How to create a home that is a haven

One of the things that became abundantly clear to me this year is that the most important things you can have (aside from a loving family) is a home that you truly love, is fun and you feel comfortable and safe in. 
With many of life's distractions taken away - travel, the freedom to visit friends and family, social gatherings and even shopping... which I hasten to add is my ultimate downtime hobby.  Our homes are now more than ever before  the centre of everything!

I don't know about you, but my reaction to the challenges of this year was to double down at home, invest in and create a space that felt like somewhere I actually didn't want to leave. 

With all of this in mind, I thought id share a few little tips that I found useful for making my home a sanctuary. 
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1. Declutter 
Set aside a weekend to go through your home and ask yourself... is it useful? Is it beautiful? And if you had to re buy it, would you? Clutter makes us feel disorganised and busy. Letting go of clutter helps us to clearly see the things we do love in our home and enjoy the space without unnecessary distractions 

2. Spring clean 
You know the saying tidy home, tidy mind. Well, I absolutely sign up to this mantra. Once you have decluttered its time to give everywhere a good old spring clean. You'll feel in control and organised and proud of the home you live in. Choose cleaning products in fragrances you love to evoke feelings of contentment and happiness. And don't forget to spring clean the exterior too. There are probably still leaves and branches from fall and winter lying in the garden or on the roof so getting a gardener or Clean Pro Gutter Cleaning Tacoma to come and handle that is something to consider. Furthermore, outdoor mess like piles of leaves and similar debris can attract various pests. If you are to find you have a pest issue while spring cleaning, make sure to look into Texas exterminators (or exterminators near you) to deal with the issue.

​3. Let the outside in 
Now that everywhere is decluttered, organised and sparkling clean its time to open up all of the windows and let the fresh air and daylight in. Its important our homes don't become too sterile and we all know nature is so important for wellbeing. House plants are great for detoxifying our environment and bringing nature into our homes so invest in some inside greenery for your abode. Not to add how fabulous they can look 

4. Its all about the right lighting 
Don't forget about the evenings too. Whilst its a great idea to immerse our home's in natural light in the daytime, getting the lighting right for the evenings is equally as important.  A cosy and welcoming environment is just the ticket for evenings, especially during the long winter months.  Led strip lighting is perfect for creating ambient mood lighting so you don't have to rely on glaring and unforgiving overhead ceiling lights. It can also help to pick out any areas you'd like to make more a feature in your home. I particularly love strip led strip lighting in kitchens, along shelving and in wardrobes. 
Additionally, a bright and bold neon sign could add a fun touch to the rooms in your home so do not be afraid to experiment with different types of lighting to find what works for you.

5. Bring the Coffee shop to your home 
Grabbing a coffee on the way to the office or when running an errand used to be engrained into our daily routines and i'll be honest,  its one of the thing I miss most about life pre covid! Something that I have found has helped me has been investing in a coffee machine and mastering the art of the at home cappuccino.  Being able to make coffee shop standard coffee for myself has really helped me to enjoy being at home more without having to leave... just don't ask for coffee art!

​6. Fragrance can be so impactful. 
I find lighting one of my favourite candles or burning my favourite aromatherapy oil throughout the day really helps to lift my mood and create an indulgent and relaxing environment.  For stressful days I gravitate towards lavender and camomile and for days where I need a spring in my step I choose lemon, bergamot and sweet orange

​I hope there are some useful tips for you to implement into your own homes... perhaps you have already implemented some of these already?
Id love to hear if you have!

Belle 
​Xx