101 Ways to Love Your Home More
These helpful hints will enhance your home and bring an extra dose of happy to your everyday
Joanna Tovia
31 July 2016
Houzz editorial team. Photojournalist specialising in design, travel and living well. Follow her photodocumentary about pets and the people who love them on Instagram @unfoldingtails
Houzz editorial team. Photojournalist specialising in design, travel and living well.... More
From little things, big things grow so don’t dismiss the details if your home is looking a little lacklustre and you’re feeling the same way. Use these tips to tweak your way to a more joyful home; even if you adopt just one or two of these ideas as your own, you might be surprised at what a difference they make to the look and feel of your house, and how much you love it.
1. Give your front door a bright lick of paint
2. Get a new front door mat – funny, funky or swish
3. Switch on your outdoor lights each evening, even if you’re home, to cheer up neighbours out for a stroll or driving home
2. Get a new front door mat – funny, funky or swish
3. Switch on your outdoor lights each evening, even if you’re home, to cheer up neighbours out for a stroll or driving home
4. Polish or repaint your house number for good feng shui
5. Update your mailbox
6. Light the way to your front door with solar-powered garden lights
7. Sweep away the cobwebs and grime around your entryway
5. Update your mailbox
6. Light the way to your front door with solar-powered garden lights
7. Sweep away the cobwebs and grime around your entryway
8. Fill your house with the delicious smell of baking
9. Break out the slow cooker again
10. Menu plan your way to an easier week
Bring back ‘baking day’
9. Break out the slow cooker again
10. Menu plan your way to an easier week
Bring back ‘baking day’
11. Buy or pick fresh flowers every week all year
12. Keep possessions – and clutter – to a minimum (hold onto only what you love)
13. Make use of lamps, candles and dimmers for a cosy atmosphere
12. Keep possessions – and clutter – to a minimum (hold onto only what you love)
13. Make use of lamps, candles and dimmers for a cosy atmosphere
14. Add jolts of happy colour in unexpected places
15. Save on benchspace – hang knife magnets and paper towel holders on the wall
16. If you don’t love the look of your kitchen, paint the cabinets
15. Save on benchspace – hang knife magnets and paper towel holders on the wall
16. If you don’t love the look of your kitchen, paint the cabinets
17. Treat yourself to some new towels – and keep them warm on a heated towel rack
18. Get a cleaner, even if only once a month
19. Add fresh leaves or flowers to a vase – unbreakable if kids are around
20. Keep your bathroom smelling sweet with scented candles or oil diffusers
21. Get children doing some of the chores – no helping equals no wi-fi
18. Get a cleaner, even if only once a month
19. Add fresh leaves or flowers to a vase – unbreakable if kids are around
20. Keep your bathroom smelling sweet with scented candles or oil diffusers
21. Get children doing some of the chores – no helping equals no wi-fi
22. Throw on a tablecloth … or a colourful sheet
23. Adopt a rescue kitten or dog and love it to pieces
24. Create a feelgood display on a coffee table or credenza
25. Dust your pendant lights
23. Adopt a rescue kitten or dog and love it to pieces
24. Create a feelgood display on a coffee table or credenza
25. Dust your pendant lights
26. Frame some family photos, or turn one into wallpaper
27. Make or buy some bright new cushions
28. Add a cosy throw
29. Update your living room lighting for a more modern look
30. Hold a movie night once a fortnight – take turns picking the movie
27. Make or buy some bright new cushions
28. Add a cosy throw
29. Update your living room lighting for a more modern look
30. Hold a movie night once a fortnight – take turns picking the movie
31. Invite friends over for breakfast
32. Linger over the Sunday paper
33. Skip the commute and work from home at least one day a month
34. Clean your windows
35. Seek out the best place in town to buy croissants
32. Linger over the Sunday paper
33. Skip the commute and work from home at least one day a month
34. Clean your windows
35. Seek out the best place in town to buy croissants
36. Add a cheerful rug – it need not be expensive
37. Take the day off when no one else is home
38. Toast marshmallows by the fire
39. Camp out overnight in your lounge room – kids optional
40. Rearrange the furniture
37. Take the day off when no one else is home
38. Toast marshmallows by the fire
39. Camp out overnight in your lounge room – kids optional
40. Rearrange the furniture
41. Create a dedicated reading corner
42. Swap favourite books with a friend
43. Wash the curtains and cushion covers
44. Have the sofas and armchairs cleaned
45. Organise custom-made cabinetry to make the most of your space
Where booklovers like to read
42. Swap favourite books with a friend
43. Wash the curtains and cushion covers
44. Have the sofas and armchairs cleaned
45. Organise custom-made cabinetry to make the most of your space
Where booklovers like to read
46. Paint your kitchen black, or whatever other colour takes your fancy
47. Install open shelving to show off some of your favourite things
48. Set up a weekly (or twice-weekly) fruit and vegetable delivery so you always have healthy food on hand
47. Install open shelving to show off some of your favourite things
48. Set up a weekly (or twice-weekly) fruit and vegetable delivery so you always have healthy food on hand
49. Make a new recipe from your cookbooks once a week
50. Build a chicken coop with your own hands
51. Stock up on fine herbal teas to enjoy in a mug you love
50. Build a chicken coop with your own hands
51. Stock up on fine herbal teas to enjoy in a mug you love
52. Make your outdoor room into another lounge room, curtains and all
53. Hang a hammock outdoors (or inside)
54. Make it a ritual to sit outside with your partner each weekend to reconnect – may I suggest with wine and very good cheese
55. Have an afternoon nap outside – even if it means taking your doona out there with you
53. Hang a hammock outdoors (or inside)
54. Make it a ritual to sit outside with your partner each weekend to reconnect – may I suggest with wine and very good cheese
55. Have an afternoon nap outside – even if it means taking your doona out there with you
56. Build a pizza oven and get friends to bring the toppings
57. Invite the neighbours over for sundowners
58. Make time to laze on the deck
59. Meditate outside each evening for a better sleep (or each morning for a better day)
57. Invite the neighbours over for sundowners
58. Make time to laze on the deck
59. Meditate outside each evening for a better sleep (or each morning for a better day)
60. Bring out your inner artist … or celebrate the artist in your kids
61. Revamp an op-shop find
62. Turn off the screens and play cards instead
63. Focus on what you already have, not on what you’re lacking
61. Revamp an op-shop find
62. Turn off the screens and play cards instead
63. Focus on what you already have, not on what you’re lacking
64. Update your kitchen stools with comfort in mind
65. Sing along to your favourite tunes while you cook
66. Go on strike and take the night off – a bowl of cereal for dinner will suffice
67. Give your kitchen a deep clean and relish the sense of satisfaction that follows
65. Sing along to your favourite tunes while you cook
66. Go on strike and take the night off – a bowl of cereal for dinner will suffice
67. Give your kitchen a deep clean and relish the sense of satisfaction that follows
68. Make herbs and spices easy to identify and access
69. Grow your own herbs out the back door
70. Cook ahead for the week and freeze leftovers
Grow-your-own kitchen herb gardens
69. Grow your own herbs out the back door
70. Cook ahead for the week and freeze leftovers
Grow-your-own kitchen herb gardens
71. Go wild with wallpaper just because you can
72. Add your favourite colours to every room
73. Use your special lotions and potions – don’t save them for a rainy day
74. Have a long soak in the bath by candlelight
75. Cull old cosmetics and use up samples the same week you’re given them
72. Add your favourite colours to every room
73. Use your special lotions and potions – don’t save them for a rainy day
74. Have a long soak in the bath by candlelight
75. Cull old cosmetics and use up samples the same week you’re given them
76. Replace bedside lamps with wall sconces to free up space
77. Paint a feature wall behind your bed in whatever colour you like – don’t overthink it
78. Make reading your go-to bedtime activity
77. Paint a feature wall behind your bed in whatever colour you like – don’t overthink it
78. Make reading your go-to bedtime activity
79. Surprise your child with a redecorated bedroom – or involve them in the decision making
80. Reward those who maintain clean and orderly bedrooms
81. Set up homework schedules to avoid last-minute assignment panic
80. Reward those who maintain clean and orderly bedrooms
81. Set up homework schedules to avoid last-minute assignment panic
82. Don’t settle for less – be patient and save up for the appliance you really like rather than one that’s cheap but not as nice
83. Wash oven mitts and tea towels often
84. Make a book of recipes to hand down to your kids
83. Wash oven mitts and tea towels often
84. Make a book of recipes to hand down to your kids
85. Collect something you love and display it
86. Ignore interior trends – decorate according to what makes you feel good
87. Sick of your lounge room? Go ahead and completely change it, even if it takes time
86. Ignore interior trends – decorate according to what makes you feel good
87. Sick of your lounge room? Go ahead and completely change it, even if it takes time
88. Get your craft on – knitting is good for your mental health
89. Make a patchwork quilt and give it to someone you admire
90. Cosy up an armchair with sheepskin
89. Make a patchwork quilt and give it to someone you admire
90. Cosy up an armchair with sheepskin
91. Make it easy to exercise without leaving the house
92. Improve your outlook with plants and trees
93. Breathe, just breathe
Browse home exercise spaces
92. Improve your outlook with plants and trees
93. Breathe, just breathe
Browse home exercise spaces
94. Revamp your home office
95. Do a career re-analysis – do you love your work at least 80 per cent of the time?
96. Re-orient your desk … just for a change
97. Add easy-care plants
95. Do a career re-analysis – do you love your work at least 80 per cent of the time?
96. Re-orient your desk … just for a change
97. Add easy-care plants
98. Paint a whimsical mural up the stairwell
99. Add wallpaper to your stair risers
100. Make life a little easier with an umbrella stand, coat rack or occasional chair to sit on while you put on your shoes
101. Celebrate now – this very moment – for its abundance
YOUR SAY
How does your home make you feel good? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
MORE
See more lifestyle stories on Houzz
99. Add wallpaper to your stair risers
100. Make life a little easier with an umbrella stand, coat rack or occasional chair to sit on while you put on your shoes
101. Celebrate now – this very moment – for its abundance
YOUR SAY
How does your home make you feel good? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
MORE
See more lifestyle stories on Houzz
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I loved this article too. "like what you have" resonated with me