Home is where the heart is, or it should be at least. So what happens when your home starts to feel small and stuffy? Well, it’s time to freshen things up so that you can enjoy your home no matter what season it is.
A fresh home means never feeling cooped up in your own home. So how do you keep it fresh and feeling good, particularly when you have to spend a lot of time at home?
We have a few ideas!
1. Keep It Tidy
A messy house not only seems smaller, but it could also make you feel claustrophobic.
This doesn’t mean you can’t make a mess in your own home. You absolutely should, and have fun with it! Cook, play, make a pillow fort, do art, spread all the mess you want. But, when the fun is over, you can keep your home fresh by tidying up.
Remember the old phrase, a place for everything and everything in its place. If you have too much clutter in your home for it to seem tidy, consider doing a little spring-cleaning and decluttering.
2. Make it Smell Good
A fresh scent can be just the thing your home needs to feel cozy and inviting throughout the day. There are many things that cause odors in our homes, including pets, garbage, cooking, unclean air filters and ventilation, and even ourselves when we’ve spent too much time in a space.
We can’t always control the sources of odors in our homes, but we can take precautions to help our homes smell fresh. Try using an odor eliminator, keep it clean, use an air purifier, and ensure good ventilation throughout the house. Also, when possible, try opening the windows to let in some fresh air.
3. Let the Sunshine In
Natural lighting in your home casts your decor in an attractive light. It can also help to brighten your mood throughout the day. Natural light will help the space appear larger.
If your home doesn’t have a lot of windows or natural light exposure, you can simulate the effect by installing light bulbs that use the natural light spectrum. If the lighting around your home is feeling a little dreary or stale, check the warmth of your lightbulbs and opt for a happy medium between warm and cool lighting.
4. Introduce Houseplants
Houseplants help to purify the air in your home while also dressing up the space with green. Green is the most restful color to the human eye, and house plants have been studied for their ability to lighten moods.
House plants offer beautiful color and texture to your home decor, they pump oxygen in your air, and they could give you something to nurture. Not to mention, when your home starts to feel too small, plants bring a little of the outdoors inside.
5. Start Organizing and Storing
Smart storage will be your best friend when it comes to keeping your home tidy and clutter-free for that constantly fresh home. When your surfaces are clear of clutter, you’re free to do whatever you want without too much setup, which can greatly boost your at-home productivity.
The best storage does two jobs. It should be attractive and decorative, while also concealing your stored items. Consider drawers and boxes to create concealed storage on more open shelving. This will allow you to keep all the odds and ends without making your space appear overly cluttered.
6. Make Sure It’s Comfortable
A beautiful home is certainly something to aspire to. However, your home will always feel stuffy and unwelcoming if it feels uncomfortable to you. It’s your home and you have to live in it, which means you have to be comfortable in your space while enjoying the decor and the furniture.
Move things around, resituate your furniture. Get new things (or older antiques if that’s more your style), and do what you can to make your home your own. This isn’t just about personal expression, though that’s a big part of it. Comfortable also means creating the kind of spaces that you would want to spend time in.
7. Freshen up Carpets and Rugs
We track all sorts of dirt, messes, and odors into our carpets, and they are often there to stay until we physically remove the dirt that’s causing the stains and odors. One simple way to freshen up your carpets is to sprinkle baking soda into the carpet and allow it to sit for about ten minutes before vacuuming thoroughly. This will help you remove both the dirt and the odors.
Additionally, if your carpets or rugs have suffered liquid messes and more difficult odors, you might consider steam-cleaning the carpet every other month to keep things fresh. As a preventative measure, consider removing shoes before stepping on carpets and rugs.
8. Make it Cozy and Decorate
Bring cozy elements into your home, including throws, blankets, and pillows. Consider cushions for chairs that you spend a lot of time sitting in to make them comfortable. Lay rugs down over hardwood or tile flooring.
Then decorate by adding smaller comforts, such as candles and string lights. Decorate to your style with photos of those you care about and art that you personally enjoy. Thanks to Groom and Style for contributing
