I love houses!
I have walked through hundreds of homes and have developed a keen appreciation for good and functional design. Beauty does NOT mean functional. Some homes I’ve shown my clients make you wonder what the designer/builder was thinking!
You want to feel comfortable the moment you step into your home and not as if you’re entering a war zone being attacked by clutter and debris everywhere, or worse bump into walls due to a terrible design.
Great design and a bit of organization make for a beautiful welcoming space.
When wanting to enhance your home environment the most important question to ask first is: How do I turn my house into my little piece of heaven?
Well…
- You can hire the help of a decorator or interior designer to help beautify the space that reflects your personality.
- You can find help to declutter, clean, and organize every room.
- You can paint the walls to customize the house to your taste.
- You can also paint the kitchen cabinets to instantly change the ambiance and brightness.
- You can even replace the flooring to accommodate your style needs.
You can do all those physical updates to make the house feel more welcoming and comfortable.
But…
I believe there is yet another more important intangible and spiritual way to make your house a home… and that is the attitudes of the members who will live in it.
Attitudes stem from the deep well in our souls.
If our soul is happy we will live happily whether we downsize, up-size, or right-size.
I’ve lived in homes from 972 square feet in size (with ONE-SINK tiny bathroom for an entire family of FIVE while growing up!) to beautiful custom 4,000 square feet where my family and I enjoyed greater breathing room and a little luxury.
If our soul is sad and insecure, nothing we do to the house will satisfy our deep emotional longing that only God can fill.
However, while we seek a healthy emotional state there are some physical things we can do in our homes to begin creating a peaceful and happy place everyone enjoys.
Tip #1: Make Your Home Environment Beautiful
Every time you step into your home it should feel like a safe haven from the hectic, and sometimes hostile, outside world.
I’d like to suggest a few tips that can help you turn your home into a beautiful space you can be proud of.
1. Declutter
- Make it a habit to go through your home regularly and select items to donate, give away, or trash.
- Get the whole family involved.
- Consider having a garage sale to sell the items you no longer use or need.
- The less stuff you have, the more spacious your home will feel, and the less stress you will suffer.
- Leave behind the old to make room for the new!
2. Organize
THE KITCHEN
The Kitchen is the queen of your home.
- Keep your countertops free of clutter.
- Invest in small greenery or other simple decor to make your kitchen feel fresh and peaceful.
- Consider painting the cabinets in a lighter color to give them a fresh new look and make your kitchen feel more airy and spacious. Some great paint options are Sherwin Williams Alabaster, Pure White, Panda White, or White Dove.
- Use small plastic baskets or other storage containers in your kitchen drawers to keep silverware, utensils, and other items organized. You can find baskets and other storage organizers at your local Dollar or other popular stores.
- Do the same to organize dishes and other items inside the upper and bottom counters.
- If you have the space, consider adding a kitchen island for more counter space and perhaps add a trash bin below to keep it from view.
- Consider adding another 12-inch board in the bottom cabinets if they only have the pre-manufactured 12-inch board. It will give you more room for storage.
- Consider adding a statement light fixture in the center of your kitchen.
- If the kitchen is a bit dark, consider painting the walls in a light color and adding can lights or under-counter lighting.
- Give away items that are in usable condition.
- Get rid of old pots, pans, rags, towels, and other stuff (junk!) you hardly ever use!
BATHROOMS
There’s no happier feeling than walking into a clean bathroom!
- Use storage baskets or containers to keep things organized under the sinks.
- Give away extra creams, hairsprays, shampoos, or other items you haven’t used in a year! (Been there, done that!)
- Get rid of empty bottles and other junk to keep your cabinets free of clutter.
- Use a trash bin with a cover for a cleaner look.
- Invest in a colorful or calming shower curtain, depending on the ambiance you want to create.
- Consider painting the cabinets for a fresh new look!
BEDROOMS
Your bedroom is your safe haven for rest and renewal.
- Select the clothing items you LOVE to use often! It’s a super easy way to instantly declutter.
- Go through your clothes, shirts, pants, shoes, etc., and keep ONLY what you WILL wear.
- Give away clothes that have life left and can bless someone else.
- Get rid of clothes that are torn, stained, and no longer usable.
- Invest in a nice comforter set.
- Add a comfortable accent pillow.
- Do your bed every morning!
- Keep your bed organized and clutter-free.
- For small spaces, consider buying a bed with drawers underneath; they’re excellent space savers.
- Change/wash the bed sheets, pillowcases, and comforters weekly or at most every other week. Otherwise, your bed bugs will byte!
- Your bed is sacred – that’s where you rest your beautiful body, dream, pray, and for married couples, play! 🙂
- Keep just what you need: a bed, a nightstand with a lamp, and a dresser.
- Keep your bedroom beautiful, organized, and clean as it is your haven for mental and physical rest – NOT work! Work and study in another part of your home.
- Your bedroom should be your private space for spiritual, emotional, and physical renewal.
3. Clean
Your home is YOUR castle so keep it beautiful!
I personally LOVE cleaning my home because it reminds me of my humble beginnings. It helps me acknowledge how much God has blessed me and my family. Remembering maintains me thankful and grateful for even the smallest of things I am fortunate to call my own. Cleaning my home is an expression of my gratitude.
When my parents and I arrived in the U.S., we had absolutely nothing. I arrived wearing two dresses, one over the other, and a pair of shoes. Each of us arrived wearing only the clothes on our backs. God has blessed my family and me giving us the privilege of home ownership. I went from helping my mother clean houses for a living to later owning, building, and now selling homes.
- Plan a weekly and monthly schedule to distribute the cleaning tasks per room. It is best to tackle the cleaning monster a little bit at a time!
- The Kitchen is an exception! Keep it clean daily. It’s your art room where you invest ALL OF YOU to prep the meals for your family.
- Get the whole family involved.
- Hire help as needed.
- Your home is your haven of protection from the world.
- Remember: Your home is YOUR castle. Make it special!
Tip #2: Be at Peace with Your Self
Being at peace with your Self is being at peace with God, which is living in Shalom.
Shalom is a Hebrew word that means peace, but not the kind of peace that focuses on the absence of chaos, but rather the kind that focuses on the presence of God.
When we’re in Shalom, we feel complete and at peace, which only comes when we are at peace with God. We don’t act or make fear-based decisions, but rather move with confidence and trust knowing that God has our back.
God’s peace surpasses all human understanding:
The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:7
In Shalom, you feel complete and confident about who and whose you are.
If God has your back, why respond with worry or fear?
When you are NOT in Shalom:
- You are insecure
- You make decisions based on fear
When you are IN Shalom:
- You feel secure
- You make decisions based on confidence and trust
Nothing compares to living in a home that is filled with peace, love, joy, order, cleanliness, and God’s divine invisible yet tangible presence.
In short, every home has its own spirit and ambiance created by those who live in it.
And all who enter will notice!
Featured photo courtesy of familyhomeplans.com
