How to Reconnect with Your Home as We Begin Our New Normal

The world is faced with an unprecedented, completely bizarre situation with the emergence of a new sickness, COVID-19. As more people begin to social distance, we will all be spending increased amounts of time in our homes. To make this an enjoyable time and keep emotions positive, follow these steps to reconnect with your home. 

1. Light a Candle– Candles are one of our favorite ways to quickly change the way you’re feeling about your home. Whether you prefer a clean, floral, or masculine scent, candles evoke a sense of peace, and the ambiance that is created from the flickering light can really make your home feel extra cozy. We could all use some peace and serenity right now, right? Our glass candle covers add a layer in your home when displayed on top of your candle and make your candle look like a piece of art that is to be displayed. 

2. Open your Blinds and Turn on Your Lamps– We’re talking two types of light here: natural and ambient. Science has proven that light can have a serious impact on our health and well-being. Natural light can improve your mood and assists with regulating your circadian rhythm. In not so scientific words, your circadian rhythm helps your body know when to be energetic and when to slow itself down, so you are higher functioning in the day and lower functioning at night. Opening your blinds let’s in that natural light that is so beneficial to our health. Low light (such as a lamp) keeps emotions steady and calm. The dim lighting of a lamp can make you feel like you are in a serene, peaceful environment, so light them up! 

Add Something Green– We have many times in our own homes felt like the room or vignette is *almost* there, but just lacks one thing. Sometimes you can’t quite point it out, but then you add something green and it looks complete. Your something-green could be cut flowers, a plant, or even some moss, but adding that touch of fresh gives you texture and a pop of color. While I love the look of cut flowers in a swoon-worthy arrangement, I’ve come to accept that I have a black thumb. Especially in a time when going out and purchasing cut flowers weekly might not be the best option, we prefer moss in bowls or trays, orchids, or even cut greenery from around your yard (and it’s free!). Something natural in your space will boost your mood, inspire creativity, and can fill a large space that you don’t otherwise have a piece of decoration for.

Steps 1-3 are our short term, quick ideas to reconnect with and appreciate your home more and can be done daily or weekly, depending on how you are feeling. Steps 4-5 are more long term, time intensive ideas that are always good to do monthly or yearly to clear your head and keep you excited about your home. 

4. De-Clutter– As often as needed (which will be different for everyone), it is a great idea to de-clutter throughout your home, whether that be your closet, drawers, or any nooks and crannies that start collecting items more than necessary. We are a fan of the Marie Kondo method of considering whether things spark joy when deciding what to keep or not, but you will know what works best for you! As always, there are necessities that need to be kept, so why not keep them organized? We have many organization options in the forms of baskets and trays. Visit our blog post about organization to see our Collected recommendations.
5. Critically Think About Your Room Layouts– This is a fun one for when we get REALLY stir crazy and need to get some major energy out (and might require a partner)! Going room by room, think about why you have the furniture and art where it is. Is the furniture where it is because that is where the previous home owner had their furniture displayed and you haven’t ever imagined it any other way? Maybe it is where it is because there are limitations in the room in terms of furniture placement such as windows, doors, outlets, or tv cables. Or maybe you want there to be a certain focal point in the room when you walk through the door and that is how everything ended up in its place. Regardless of the reason, think about if the current room layout could be improved in terms of functionality or design. Here are some starting things to consider: 
   1. What do you want the focal point to be? Maybe you don’t make the bed every day (if you do, major props) and the bed shouldn’t be the first thing you see when you walk through the door. If the bed is on the wall opposite of the door, it will always be what you or a guest sees first and you wouod rather see a nicely styled dresser or art wall. We have some well priced, beautifully curated art for the perfect gallery wall. 
   2. What pieces of furniture are necessary in the room and how do you want the room to function? Do you have too much or too little furniture in the room? Think about which pieces you really need to make the room function and see if you need to add or eliminate pieces here and there. 
   3. Where are your electrical components located? The location of outlets and tv cables can effect where you place your furniture. Based on how you want the room to be used (tv across from the bed/sofa, etc), you could start here with placing your most important pieces and seeing where the rest fits in. 

Your home should be a haven and place of refuge for you at all times, but especially when we are faced with spending the majority of our time in them. These steps will help you reconnect with your home in the short and long term while giving you something fun to do to get your mind off of the worlds current events.