Creating a Home that Brings Out the Best In You

Your home is an asset. Not just financially… Your home is an asset to your health & well-being…BUT ONLY If you create a home that brings out the best in you.

Financially you can be underwater. Just like many of us were after the housing crisis of 2008. Your home can also show a deficit in the way it makes you feel. When it constantly cries out for your attention & you choose to ignore it, your home is drowning & taking you down with it.

Your home should enrich your soul & lift your spirits. Does it? The way you make this happen is by building a relationship with your home. Your home is part of your family. Respect, honor, love & nurture it.

You have been relying on your home to embrace you in these strange times. But… just like you & your family, your home has special needs. It requires & deserves special attention. If you have given your home the TLC it deserves prior to the the changes we’ve endured this year, then you’re home is bringing out the best in you already.

If not it’s time to implement these 5 key components.

There are certain things you do each day to feel your best. You shower, you put on clean clothes, you brush & style your hair. These are just the basics. But the basics are important to feel good. The finest clothes in the world will never make you feel your best without maintaining your body.

So,Let’s start with the basics ….

DeClutter

Clutter to your home weighs heavy on the mind. Piles of mail, old magazines & newspapers…they’re always talking to you. They say…read me, open me, or get rid of me.

Your mind is already filled with enough thoughts. The last thing you need is a pile of magazines telling you what to do ; ) Recycle along with the other paper hanging around. Out of sight, out of mind… is right. Out the door they go.

But there is more to clutter than paper. Extra bottles of shampoo with just a wee bit living at the bottom asking… why have you moved on without finishing me? Bottles of expired medicine telling you… someday you might need me. Spices that have no fragrance left, you know you’ll never use again. These are another form of clutter that steals your energy.

I’m no Marie Kondo when it comes to decluttering & organizing, although I have read her book, The Life- Changing Magic of Tidying Up…and, I DO respect her techniques. However, I’m still a believer that many of you can create a home that brings out the best in you without having to spend the next 2 months filling up 100 bags. At least, I hope so.

The way I go about decluttering, is one room at a time.

Focus on a space that is calling your name. Break it down if needed. For instance, kitchen cabinets…commit yourself to 2 drawers each day. It’s manageable. But stay on it. See it all the way to the end.

Then once you finish… the next step it to maintain.

Maintain

Everything in your home should have it’s own home. A place where it fits in & enjoys hanging out. When your coat is hung up & your dishes are put away they’re happy & so are you.

If you are in the habit of dropping your coat over the back of chair or leaving washed dishes sitting on the side of your sink in a drying rack, then this requires creating new habits.

Why is this so important? Isn’t it easier to leave them there until the next time you need them? Good questions.

The answer is NO.

The process of putting things in their place is part of what brings out the best in you. It can be therapeutic & nurturing. When everything has it’s own home within your home, your mind can rest. When your mind can rest you can focus on the things that you want to do or need to do. The tasks that require brain juice.

When Mike & I first got together he didn’t understand my philosophy. Tasks like gardening, cleaning & organizing were work to him. As for me, they were therapeutic. I get swept away in the moment & in the process find myself feeling better about something that was bothering me before I started. I have overcome many obstacles in my personal therapy sessions ; )

My Mom will be 93 years old this year. She still lives in a single family home, by herself. She is proof positive on how well this philosophy works. Up until March of this year, she was working 40 hours a week. She woke up at 4:30 A.M. , showered, ate breakfast then left at 7:00 A.M. to drive to her office a few towns away. Our family business is heating & air-conditioning which my Father started in 1956 & left to Mom & my two brothers when he passed away in 1990. Mom answered the phone, did the bookkeeping & paid the bills. You would think by the time the weekend rolled around that she would be resentful of needing to do household chores.

But no. When I call her on Saturday mornings she has a list of projects she has lined up to work on, both then & still now. She’s looking forward to her projects so much so, that she often says, “Well I better go & get started.” LOL I take no offense. She’s a women with a purpose.

I’ve been calling her everyday since her retirement & although she’s limiting her time away from home, she finds more things at home to keep her occupied. She has created a home that brings out the best in her for sure. Her attitude towards life is inspiring. She’s enjoying retirement in a home that she loves.

Beyond organizing & putting things back in place, maintenance requires that you take care of the mechanics of your home. Changing burnt out light bulbs, replacing filters on your furnace, checking batteries on your smoke detectors , having appliances serviced before they break down. These are the things that keep you from having a total melt-down. It’s like having a yearly check-up for your own health.

Maintaining the mechanics of your home will give you peace of mind. When you have peace of mind you can thrive & focus on the good stuff.

Clean

This year has really put an emphasis on maintaining a clean home. Cleaning is also part of maintaining but just taking it a step further. Keeping your surfaces dusted & sanitized is also a nurturing process. If you have had the pleasure of bathing a newborn baby you know the special feeling you get. It brings you closer.

Even if you hire someone to clean your home you can still enjoy the freshness. But there is still some cleaning that should be done on an ongoing basis. For more on this be sure to visit my earlier post Maintaining a Clean Home Environment.

Learn to love & nurture your home by keeping it clean.

Create Special Spaces

creating-home-brings-out-best-you — Create a special space that calls your name.

Surround yourself with the things you love.

Now it’s time to have some fun & get cozy. Pick a spot, any spot. A place that feels good. A place that resonates with you. Maybe it’s the lighting that draws you to this space. Or it could be a room with a special view. One that connects you to nature or people.

It should be a space that you’re drawn to snuggle with your pets or a loved one. Or maybe curl up with a good novel. The important thing is that it calls your name & brings out the best in you. After all, you’ve earned it.

Start with a comfortable chair. One that hugs you. Surround yourself with what you love. Fresh plants. Good books. A favorite hobby within reach.

But remember, keep it clean & uncluttered so you can focus on relaxing.

“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” ~Arthur Ashe~ American Tennis Player

Let Your Personality Shine

Your home should reflect who you are. Your uniqueness. Your quirks. Your passions. Your favorite colors. Your favorite books & quotes. When it does it creates a home that brings out the best in you. If you haven’t already read my earlier post How to Decorate Your Bookshelves with Intention this is where I dive into this subject deeper.

Don’t be shy. Your home is a place to be BOLD. Brag a little. Fill it with the things that make YOU shine. Have fun with the process. No pressure. No rush. Take your sweet time evolving.

Declutter, Clean, Maintain, Create Special Spaces & Let Your Personality Shine

That’s what it takes to create a home that brings out the best in you.

No need to become OCD implementing this process. In fact, please don’t do that. That’s not healthy. You just need to develop a natural & nurturing relationship with your home. There will be times when you fall short. That’s okay. The best of us do. Just don’t fall off the bandwagon completely. Get back on quickly.

Decades ago I learned an important concept from one of my favorite motivational speakers, Anthony Robbins…

“You need to find the pain in not doing it, instead of doing it.”

This philosophy has helped me with creating a consistent workout routine, eating better, waking up earlier, getting more sleep, on and on…including nurturing & caring for my home. Adapt this philosophy & you will see your life transform.

Do it for yourself & your well-being. You deserve the best.