We’ve all gotten pretty comfortable at home. Some may say too comfortable. As nice as the yoga pants and slippers have been, there’s something fabulous about sliding on the high heels, putting on some lipstick, and glamming up. Your home feels the same way. She wants to get dusted off, and she wants to live again. And, when you doll up your home, you will feel magnificent, too. Here are 7 steps to update your home to help you feel like a new you.
Set home goals and discover how to best update your home
The first step in any project is to set goals and to write them down. Go grab a pen and paper. I’ll wait. What goals do you have for yourself? How can a change in your environment help you accomplish your goals? Maybe you want a place to work at home without interruptions or perhaps you want a bedroom oasis to relax at the end of a long day. Write down your top 3 home goals and we’ll start with those. Then, take a minute to visualize the “after” picture of your home. What does it look like to you?
Goals I want to achieve:
How a home update will help me achieve my goals:
My top 3 home goals are:
- ____________
- ____________
- ____________
Imagine entering your home after you made your home updates. It’s perfect. What does your home look like?
Write down your goals to make them happen.
Declutter your space as if you were moving
The next step is to declutter. This isn’t a quick spring- cleaning exercise. This is a deep declutter of your home. Imagine you need to move in a month. With a moving mindset, look around your home. What is worth packing, moving, and unpacking? If you wouldn’t pay to move your large armoire to a new place, why is it still in your home now? Better to sell or donate your heavy books and furniture now instead of waiting for your inevitable upcoming move. The average American moves 11.7 times in her lifetime, so chances are good you will move again. (Sorry, but it’s true.) For more details about how to declutter as if you were moving, check out this post.
Look for organizational inspiration and copy it
When you declutter as if you were moving, you will declutter by category. The best part? You’ve already divided your items by categories, so it’s easy to organize your books or sweaters back on the shelves. Nevertheless, how do you make your bookshelf or closet look Instagrammable? Shop for inspiration. Go on pinterest. Check out your favorite organizational gurus on YouTube or Instagram. Read through home décor books and magazines. Take photos of anything that attracts you at restaurants or bookstores or in nature. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, so don’t be afraid to copy organizational and décor ideas that you love.
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
Discover what sense should drive your decorating style
I took a poll on my Instagram stories about what brought people the most joy at home. The responses were as follows: a beautiful piece of art (6%), smell of coffee brewing and cookies baking (25%), sound of a waterfall & birds chirping (19%), and a soft, fuzzy blanket (50%). Then, when I asked what sense motivates how they decorated their homes, 100% of respondents said sight. Yet, only 6% of people chose the visual option when asked what brought them the most joy!
In my book, The Art of Happy Moving, there’s a more elaborate quiz that will help you discover what sense is most important to you in your home. Once you know whether sight, smell, sound, or touch means most to you, then bring those elements into your home accordingly.
Invest in a fresh coat of paint to update your home
Remember how amazing you felt when you glammed up again after sitting in sweatpants for what seemed (seems?!) like forever? Your home wants to feel that great again, too. It’s time. Update your home. If you plan to sell your home soon, check out this article about home staging since you will want to go with neutral colors. However, if you don’t plan to move soon, be bold or soften your space. Do whatever sounds good to you at this stage in your life. Forget what the last year or two have been like. Remember your goals. Focus on your motivation. This is an opportunity for a clean slate, and a new paint color can improve your mood and alter the vibe of your surroundings.
Consider all your senses when decorating. Do what makes you happy.
Change your window treatments and open the windows
With all the time we are spending at home these days, your home wants to breathe. Give her a break. Open your windows and let in fresh air. Consider updating your window treatments to help you reach your home goals. Perhaps you want to improve your sleep. Invest in window treatments with a blackout liner. If your goal is to feel happier or less stressed, then take down heavy curtains and bring in the sunlight. Do you have foliage or furniture blocking a window? Remove obstructions so you can let the outdoors into your home.
Focus on your outdoor space when you update your home
You don’t need to spend a lot of money to improve your outdoor space. Go back to your decorating senses and figure out how to update your outdoor space to bring you the most happiness. A simple fountain or the addition of a small fire pit can transform your space. Add string lights, a faux fur blanket, and a steaming cup of coffee, and you are set.
You don’t need to spend a lot of money to create a cozy outdoor space.
As you create your happy home, continue to look at your goals to help keep you motivated. Once you update your home to your ideal version, then sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labor. Your hard work will pay dividends.
I love seeing your before and after photos or hearing about how you achieved your goals. Please comment below or reach out to me on Instagram.
