7 Tips For Creating A Home You Actually Love To Be In

7 Tips For Creating A Home You Actually Love To Be In

7 min read by Megan Rea

 

*You’ll be hardpressed to find a person who loves “home” more than my Dad. But I got my love of DIY from my mom.

At the time of publishing, we as a family are walking through one of the hardest seasons we’ve faced. Within a matter of days, my Dad is facing not one, but two major surgeries. One expected and one completely blindsided us. Thankfully, we’re in excellent hands because our God is never blindsided, is He? Each of us is, in part, feeling the fear of the situation, and in the same breath choosing to believe our God is faithful and we are in the midst of walking out a miracle. Besides, how do you know if you’re actually brave unless you have a chance to live it out?

So it’s with this post I ask for:

1. Prayer for my tough-as-nails-undercover-cop-turned-Pastor of a Daddy

2. Prayer for our family as we love and serve and navigate this new territory

3. Recognizing this post as a precious dedication to the people who taught me how to love “home.”

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6-year-old me remembers clear as day the first time we walked through what would be my childhood home. The sprawling 70’s ranch surrounded by massive cottonwood trees was being used as a rental for, wait for it, the national touring company of CATS.

 

The house was about 10ish-years-old when we walked through and clearly had not been touched since it’s conception. This was especially evidenced by the blue shag carpet and large orange floral,(read: hideous) wallpaper which adorned more walls than should’ve been legal.

God bless my mom. No one could accuse that woman of not having vision.

Over the years and decades since, I’ve watched her genius transform light fixtures with tea bags, strip wallpaper, add new wallpaper, paint, re-paint, spray paint and let’s not forget sponge paint.

Sponge paint, in fact, my entire room and ½ bathroom from floor to ceiling in cobalt blue, white and yellow. Enabling teenage Megan to feel like she was always stepping into a field full of Sunflowers, which is exactly where all of us wanted to be in 1995. (Also evidenced by the copious amounts of Sunflower perfume I sampled from Rite Aid. Cheers to smelling like a field.)

Seeing mom’s vision and plucky determination taught me that we don’t have to settle for what a space looks like when it’s handed to us, but rather, what it could become with a little curiosity and elbow grease.

Because you know what’s keeping you from loving your space today friend? Confidence.

That’s it. Now, I know confidence alone will not magically add another bathroom or more storage to your home, but curiosity, asking “what if” combined with a little confidence and elbow grease, have the power to make improvements which can take you from “meh” to “ahh” in almost any space.

If you’re reading this in real-time, the season the world currently finds itself in has caused us to realize that “home” is more important than ever. It’s the space many of us are in a LOT lately so why not make it into a place we actually love to be?

 So, if you’re ready to look at your 4 walls with fresh eyes and maybe grab a can of spray paint or two, these simple tips can help spark your curiosity as you confidently make your house into a home.

 

 

1. Know your Style

 If you’re already overwhelmed, don’t be! This post will walk you through a step by step process of finding your style without having to take horribly inaccurate quizzes that tell you your “bohemian, transitional eclectic.” Because that’s a thing.

 

 

2. Start with one space

Pick one room. Or one closet. Or one filing cabinet. Just one.

I know. You want to redo it all. You will, but not at once. I’ve tried. It’s a recipe for crazy and zero significant progress.

What room needs your attention the most? Got it? Let’s move on.

 

 

 3. De-stress your eyes

 And by that I mean, declutter. Pull it all out. Ugh, I know. I like to ignore this step too. But ignoring this step is exactly why I’m not going to show you a pic of my closet right now.

This is the least fun, but most rewarding of all the steps. So don’t ignore it.

When you’ve stared at your particular space one way for so long, it’s nearly impossible to envision it any other way without resetting it to zero.

Plus, visual clutter is stressful. And low grade or high grade, you don’t need added stressors in this season, do you? So whether it’s removing the tired art piece you’ve looked at with disdain for 4 years or finally doing something with the ‘that” pile of takeout menus, a graduation pic of your second cousin, and the two pairs of broken earbuds you’ll probably never fix, this is when you deal with it. Tomorrow you says, “Thank you!”

4. Put back only what you love

 You might not be sure what you love. You might be hesitant to get rid of your stuff because, *shock* *gasp,* what if you have an empty wall vs. a wall filled with stuff you hate?

You see the irony here, right? But if you’re still hesitant, seriously go read this post now.

 

5. Add life

 Living things are your friends. Plants, flowers, greenery, tree branches. It all counts.

A little green in every space makes SUCH a difference. If your thumbs are decidedly NOT green (mine aren’t either), here’s a list of hard to kill houseplants! 🙂 And bonus, some of them are very good at improving the air quality in your home too!

 

6. Bring on the happy

 I’m a firm believer there’s no need for a room to take itself too seriously. Your personality can be evident in your home and so can your humor.  Your house is not going to be perfect, but it can be perfect for you. Is there a quote you love or a quirky pillow that shows your whimsical side? What about that picture captured at just the right time sitting on your camera roll?  Give it a place of prominence and let your home speak about the people who live there.

Chris and I being communicators have words galore in our home. Typography, my preferred genre of artwork, abounds. It’s not for everyone, but it is for us. What brings you joy belongs in your home.

 

7. Be patient

 Creating Home is a process that happens over time. Sure you could go and purchase page 3 of the Pottery Barn catalog, but I promise you, it won’t serve you as well as a home thoughtfully put together and curated over time.

Outside of your home, what is a favorite space you love to be in? Is it a familiar restaurant? Maybe it’s a trendy coffee shop or your friend’s backyard? Take note of why you love it and be confident incorporating some of those elements into your own space.

 And seriously friend, go read this post too. These two posts back to back will give you some unstoppable momentum in creating a home you actually love to be in.

 Until next time,

Meg

P.S.Want more home posts? Check them all out here!

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