It’s easy to fall in love hard and fast… especially when we’re house hunting. But what happens when we fall out of love with our house after years of being in a relationship? Or perhaps we have been connected in a prearranged relationship with a space we never drew these positive emotions from?
Just like with human relationships, love can grow stale, weak or disappear completely. We can get tired of looking at the same walls and dealing with the same disfunctions, day after day. If you are not looking to move, a little effort can help restore the relationship. But how can we fall in love all over with a home that has somehow let us down or become boring? I’m glad you asked!
The key to get the spark back is to pour love back in to our homes. Here are some suggestions:
Function
Are your spaces not allowing you to live life the way you wish? Is it more work to prepare for a shower in your small bathroom than it is to enjoy the feeling of being fresh? Is your living room more of a toy graveyard you can’t stand looking at, rather than a relaxing place to converse and gather with loved ones?
I suggest you get out some notepaper and write out the name of every room in your home. Beside each room write out what specific functions you need that room to have (ex. Kitchen – space to prepare 3 meals a day for a family of 4). Now get real – rate how you feel that room is currently functioning. If it is not a high enough number (say at least a 7/10), you need to analyze the reasons why. Maybe your entryway has nowhere to hang jackets. Maybe your dinning room is lacking enough seating for your family or your closet is jammed so full you don’t dare open it to put anything you actually use away. These are all fairly simple fixes.
Pick one of those spaces and get to work making it function the way you need it to. Get a coat tree, buy a bench, clear out your closet and throw away items saved for a rainy day. A room that functions the way you need it to will help you feel more at peace in the space and create a more functional daily life.
Bring in beauty
What do you love to look at and be surrounded by? Enveloping your home in beautiful things will help you feel attracted towards it and maybe forget about some of the areas you aren’t able to change. Cover walls in art or photos that make you smile. Bring in objects with a personal connection from family members or from travels afar. Infuse colours and textures you love with pillows, throws, rugs and drapes.
This is an easy way to start pouring love back in with little commitment. You can easily swap or switch out anything that isn’t sitting right.
Be inspired
Many times the best relationships are ones that inspire us to be better people. The same should be for our homes. Is your kitchen allowing you to cook the best food you can? Is your home office allowing you to function in an organized and creative way? What about your bedroom? Is it the refuge you need at the end of a long day? This is where you can combine beauty and function and have it transform your daily life. Surround yourself with things that will push you and motivate you to be the best you you can be!
Get started right away
Don’t wait until it’s too late. Don’t wait until you have such hatred built up that there is no way to feel love with your space once more. Start small or dive in head over heals. Perhaps knowing that you’re willing to love again can be enough to start seeing why you fell in love with your home in the first place.