When it comes to choosing your dream house there’s a huge difference between buying a house and buying a home. A house is a physical commodity you can purchase whereas a home is something that you must create, it’s a feeling, a sense of belonging that transcends the value of the bricks and mortar holding up the roof over your head.
The feeling of “home” means different things to different people… for some it can be summed up with that feeling one gets when waking up, on a cold sunday morning, between crisp white sheets feeling all warm and snuggly listening to the wind howl past the window… for others, home can be associated with a particular person, such as the familiar sound of your husband’s key turning in the door after a long hard day at work… and for many, home just wouldn’t be home without the pitter patter of four tiny little paws coming to greet you each time you return, as if that quick trip to the store was an Arctic voyage that you’re lucky to be alive from!
Home could be summed up as a sensation of peace… a feeling of relief, such as when you pull into the driveway after a long trip and rest your weary head on your pillow… or a feeling of comfort, such as the serenity to kiss the head of a baby asleep in your lap, whilst wrapped up in your partner’s arms.
Your home environment, however will not only affect your ability to benefit from and create the feelings you want to experience – to some extent it will dictate it. If your home is a disorganised mess you’re unlikely to be able to create the sense of serenity and harmony you would like to experience… if it’s cold due to draughty windows and inefficient heating, you’re not going to feel that warm cosiness inside, as you have to sit in your lounge wrapped head to toe in your winter clothes… and if your garden is a mess, the spritely feeling associated with Spring is likely to pass you by.
When buying a new house, and turning it into a home, it’s important you take immediate action… as otherwise, you’ll find yourself “settling” and living with things you would prefer to live without, such as that dripping bathroom tap. Moreover, there is power in momentum. If you move in, and have boxes all over the place for the next couple of weeks – it’s going to feel like an arduous chore that will never be finished. Indeed, this is when some people give up and haul the remaining boxes into a spare room that could be best described as a ‘jungle of junk’. If, however, you get right on it, then within a matter of days your house will start feeling more like an organised home.
The underlying principle within the following tips, therefore, is to take immediate action and build positive momentum… because just like with everything else in life, when you’re in a state of flow and making progress, it’s much easier to keep on going and get a lot more done in a short space of time. Here are three tips you can use to to turn your new house into a happy home!
MAKE YOUR MARK
It’s important that your house feels like it belongs to you. There’s a strong chance your new house will have remnants of the previous owners tastes and preferences in terms of its style. The house might be stripped back to the basics, but there’s still likely to be a feeling of it belonging to someone else. This is why you need to make your mark. Similar to how a dog will mark his territory, you need to mark your territory in your new home in order to feel a secure sense of belonging. However, unlike a dog, the best way to make your mark is with a paintbrush.
If you’re thinking of doing a full painting overhaul, you might want to consider investing in tools such as a paint sprayer which can be found here https://www.toolnerds.com/ as they save a lot of time. However, for minor jobs all you really need is some decent paint, a roller, a few paintbrushes and (ideally) a couple of willing friends to help you make some headway!
PUT OUT PERSONAL ITEMS
Everyone has certain items they feel a strong emotional connection with and attachment to; indeed, just like a child with a teddy bear, there’s often a few pieces of furniture that just feel like home… whether that’s an old coffee table you’ve had in all of your homes or even a painting that’s been in your family for centuries. Whilst it’s important you don’t clutter your new home with photos and sentimental items it can be a nice symbolic gesture that allows you to immediately start feeling more at home in your space.
Artwork is a great place to start, as wall hangings aren’t going to get in the way of your unpacking and instantly brighten up the space. Mirrors are similarly fragile, and when they are safely hung on the walls, you no longer have to worry about smashing them and getting seven years of bad luck.
CLEANSE THE SPACE
In addition to the rational scientific need to clean in order to kill germs, the emotional aspect of cleaning your new home is a powerful emotional process that essentially cleanses the old and welcomes the new. The emotional benefits of cleaning are often overlooked, but for more information about the impact cleansing your new home will have on your emotional state check out:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-new-you/201504/the-psychology-spring-cleaning
The major benefit of cleaning, in terms of transforming your new house into your new home, is that you will have the chance to connect with your new home and feel united with the space, and the more you energetically feel you are nurturing your new home, the more you are likely to feel nurtured by your new home in return.
Hopefully, these three principles put you in good stead to turn your new house into a happy home. Now, comes the hard bit – starting on those boxes, getting out the paint brushes, unwrapping your furniture, and reaching for the bleach. Good luck!!
