- The memories attached to furniture and the little things around the house makes a house into a home
- Healthy communication, leaving work at the office and being grateful can help you create a better home environment
- Ensure your home has sufficient space and ventilation for the most comfortable living space
The definition of a home may vary for each individual. It may actually mean a literal house or it could also be the feeling of comfort you feel when you sleep with your cats. It could also be inside the arms of your significant other on dark nights, but one thing is for sure; home is where we feel most secure and comfortable, whatever the definition of a home may be for us.
What makes a house a home
A house is just four walls and a roof. You can spend thousands on interior designing; floor to ceiling windows, marble kitchen surfaces, oakwood floors and even have the most luxurious furniture to adorn your abode but it still doesn’t make it a home.
Sure, you can decorate it as pleasing to the eyes as you like but what makes it a home are the values and memories that it holds in every piece of furniture. A home is where there are dirty piles of laundry that annoys you but also makes you realize that there are loved ones in the house with you, and home is filled with your favourite smells of dishes and your significant other’s perfume or cologne. It’s actually the little things that make a house a home, and not so much the expensive interior design.
But as much as the memories of our little possessions within our home comfort us, we can’t help but still bring bad vibes into our house like stress from work, family dispute and the occasional negativity we feel inside. It is inevitable, although if the bad vibes stay for too long, our home will no longer be a place we are glad to come back to, instead, we will be driven away from it as we no longer find comfort there. Home is no longer a home when the environment turns toxic and sour.
How to have a better home environment
Although the occasional negativity is inevitable, it doesn’t have to linger around the house and make our homes feel less cosy because where else can we seek refuge and comfort in if not our own abodes? Thus, it is really up to us to maintain a conducive home environment or make it better.
1. Practice healthy communication
Living with another person can be quite trying at times as we have to tolerate each other’s quirks and habits especially when you are living with your family; you are spending almost your entire life living with others — your significant other and your children. Thus, things may get hectic and overwhelming.
Of course, in a family home, disputes can’t really be avoided with all the different personalities and bad habits. But, practising healthy communication to relay our messages when things get stressful instead of speaking through egoism and emotions can really help create a healthy family relationship which in turn will create a conducive home environment as each family member knows that they are in a safe space with people they can trust.
2. Leave work at work
Globally, work culture has been toxic for decades now where if you leave work on time, you are considered lazy and hate your job. It even came to a point where you feel guilty for not working, even though you have nothing on your plate and are free to leave.
Additionally, work can be stressful most times but leave that stress once you reach the gates of your home; a place where you should be able to stretch yourself and spend some time with your family or enjoy your own solitude if you’re living alone. Either way, a home should be a place to rid yourself of any load from work.
3. Being grateful of the little things
We spend so much time inside of our homes sometimes we tend to overlook the little things that give us a sense of comfort and calmness within the four walls we call our own.
It doesn’t always have to be material items like the little scented candles on our nightstand or the fur rug we got at IKEA. Sometimes, it’s just simple, everyday acts that give us a sense of being home such as making our beds, fluffing the throw pillows and even sliding the curtains open to let some sunlight in.
In cases where you live with another person, helping them out with things they may have overlooked without expecting anything in return can also make you feel happier in your own home. As they say, “When you do good, you feel good”.
If you haven’t started on doing the little things, we suggest you try it and you can really feel a difference in the environment of your home to a more positive one!
4. Space and ventilation
A good home should always have ample space and ventilation. Being in a stuffy home can make you feel suffocated and drained. As nature is the best healer, allowing some sunlight and wind into your home may help to make your house feel more cosy and comfortable to live in.
For homeowners with a smaller house area, you should consider limiting the number of clutter items you own. Seriously, don’t turn every inch of your house into a storage area.
The takeaway
At the end of the day, redefining a house into a home is really how you take care of yourself within the space of four walls and a roof such as the way you communicate, the way you place your items so that they won’t get in your way and how you tend to your home’s facilities. The more positive vibes circulate around your house, the homier and cosier your house will feel.
So really, it’s all about the little things we may think are trivial like making the bed or watching a film in the living room with our loved ones, but these little things have a big impact to make the environment at home better especially when we do it together with the people we love most.
How do you make your house feel homey and cosy? Share your tips with us in the comments!
