is!
It took me a long time to love our home.
We didn't have time to make updates before moving in, which meant we lived with the original 1970s fixtures and finishes.
We took our time making improvements and worked room by room as time and money permitted. Many years were spent living in renovation chaos and unfinished spaces.
During that time, it was incredibly easy to feel stressed and overwhelmed. It was important to slow down, enjoy the process, and focus on the aspects of my home that I did love.
It's easy to pick apart our homes and dwell on the negatives. I hope these inexpensive and simple ideas will help focus on the positives and love your home again.
SIMPLE WAYS TO LOVE YOUR HOME
1. DECLUTTER AND MINIMIZE DECOR
Unorganized rooms and piles of clutter can be overwhelming and cause unnecessary stress, anxiety, and depression. Taking time to declutter the spaces in your home can improve your mental health and help you feel more relaxed in your home. Clear off counters, keep your decor minimal, and only fill your home with things you love.
2. ADD HOUSE PLANTS
Plants not only help make a room feel brighter and cozier but they are also known to improve air quality and reduce stress. So, grab a few plants, pick out some fun pots, and bring a little life into your home.
Resource: House Plant Tour and Plant Care Tips
3. SHOP YOUR HOME
Are you tired of the same decor? Are you ready to change things up, but don't want to spend a lot of money? I'm a big believer in shopping your home and swapping decor from one room to another. It's the easiest and most affordable way to give rooms a new look and love your spaces.
Keeping a stock of home decor staples on hand will allow you to easily combine, rotate and mix and match home decor to create endless looks for free.
4. FOCUS ON WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY
Do you have areas in your home that are dated, incomplete, or not fully decorated? Instead of focusing on what you don't love about these spaces, try shifting your focus on what you DO love.
What drew you to your home in the first place? What would you miss if you moved? Did you just buy new curtains or throw pillows that make you smile when you walk into a room. Focus on the positive aspects of your home and what makes you happy. It will allow you to love your home even with all its quirks.
5. OPEN DOORS AND BLINDS
Sunshine and natural light can improve your mood and overall well-being, so open doors, pull back curtains, and allow natural light to flood into your home. It will make your home feel brighter and larger and you'll be much happier.
Tip: Hang curtains high and wide to maximize natural light.
Getting up and making your bed right away not only gives you a sense of accomplishment, but it instantly makes your room feel neater AND is proven to reduce stress. Even if the rest of your room isn't fully decorated, having your bed made will help your room feel more like a retreat and a place you want to relax.
Grab a bag, walk through your home, and find 10 things that you can donate. We all have items in our homes that we no longer love, use or need. These items take up space and create clutter. Get them out and only surround yourself with what you need and love.
Do you have random nail holes that need to be patched? A dripping faucet? Molding that needs to be caulked? Scuffed baseboards that need to be painted? A loose doorknob or faucet that needs to be tightened? Take a weekend and make all those repairs and fix minor annoyances that drive you crazy. It won't take long and will make a big impact on the way you feel about your home.
I know, no one really likes to clean, but a freshly cleaned bathroom, mopped floor, or wiped down kitchen can have such a positive impact on our attitude and how we feel about our home. You may not be able to control or change dated tile or light fixtures, but keeping a space neat and tidy can improve how you feel about the overall space.
Shifting your focus and staying positive isn't always easy, but once you do amazing things will happen. Not only will you have a better attitude, but you'll be happier and able to appreciate all that you have, perfect for not.
6. MAKE YOUR BED
Getting up and making your bed right away not only gives you a sense of accomplishment, but it instantly makes your room feel neater AND is proven to reduce stress. Even if the rest of your room isn't fully decorated, having your bed made will help your room feel more like a retreat and a place you want to relax.
Investing in quality sheets, a comforter you love, and a few fun throw pillows can make all the difference in how you feel about your room.
7. DONATE UNUSED ITEMS
Grab a bag, walk through your home, and find 10 things that you can donate. We all have items in our homes that we no longer love, use or need. These items take up space and create clutter. Get them out and only surround yourself with what you need and love.
8. MAKE MINOR REPAIRS
Do you have random nail holes that need to be patched? A dripping faucet? Molding that needs to be caulked? Scuffed baseboards that need to be painted? A loose doorknob or faucet that needs to be tightened? Take a weekend and make all those repairs and fix minor annoyances that drive you crazy. It won't take long and will make a big impact on the way you feel about your home.
9. CLEAN
I know, no one really likes to clean, but a freshly cleaned bathroom, mopped floor, or wiped down kitchen can have such a positive impact on our attitude and how we feel about our home. You may not be able to control or change dated tile or light fixtures, but keeping a space neat and tidy can improve how you feel about the overall space.
10. STOP COMPARING YOUR HOME TO OTHERS
Theodore Roosevelt once said, "Comparison is the thief of joy."
Don't get caught up in the comparison trap of comparing your home (and life!) to others. Look at what other people have as an inspiration to you and be happy and grateful that you have a roof over your head. There will always be people who have much more than you, but there are many others who have far less.
11. FILL YOUR HOME WITH THINGS YOU LOVE
I've always said, creating a home takes time. Don't rush, enjoy the process, and fill it with items you love. It doesn't have to fit a "style" or make sense to anyone else. All that matters is that your home is a place you feel safe, loved, and filled with everything that makes you happy.
Display your favorite collection, paint the walls a color that makes you happy, use the quilt your grandmother handmade for you, or hang the artwork a family member painted.
Shifting your focus and staying positive isn't always easy, but once you do amazing things will happen. Not only will you have a better attitude, but you'll be happier and able to appreciate all that you have, perfect for not.
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