We’ve all been spending more time at home than we’re used to lately, and for some of us that can mean additional messes that we just can’t stand. You want your home to feel relaxing, comforting, and cozy, not cluttered and chaotic, right?
Thankfully, there are some simple things you can do to keep your home tidier, and they don’t take much time at all. Dominique Michelle Vidal specializes in beautiful interiors and shares a few examples of some (almost) effortless ways to make your home feel like a sanctuary again, even for the busiest of you!
A sanctuary is a place of refuge or safety. While that can present itself in many different ways to different individuals, there are a couple of surefire ways that anyone's sanctuary can be improved.
1. Create dedicated spaces
As of the last year and a half, our homes have become one-stop shops. It’s where we work, teach our kids, sleep, eat, and relax (in theory).
Besides taking walks and running errands, most of us are staying in. So, it’s imperative to make our homes a place we can decompress.
Keeping where you work and relax is important to set boundaries and prevent stress. Where you work could be a separate room—or it could be a corner in your bedroom, a spot in the guest room, or the dining room table. To get you into a productive frame of mind use this space or desk solely for your work. Don't do work in bed or on the couch. Sleep and relaxation areas should be separate from work areas.
2. Focus on your senses
During the day, open up the blinds or curtains to let in natural sunlight. In the early morning and evening, use candlelight to create ambiance. Bring more of what you love into your home.
What are your staple scents? I use a lot of lavender, vanilla, and banana bread.
What calms you visually? This might be a photo of your loved ones and a painting by one of your favorite artists.
What textures/materials do you enjoy feeling? It could be your beloved cat and a soft blanket.
What sounds help you to feel safe and connected? It might be listening to some vinyls you have connected or the wind passing through the leaves outside.
What do you love to taste? This might be anything from your grandmother’s cookies to your favorite candy you keep around.
3. Make Your Bed
It sounds basic, but there’s a science to this...sort of. By making your bed first thing in the morning, you set the tone for your whole day. Not only does it give your bedroom a cleaner, more organized vibe, but it helps your mood, too!
Plus, you get to climb into a freshly made bed when your dog is tired at the end of the day, leaving you feeling satisfied and relaxed as you drift off to sleep. Keep it easy with basic bedding, a functional number of pillows, and an easy-to-flip comforter. You’ll be done in less than five
4. Bring the outdoors in
We all know the positive effects of having plants in your home. I highly suggest keeping house plants for the aesthetic and the psychological benefits. Although, if you're not the best at keeping said houseplants alive... consider buying flowers and keeping them in a vase. You could even get outside and collect flowers/plants and arrange the clippings in a vase.
5. Contain clutter in a Catch-All
Do the kids leave their toys all over the house, or are there books, clothes, or shoes in places that they shouldn't be? Solve this in moments with a catch-all: a cute basket, bin, or something similar that everything out of its place can go into.
Put this somewhere that’s easy to spot and spend 10-15 minutes each evening putting everything where it belongs, ready for tomorrow. Not only will this save you time putting things away all day, but you can get the family to contribute to making it even more of a time-saver!
6. Make Storage Work for Your Space
Having (and using) storage is everything when it comes to keeping things tidy. The great news is, whether your home has a lot of storage or not, there are countless furniture options with built-in storage available on the market to make your home both stylish and functional.
Whether you opt for a coffee table with additional shelving or drawers (great for those pesky migrating magazines), an ottoman that has a secret compartment inside, or something else along those lines, you’ll be amazed at how beautifully tidy your home will look in no time just by tweaking your storage a little!
7. Spruce Up Your Furniture
You’d be surprised at how an old, raggedy couch or armchair can bring down the look of a room — yes, even the cleanest homes can suffer from this. Avoid this with a little time dedicated to sprucing up that old piece you can’t bear to part with and watch life return to your home!
Sometimes you can get away with this by adding a cute throw or some bright, pretty pillows. But if you really want to give your old furniture a makeover, call in the professionals. There are services that can make that old couch look brand new again. Do a quick search for ‘upholsterers in my area’ to start, then compare quotes from different providers — depending on the size and fabric of the piece you want reupholstered, this could set you back around $625 on average. Don’t forget to check out customer reviews and recommendations, as well.
Just because you’re at home more these days, doesn’t mean you should spend all your time cleaning. These ideas can be done in a snap and will really make a difference in how you feel about your space. Each of these suggestions takes very little time and effort but can really make a difference in how you feel about your space. So go ahead and try one (or all!) of them for yourself and see how much better your home feels when you’re done!
And if you need more help styling and designing a home that you’ll love for years to come, learn more about what Dominique can do for you.
This blog post was written by Emily Graham at Mighty Moms. Thanks Emily!