Loving Where You Live

February 21, 2025

I believe everyone deserves to be madly in love with where they live. When you really love your home, it will be a place where you can truly re-charge, and feel like the best version of yourself. These good feelings will ripple throughout every other area of your life. In this article, I’ve made a list of easy and inexpensive tweaks you can do to really dial in your space and jazz up your décor so you can truly love where you live! Pick one or two of these ideas that inspire you, and add on when you’re ready.

Collect images to get a vision for things you like. You may want to focus on images of interiors of homes, outdoor areas, or even other places like religious settings or places in nature to get inspiration. This will help prime your brain to start looking for solutions for your space.
Upgrade your lighting. Replace lightbulbs that are burnt out. Add or subtract lighting that isn’t working for you. You may even want to switch bulbs out to different shades, depending on the mood you’re going for. Did you know the color temperature of your lights can effect your sleep, productivity, and mood? Generally, warm white (2700K-3000K) is cozy and inviting, good for living rooms, bedrooms, and dining areas. Neutral white (3500K-4000K) is balanced and natural, good for kitchens, bathrooms, and workspaces. Cool white (5000K-6500K) is bright and energizing, good for task lighting and garages. Try different things to see what you like best.
Take photos of your space to get an objective view of what you’re looking at. This works because it creates distance between you and the space, allowing you to see it as an observer rather than someone who lives within the space. Photos help highlight imbalances that you might otherwise overlook. Looking at your space through a photo also helps detach emotional attachments so that it’s easier to assess what needs to change.
Dust and clean. This will help you clear out cobwebs and wash away stagnant energy. Once all the dust is gone, you will be able to breathe better and feel calmer in your home, because your immune system isn’t constantly battling all that dust you think you’re used to. Touching all your stuff to dust will also help bring your awareness to the fact that you still have that same thing on your shelf since 1985. I say this with no judgement. There are plenty of things I’m sure you want to keep because you love them so much, but it’s just good to be conscious of the things you are choosing to display and why.
Remove stale decor and tchotchkes that you’ve kept out of guilt. Not everything has to be on display all at once. Give away what you’re willing to let go of so that you can make room for the updated version of yourself. Declutter anything else from your home that isn’t serving you.
Fix things that are broken. In Feng Shui, keeping broken items is believed to create stagnant energy and block personal growth. Broken items symbolize unresolved issues, financial struggles, or emotional burdens. Do you have anything that you’re keeping around because it’s broken and you’ve been meaning to fix it? Or you’ve been looking for someone else to fix it? If it’s really something special, and you can’t do it on your own, make a serious attempt to find someone to fix it. If it’s something you can fix, and it’s honestly worth your time to fix it, just do it. If it’s very sentimental and can’t be fixed, consider displaying it in a way that honors it’s meaning. If it’s not worth your time or money to fix it, just let it go. You could always try posting it online for free to see if someone else wants to take it off your hands, but in most cases, it just needs to get tossed (responsibly). Repairing or discarding broken items will allow more positive energy to flow in your home.
Patch walls, touch up paint, and clean your walls. Living in a space that’s dinged up sends the message to yourself and others that you don’t believe you’re worthy of a well-maintained and well-cared for environment. These seemingly inconsequential imperfections will chip away at your self-worth. It might seem surprising, but the more you take care of your space, the more others will respect you, value your time, and treat you accordingly.
Improve the functionality and aesthetics of your furniture. This could be accomplished by simply rearranging what you already have. Or you may want to shop for used or new furniture. You could refinish or paint your furniture so that it better represents your style. You could even make your own furniture! I have done this for shelves or tables that I wanted to fit within a very specific size parameter. I’ve also purchased furniture at yard sales that I’ve revamped. I’ve repainted it. I’ve covered drawer pulls with funky fluffy purple fabric. I’ve embedded funny objects and images in resin on the surfaces of an end table. I’ve decoupaged a table and covered another with glitter. I’ve decorated the backing to a bookshelf. I’ve done so many different things with furniture. Get creative with it!
Elevate your textiles. Make or purchase pillow covers. Make or purchase new curtains. (I like to use curtain clips with some cool fabric for easy curtains.). Make or purchase couch covers. Make or purchase new blankets. Or make or purchase new rugs. These items could be fairly inexpensive to costing thousands of dollars, so be thrifty when you can, and splurge according to your budget.
Color your walls. Once, I painted my entire bedroom with watercolor stripes. I’ve also painted stars in another bedroom. Or you could pick a wall to accent with a color- or paint the entire room a color you like. Have some fun with peel and stick wallpaper, or decals.
Make your own decor. In my office, I’ve covered a large piece of cardboard with brightly covered fabric. I’ve done this in other areas of my home, and always get compliments on it. I’ve cut out shapes out of cardboard and covered those with fabric too. Hot glue and staplers are quick and easy ways to get the job done. I’ve even made an “upholstered” wall where I hung thin sheets of Masonite that I put upholstery foam on, and covered with fabric. You could also get canvas and paint it. You may also want to frame photos or artwork that is meaningful to you. Google “DIY Décor” and you will find a million ideas on things you can do. The fabric covered cardboard is one of my favorites because it is so quick and easy and makes a big impact.
Use plants for your decor. Pick easy to grow plants, give them water and sunlight, and you’re good to go! Once in a while, you may need to add some fertilizer too. I love pothos because it is very easy to grow and propagate. I only water it once a week, and it seems happy. Not only do plants look good, but they can also help increase humidity, absorb carbon dioxide, release oxygen, and help reduce stress. Some plants have been known to help purify the air too. If you have pets, make sure you are picking plants that are safe for them.
Dial in your hardware. Something as simple as a well-placed hook can make your life feel so much easier. Hooks come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, so go around your house and make a list of the quantity and types of hooks you need. By the front door, in the kitchen, under the kitchen sink, in the bathroom, in the shower, and in closets are all spaces that might need hooks. Magnetic hooks on the side of the fridge can also be great.
Keep your space clean and maintained. I know this is easier said than done. But even if you just focus on keeping one area clean and maintained on a regular basis, you will be able to add on other areas as you gain confidence that you can keep it up.