When it comes to turning a house into a home, it can be tricky to know what exactly to do. There are so many moving pieces regarding how to make a house a home that it is easy to feel overwhelmed and not know where to start.
The most important thing to remember is that each household or family is different. What works for you is unique. Avoid comparing your situation to others and trying to emulate someone else. Getting ideas from other people is great, but taking any comparisons with a pinch of salt, especially if your families are vastly different.
Also, your home and the people in it will change over time, so your home will need to change with them. If you go from being single to a newly married couple to having small children, then teenagers, then back to just being a couple again, you can see how one home is not going to be ideal to fit all of those seasons of your life.
Making a house a home is a lifelong process, and reevaluating is part of the process. Embrace the journey and realise that there is no failing, just a constant state of finding what works and what needs to change.
Atmosphere
One of the biggest ways that you can turn a house into a home is with the atmosphere in the home. This is great news because it doesn’t cost anything to promote a happy and helpful and supportive atmosphere in your home. It is also tricky news because this is one of the hardest areas to improve since we are human and make mistakes.
One way to encourage a welcoming and friendly atmosphere in your home is to set a good example. The people that you spend time with influence the way that you behave, so it is important that you set an example of someone who is loving and kind if that is how you want the other people in your family to act as well. Verbal reminders and prompts of appropriate responses may also be needed.
People will be supportive and kind when they feel secure in being a part of a group. Creating a sense of family unity will help increase the happiness and feeling of being connected to your home. You can do this by having a family night once a week where no activities are planned, and your family spends time together. Rotating what you do will help to incorporate everyone’s interests.
Decor
The way you decorate your home will also greatly influence whether it feels like a house or a home. Every family is different and has different preferences, so every house will look different. It is important that you cultivate an environment that reflects your family and what is important to you.
If you like to travel, then you should use worldwide things in your decorating style. If your family loves movies, then your home should incorporate that. The same goes for sports, or outdoors, or anything else you could possibly think of. People should be able to walk into your home and know what is important to the people that live here.
It can also help if you let the people in your home have a say in the way it is decorated. Some areas will be up to you, but kids should have a say in how their rooms are decorated. They will feel more at home if their space reflects their style and preferences.
Organisation
It’s not about having a perfectly organised home – this can be impossible, especially for families with small children. It’s about having simple systems that work and adhering to them 80% of the time. You home should be a source of joy rather than stress so keep that in mind and dedicate a little time to tidying and organising.
Organizing your home will help you to not feel so overwhelmed when it comes to keeping a clean house. If everything has a place to be, then cleaning up will take less time because you know where to put things. It can also give your home a calming feel if everything has a proper place.
You may also want to think about decluttering to make your home feel calmer and to make it easier for you. Having less to clutter up your home will not only make your home easier to clean because there is less to organise and clean, but it will also promote a sense of peace and calm instead of chaos.