Create a safe haven for yourself.
By Beth El Fattal — Written on Mar 17, 2019
Let's be honest, we all have goals for our home but are often too lazy to actually achieve them.
Yeah, that pile of dirty dishes in the sink is bothering me, but Netflix is calling me and we all know who's gonna win that battle. It's just not a fair fight. That pile of laundry on the chair in the corner of the room? You know the one. No one sits there so it's no biggie if it stays there for a week, right? You've got better things to do, like some much needed online shopping.
But at the same time, you deserve to walk into your home after a long day, breathe in that deep sigh of contentment, and settle in while enjoying your surroundings fully. You don't want to feel like you're coming home to more work or a house that doesn't feel like home.
So, how do you achieve your Pinterest-perfect home? Follow these simple steps and your house will feel like home in no time.
1. Get to cleanin'.
Take stock of the house, and then dive in. Anything that can be tidied up, just make it happen. Take care of that pile of dishes in the sink, fold your blankets, go through the house with a garbage bag and pick up any loose garbage you can find. Check the fridge, too! Throw out any old food, check all the way to the back of your shelves. Then take out all the garbage from your house at once.
2. Go through your stuff.
I'm talking Marie Kondo style. Check out Netflix's "Tidying Up with Marie Kondo" if you don't know what I'm talking about, you won't regret it.
We all know there are shirts in your closet you've been hoarding for like three years even though they don't fit. Be real, you've been holding onto them because you might wear them eventually but we all know you never will. You don't need 'em. Bag them up! Weird knick knacks you just have laying around? BAG. Some weird rain pants you've had since you were in middle school? BAG.
Clear it all out. You'll feel so much better with less clutter in your life. And ultimately, that's fewer things you have to dust once a month.
3. Start browsing Pinterest.
Make a board for general home decor likes and start pinning. Try to get a feel for what you like and don't like, keep an eye out for any trends in your style, take note of any color schemes you see emerging. This will be your sounding board for all of your general likes, and then you can create other more specific boards for things you hope to actually see done in your home. Smart, right? Do it!
4. Shop till you drop.
And this is one that can be more of a slow, long term project depending on your budget. If you're ready to splurge a bit, you can head out and start shopping (or do it online while watching Netflix in your pj's).
However, if you're hoping to spread out your purchases, or looking for some thrifty steals, I would suggest keeping an eye out on craigslist or the Facebook market to find some hidden treasures. I may be a poor college student but I have a really beautiful apartment and nice furniture and all of my pieces were less than $300 all together. GET THEM DEALS, GIRL. Just take your time to find the things you actually like that are worth the money you'll end up paying for it.
Refurbishing old, semi-ugly furniture is all the rage right now so don't shy away from grabbing that coffee table that would look better with a little color. Spray paint is a great option to spice up an older piece of furniture, give a piece more personality, or help it fit into your color scheme.
Another great thing to look for is some candles or wallflowers for your home, to get the place smelling like home! The smell of someone's house is often the first thing I notice when I go in, what impression are you making?
5. Maintain it!
Try to maintain a clean house. Life gets busy (shocker) and you'll throw clothes on the floor or make a mess in some other way. But as long as your house isn't grimy and cluttered, it'll be much easier to keep a tidy space on a regular basis. And when things get chaotic, you can just spend a few minutes clearing things up rather than spending hours catching up on old cleaning you kept putting off.
In the end, all of these things will help give your home a much more personal touch and allow you to have a more productive space where you can relax and de-stress. The truth is that you'll feel so much better binging your favorite show when you're cozy in a house that is uniquely yours.
Beth El Fattal is a writer who covers astrology, pop culture and relationship topics.