Coronavirus is making all of us slow down & spend way more time inside our homes than usual. Part of me loves it! I get to work less, read more, spend time actually finding hobbies, and be with my husband all day. But then there's the whole I am forcibly stuck inside my home thing. I'm trying hard to re-route my attitude so that I count my blessings and find joy in the simple things.
So whether you want to pass the time, change up your environment, or finally take the time to make home feel like home, then this is the blog for you!
Here are some tips for how to make the most of your home without buying anything new, using what you own, and all abiding by to the law ;)
1. Wash All Linens - Washing your curtains, pillow covers, bedding, and blankets will make a big difference in your home. It's one of my annual Spring Cleaning tasks. It makes your whole home smell good which is wonderful after being stuck inside for so long. Also, you'll be surprised just how dirty your curtains and sofa pillows are. They will brighten up your home after a quick wash. One thing to note, DO NOT DRY your curtains. Just let them dry on the rod and either use a water bottle or steamer to get the wrinkles out.
2. Re- Accessorize - Whenever I feel like my home accessories are in a rut, I re-accessorize with the decor I already own. I'm a big proponent of buying less, shopping intentionally, and having a design plan. So by rethinking how to accessorize my home, it feels like I have bought new items (you can watch me actually do that here) ! Here's how you do it:
A. Take all your accessories down. If I really am digging how one area is accessorized then I leave it be.
B. Put all accessories in one area. Try to find a convenient place to group them all. I just plop everything on the floor. Make sure everything is easy to see. If you have a bigger home, you may want to put it in a basket so you can carry them around from room to room.
C. Re-accessorize with a blank space. Now you have a blank canvas! If you need some inspiration, hop onto Pinterest. Otherwise, start playing with your accessories. Here's a blog that might help with how to style (it's an old blog but everything is still true!). Less is more, bigger is better, and ideally group 3 items together are just a few of the best ideals when accessorizing!
3. Set Aside Items you Don't Love - I purge quite regularly and it always makes me feel so empowered. Remember that your home is meant to serve you, so you shouldn't feel like a slave to it. Take a look at a Case Study Whimsily did to show the power of getting your things under control.
Walk all through your home and storage spaces, setting aside all home decor and furniture pieces that don't make you 100% happy. Mark bigger furniture pieces with a sticky note. Look at your art, linens, accessories, lamps, and furniture. If these are in good condition simply load them into your car (and once the travel bans are up, take them to Goodwill). Or if you have pieces you'd like to sell, snap some pics, take it's dimensions, and post it to Facebook Marketplace. This is one of the best things you can do for your home. It allows you to purge without feeling guilty. Later you can either replace the items you didn't love with something that is completely your style or you may find that you actually like having less!