Author: Uncommonspaces

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how to's organizing

26 home office must haves for a small business.

Its been about a year since I started working from home and, let me tell you, having an efficient office space has been so important.

Not only does it enable me to get things done quickly and easily, but it also makes my work space both comfortable and productive.

Whether you’re setting up your home office for the first time or needing to get your existing office whipped into shape, give these 26 home office must haves a shot and you will be amazed at how much more productive you are.

This post contains affiliate links. I can make money if you make a purchase after clicking on one of my links.

Home office must haves and tips.

How to set up a good home office.

I’ve found the key to setting up a good home office is making it functional.

Do this by thing through how you plan to use your office, what makes that process easier or faster, and how can you make sure each of those elements are productive and safe.

Which is exactly what I’ve been doing while my office is a lovely, well decorated space, I quickly discovered it wasn’t all so functional when I actually started working in it.

So over the last few months, I’ve worked hard to make that pretty space into an efficient and productive home office.

I hope this simple list of home office must haves helps you get your office set up for success.

Home office essentials list.

Ok, lets get to the good stuff! Here are the 26 items you should make sure you have in your home office.

1 Computer

In today’s day and age, it’s critical that you have a fast, reliable computer to use for your small business.

Depending on your preference, both lap top and desk tops are great options.

Obviously, as a blogger, I do most of my work on the computer, so I invested in a nice one.

2 Monitor

If you choose to use a desk top computer, be sure to get a decent sized monitor and place it on a stand if needed to make it the right height.

You can also hook up a laptop to a larger monitor if you want to.

3 Software

One of the things that can make or break your success is having the right software.

Again, think through what your business needs to work well – is that a word processor? spread sheets? photo editing?

Make a list of what you need to do your work and then research the best options for each.

4 printer/scanner

Having a quality printer/scanner has been a game changer for me!

Prior to getting my current printer, I always struggled when I needed to print something, and now I can print wirelessly from any where in my home. It’s amazing!

Be sure to do some research and find one that fits on your printer station and has the features you need for your business.

5 Tech support

I truly believe that one of the most important things to have in place for your home office is reliable tech support.

Imagine setting up your home office with all of the expensive equipment listed here only to have an issue that you can’t fix on your own and no one to call.

The thought of dealing with technical issues has always stressed me out – I mean, my entire business is done online so having someone to call with questions (no matter how big or small) is huge for me. It’s like having my own IT department.

6 wireless mouse

I seriously can’t live without my wireless mouse.

They’re easy to use and simple to pack up and take with you if you’re working remotely.

7 wireless keyboard

Another thing you’ll need is a keyboard! The wireless ones are easy to use and convenient for keeping cords to a minimum.

8 High speed internet

High speed internet is a serious home office must have.

Check with your local provider for which speed is going to be best for the type of online work your plan to do.

9 wireless router

Now that you have internet, a wireless router makes things much more efficient.

Not having to have your computer plugged into the internet cable allows you to work anywhere in your office or even the rest of your home.

10 Back up drive or cloud storage.

I was once told that it’s important to save your files in three places – on your computer, on a back up drive and to the cloud.

I’ll be honest, at this point I’m only doing two of those, but either way, make sure you have a back up of all your files somewhere.

11 Telephone

Most likely you already have a smart phone but if you don’t – be sure to get a land line so you can have a phone number and a way for people to call your company.

12 Paper shredder

If you deal with any confidential information, having a paper shredder is definitely one of the home office must haves you’re going to need. Be sure to recycle the paper after you shred it.

13 USB drive

Even with cloud storage, it’s important to have physical ways to save files and take them with you or give them to other people.

Keep a low cost USB stick on hand for the random times you need that capability.

14 Head phones with a mic

Head phones are nice when working remotely or when someone is in the office with you.

I’ve also found that using head phones with a built in mic is more effective on conference calls or video chats than the mic on my computer.

15 Surge protector

A surge protector can keep your electronics safe in case of a power surge. They’re an affordable way to protect your expensive equipment, so don’t skip this one.

16 Desk

How well your desk functions will be critical to your success – so think hard about what size and height you need.

Also consider if you want one that can rise to a standing position.

I actually started with a desk that was way too small for me, and it made working so frustration.

I finally realized I needed one that was large enough for my computer, a note pad on one side and my planner on the other – that’s 5′ wide!

So just make sure you think through your preferences and needs before buying one.

https://uncommomspaces.com/how-to-organize-a-desk/

17 Chair

It might sound cheesy, but getting a quality chair is extremely important for your body’s health and well being.

Especially if your sitting init working alot of hours in the day.

Opt for one that’s ergonomic and sits you at the right height for your desk top.

18 Adequate lighting

If your home office doesn’t have an abundance of windows be sure to have enough lighting to make it easy on your eyes to work.

This could include a floor lamp to light up the entire room or a desk lamp to focus on your desk top.

19 File cabinet

If your keeping your office well-organized you’re most likely going to need a file cabinet for filing your records.

Many desks come with one in their drawers, but if not, you can get small ones on wheels that roll under your desk top or into a corner.

https://uncommomspaces.com/13-ways-to-organize-and-get-rid-of-paper-clutter-for-ever/

20 storage

Have a few storage cabinets or cupboards for your back stock supplies.

We purchased and hung some basic white cabinets in my office specifically for that.

21 fire proof safe.

Keep your valuables safely stowed away in a fire proof safe.

This can be stored in your desk or a cabinet, just make sure it’s easily accessible.

22 personal decor

As I’m sure you know, I’m a huge fan of making things pretty.

I also like having personalized items in my space to make it feel more like me.

I’d encourage you to add photos, art, signs, pillows, blankets, even rugs to your home office and make it feel more like your space.

23 plants

Real plants have been known to add quality to the air, and I’ve found that even faux plants add a cheerful element. Try adding a small one to your desk.

24 White board or cork board

Hang a white board or board on the wall for writing notes or reminders to yourself.

I actually use my white board to schedule out my week using sticky notes- which just goes to show that you can use it in what ever way you need to keep yourself on track.

25 Planner

Having and using a planner will make you a lot more efficient because it will help you keep track of what needs to be done.

Grab one that organizes time the way you generally think about it – in days, weeks, or months.

26 Back stock of supplies

Always keep a full stock of your needed office supplies in one of your storage cabinets.

This could include paper, paper clips, pens, scissors, staples, etc.

New office step up check list.

Now, lets review these home office must haves in list form (since it’s my favorite way to see information)

  • 1. Computer
  • 2. monitor
  • 3. software
  • 4. printer/scanner
  • 5. Tech support
  • 6. wireless mouse
  • 7. wireless key board
  • 8. high speed internet
  • 9. wireless router
  • 10. back up drive or cloud storage
  • 11. telephone
  • 12. paper shredder
  • 13. USB
  • 14. head phones with mic
  • 15. surge protector
  • 16. desk
  • 17 chair
  • 18. lighting
  • 19. file cabinet
  • 20. Storage
  • 21. safe
  • 22. personalized decor
  • 23. plants
  • 24. white board or cork board
  • 25. planner
  • 26. Back stock of supplies

I hope these simple ideas for setting up your office in an efficient and productive way were helpful!

Categories
Clean home how to's organizing

Messy house? Do these two things every day

This post contains affiliate links. I can make money if you make a purchase after clicking on one of my links.

Welcome to my world.

The bewilderment alot of people feel because their house isn’t any cleaner even though they’re home all the time is what drove me to start this blog.

When I started, this blog was annonymous. I was embarrassed and confused because my house was always a mess no matter what I did. Now its 2020, and sharing what I’ve learned about how to bring a home out of disaster status and keep it under control is my full time gig.

I have bad news and good news.

The bad news is that there isn’t a magical solution. Being in your house doesn’t make it clean. Cleaning is what makes it clean.

The good news is that there is a real-world solution. I’ve figured it out and boiled it down and shared it over and over again,

Today I’m sharing the two small tasks that make the biggest difference. If you do these two things every day (or even almost every day) your house will improve.

I promise.

Do your dishes

I run my dishwasher at night and empty it in the morning (with morning being a fluid term these days) And may days, lately, I run my dishwasher twice.

Do your dishes (whether you have a dishwasher or not) everyday, at some point during the day, and after a week you’ll figure out the time of day that works best in your home.

Just don’t give up after the first day, if you haven’t been doing your dishes daily, that first day will involve catching up. The time you spend doing dishes on day one is no indication of how long it will take you to do your dishes on the following days.

https://uncommomspaces.com/why-i-have-to-run-my-dishwasher-every-single-night/

Do a 5 minute pick up.

I really do mean five minutes. And I do really mean a pick up.

I’m not talking about a speed clean. Don’t stick everything in an empty basket to put away later.

Set a timer for five minutes and start picking things up and putting them away.

It really is that simple.

But I completely understand if your brain wont accept that it’s actually that simple. I’ve written about every objection, every but-what-about-and every she-has-no-idea-what-my-house-is-like thought you could thing of.

Here, though, in this one blog post, I’ll share the basics.

  • Set the timer for 5 minutes and stop after 5 minutes. If you keep going fine. But don’t say your going to do 5 minutes and then feel guilty for stopping after 5 minutes.
  • 5 minutes will make an impact. 5 minutes everyday (or almost everyday) will make a big impact after multiple days.
  • Do a 5 minute pick up when ever you think about doing it.
  • Start in the most visible areas of your home.
  • Remind yourself that it’s worth teaching your family members this skill even though teaching it isn’t fun at all. Once they get it, the impact multiplies. Example: 5 minutes times 4 people equals 20 minutes of impact on your home.
  • Out law pooping during pick up time. According to your unique understanding of your unique family members, make them go before or after. I recommend after because the people who claim to need to poop can draw it out with the hope that you will forget or go ahead with out them.

Is it really this simple to have a beautifully clean home?

Ummmm….NO WAY!!

There’s so much more to do to have a beautifully clean home.

But if you want a beautifully clean home, this is where you start. No home will ever be beautifully clean, with out doing the dishes.

Every home that’s beautifully clean has people living in it who puts things away.

And even though there’s no magical solution, there’s magic that happens when you do these two things.

Your house will look so much better. Just from these two tasks. I mean it. I wouldn’t have believed it either, but I experienced it. I’d lived all these years thinking the answer to my messy house was a week with nothing else to do so I could clean it perfectly and then start maintaining.

https://uncommomspaces.com/maintaining-the-progress-youve-made-in-your-home/

That never worked.

Only when I started doing small things everyday did I start to see real change in my home. I was surprised, too, so don’t feel bad if your skeptical.

Categories
Clean home how to's organizing

9 Things to stop buying if you want to be a minimalist.

What ever being a minimalist means to you, we all crave a life filled with less clutter.

We often surround ourselves with mounds and mounds of material possessions that slowly consume our homes and then our minds.

If you are on a journey to find a more minimal life style then you probably have done everything you think you should to get yourself there.

You probably de cluttered your homes, you bought matching containers, and you made multiple trips to good will.

If you’ve gotten this far, kudos to you!

This post contains affiliate links. I can make money if you make a purchase after clicking on one of my links.

Some times this step alone can be daunting, but if you made it there, or want to get there we all need to stop doing this one thing.

Buying more stuff!

I am a big fan of retail therapy, but what happens is you are setting your newly de cluttered life up for failure…which will make you need to reach back out to therapy..retail therapy…

What a vicious circle.

We purge, we feel better. We buy, we feel better.

So this is a rather difficult thing to balance, but it can be done more easily than you think.

Your desire to want to be more minimal has to outweigh the need to buy more items.

The benefits that come from living a simpler, decluttered and minimalist life are too good to ignore.

https://uncommomspaces.com/de-clutter-your-home-fast/ in this post you will leave 5 simple ideas for decluttering your home quickly.

If you want a clear mind, a clean home, and a more balanced life, then you need to stop buying the following things.

Clothes

You have got to learn how to respect the clothes that you have. I know that may sound odd, buy we end up wearing the clothes we respect again and again for a reason.

They make our bodies look more attractive, they are made out of better quality material, they make us feel good about ourselves.

This type of relationship does not develop with cheap T-shirts that stretch out in one wash, or a pair of pants that you constantly have to adjust.

There is a reason why you stick with certain pieces in your closet. Remove all the clothes you do not respect even if that brings you down to a closet fill with less then 20 pieces.

Need some tips on how to de clutter your kids bedrroms? They are all right here in this post https://uncommomspaces.com/10-tips-for-controlling-clutter-in-kids-bedrooms/

Only buy new clothes that you will love for years to come, that will last, and that will respect you back.

So put down that $5 tank top and stop buying clothes just to buy them, and start making thoughtful buying decisions in your minimalist life style.

Over all the best part of having a minimalist wardrobe is it will save you time, money, and those morning headaches of figuring out what to wear.

Gifts

Ok, not all gifts, but physical gifts. We often feel the need to buy tons of material possessions for birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas, etc.

Instead of buying clutter that you are now going to pass on to someone else, think about giving people experiences as gifts. Its a minimalist concept that yields huge results.

The obvious gift card is a good one, but you could give people vouchers for massages, rock climbing, golfing, kayaking, movie tickets, or concert tickets, etc.

Pass on memories and an experience that will enrich your loved ones life. Versus buying a new shirt they may or may not wear.

Duplicates of self care items.

If you want to practice minimalism you need to get in the habit of using one self care product completely before you buy duplicates.

For example, use up the entire bottle of lotion before buying a new one.

We tend to stockpile supplies, and this, of course, comes in handy, but there is a difference from having one extra tooth paste on hand versus 10.

We also hold on to a lot of items in our bathroom for that one day. One day I might crimp my hair, one day I might use this fancy hair clip. Many times that day never comes, so only keep around what you actually use.

Home decor.

No, its not like you shouldn’t buy new things for your home. What needs to change about buying home decor is that your buying something with purpose and thoughtfulness

If you know you want a new comforter set, the go buy a comforter set.

Just don’t walk by a new comforter set at Ross and on a whim decide to buy it if it was never an intentional purchase.

As you buy new things for your home, replace it with something old that you can let go of.

Items on sale.

We get suckered into good sales and unfortunately bad sales.

Good sales are the one that actually saved you money and you got what you needed.

Bad sales are when you end up spending more money than intended for an item you never were going to buy, just because it was on sale.

Sales have a way of convincing you that you are ignorant to pass up this opportunity, but be wary of the trap.

If you truly want to practice a life of minimalism, you are going to have to look past sales on items that will just become more clutter in your home.

Extra food.

I don’t even need to find a study on how much food we waste, because it’s common knowledge.

We end up wasting alot of food in our lives.

We over buy, we don’t end up eating what we bought, and then in the trash, it goes.

I know this isn’t always on purpose, maybe we were hungry when we went shopping that day. What ever the reason, if you are finding you end up throwing away alot of food every week, you may simply be buying too much.

Really examine your next week of groceries.

Do you ever finish all the herbs you purchased before they go bad? Maybe you could grow some instead?

Maybe you never can finish all the veggies you bought. Make sure you incorporate these specific veggies into your meals for the entire week, not just one meal.

Try not to create such different meals for everyday of the week. Instead of tacos and then lasagna. How about tacos, and then mexican salad? How else are you going to use up the bundle of cilantro.

Single use kitchen gadgets.

There are some cool kitchen gadgets out there, but many of them are extremely bulky.

Try to find multi function kitchen appliances that can save you tons of space in your kitchen.

Instead of a small bullet blender, a real blender, a chopper, and a salsa maker, one good blender can perform all of these functions.

A waffle maker can also make toasted panini sandwhiches! No need for a panini maker.

A toaster oven can make your toast. No need for a toaster.

Think about reducing the number of kitchen gadgets and think twice before you buy something that maybe something you already own can handle.

Containers, purses, and bags.

Unless it’s for a purpose, we often go crazy with buying things, to put things in. We buy containers on a whim, and often they do not fit the space we wanted to use it for.

With out a plan, buying containers and hoping they will work under our sinks and in our pantry end up just being extra clutter we use some where else.

We also collect purses, bags, grocery bags, canvas totes, extra coolers, travel bags, make up bags, etc.

Sometimes it just hard to purge these items, you might be on a budget, or just do not have the funds. https://uncommomspaces.com/7-tips-to-de-clutter-on-a-low-income-and-why-its-different

Try to limit yourself to only the essential bags you will actually use.

If you find a life changing beach bag or a new make up bag, remove the old one to make room for the new, instead of stock piling.

Items you could make.

Of course, this category is not for every one. But there are many things we do spend money on and bring into the home that we could easily have made with the ingredients and supplies we already have.

Cleaning supplies: You can make any house hold cleaner with vinegar, baking soda, and essential oils now a days.

Cards: If you have crafting supplies, many people could make a birthday or holiday card with the supplies they already have in their home.

Throw pillows: Instead of buying a new one, take a shirt or and old sheet you no longer need and cut, wrap, and sew a new cover bringing an old throw pillow new life.

Clothes: There are hundreds of tutorials on how to turn your existing clothes into T-shirt bags, tank tops, shorts, from jeans etc. Reinvent the clothes you have instead of buying more.

Paint your furniture: If you really are craving white for that clean minimalist feel. Then paint what you already have white. Don’t rush out to buy new furniture or worse. Just add in more to what you already have.

Becoming more of a minimalist takes practice, patients, and self-awareness. We no longer just try to ce clutter out homes, we are trying to declutter our lives and in the process becoming more full filled with what we already have.

Contentment is not easy, especially in a day and age of intense consumerism. Yet it can be done.

Remember that you are in control of what you buy, you are in control of what you spend your money on, and you are in control of what comes into your home. Its also coming into your mind.

So be thoughtful about your purchases and know that the benefits from this type of life style will out weigh that novelty coffee cup you thought you just HAD to have!

Categories
Clean home how to's organizing

The financial cost of “someday stock piling.

These last few weeks, I’ve been thinking about a garage sale. I have already been de cluttering on a regular basis for the last year and a half. So I was afraid I would find little to sell. At the same time, I wanted this to be our best yard sale to date since I want to do all that I can to help our family prepare for the trip to California we plan to take.

In the end, we hauled four truck loads worth of stuff to the local Good Will.

As I was hauling items to sell out of various locations through out the house I noticed a trend.

Alot of items were what I like to call “someday” stock pile items.

Some day I will have the time to scrap book again so I should save these supplies. (never mind that I switched to making photo books, years ago).

Some day we might go back to tent camping and these lanterns will be needed again.

This post contains affiliate links. I can make money if you make a purchase after clicking on one of my links.

Perhaps it was because I recently listened to the Life
Changing Magic of Tidying Up, or that I am currently following fellow blogger A Slob Comes Clean. But suddenly my eyes were opened that holding onto someday items even if I did have space for them in my house – was costing me money.

Each year you hold on to some day items they are losing value.

New and improved models for just about everything come out every year and rarely do older items go up in value, at least not the type of items I was holding on to.

Each year you hold onto some day items there is a risk that they will become damaged and there fore lose more value.

I had stuck several some day items in the basement and when I brought them upstairs into better light, I realized some items had mildew growing on them that would not wipe off and I had to toss them. Had I simply sold them right away after realizing I wasn’t going to get the project they were intended for anytime soon, I would have been able to recoup some of my initial investment.

https://uncommomspaces.com/how-to-get-motivated-to-clean-when-your-overwhelmed-by-the-mess/ I found by doing some research some really interesting facts.

Each year you hold onto someday items you have less room and this can lead to storage expenses.

This has not happened to our family yet. I hope it never does, but I know better than to say never, that word always has me eating humble pie. It is so easy to think out homes have become much too small and either spend money getting a bigger home or money on a storage unit for our stuff.

Its much cheaper to buy back things should your someday ever arrive than to pay either storage fees, more rent, or higher mortgage costs. Plus with a larger living area come larger heating and cooling bills and often higher property tax.

Need tips on how to de clutter when your on a low income? https://uncommomspaces.com/7-tips-to-de-clutter-on-a-low-income-and-why-its-different/ This post has some great suggestions.

Each year you add to your someday pile your home becomes more cluttered, which comes with a hidden price.

I have been decluttering for the past year and a half now. And I no longer want to escape my home. Instead, I want to stay home and enjoy the haven it is becoming.

Going out is rarely free. Either we spend money on food, entertainment, or more someday stuff.

How to cure the someday stockpile problem.

Thankfully the solution to the financial cost of someday stockpiling is pretty simple.

When you are about to buy something new

If you are about to buy something new (or new to you) no matter how low in cost the item ask your self “can I fit the project this item creates into my calendar with in the next 6 months?” Be brutally honest and if the answer is no, don’t buy it.

Also ask your self “how many projects have I already added to my calendar?” And will adding this item to my list be too much.

These questions can apply to supplies for a new or existing hobby, buying supplies for a home renovation project and more.

When you are decluttering.

If you are de cluttering ask your self the same questions, realistically, will I be able to use up these items in the next 6 months? If the answer is no, sell the items and get back more now for them than when you finally give up on the idea 3 years from now.

The key is to be brutally honest about your life and what fits into it and what doesn’t. You also have to be confident in who you are and what you enjoy. Perhaps you thought you could become one of those cool moms that sew up cute outfits for their babies, but truth be told sewing just doesn’t interest you.

Asking these questions day in and day out both as you purchase items and as you de clutter your home will save you a significant amount of money over time as well as put money back into your wallet through re sale.

Stop stockpiling for someday and start living today clutter free. Your home and wallet will thank you!

Categories
how to's

How to keep your house smelling good…ALWAYS.

This post contains affiliate links. I can make money if you make a purchase after clicking on one of my links.

How to make your house smell really good.

The first step in any fresh smelling home is to get rid of the bad smells. We don’t want to mask existing odors. Sometimes a little “house deodorizing” is in order.

Here are a few ways to rid your house of any bad odors first. (Feel free to skip to #5 if you already know these tricks).

How do you deodorize a house?

1 Empty garbage cans regularly.

When it comes to removing house hold smells, you have to find the source. Some of your bad odors might be coming from your trash. And it can quickly go from fine to nasty Because you need to change your kitchen and bathroom can liners every couple of days, or more often if you detect an odor.

2 Clean out your refridgerator.

Your fridge is another bad scent culprit. Go through it once a week and toss items that are past their prime. A little hack is to put an open box of baking soda in your fridge to absorb the odors.

3 Sprinkle some baking soda before vacuuming.

To deodorize your carpet, mix baking soda and some essential oil drops in a bowl, then sprinkle on your carpet or rug. Let it sit as long as over night to really absorb odors.

4 Open the windows.

Weather permitting. A great way to freshen the air in your home is to open the windows. Even just for an hour or two! You can get rid of cooking smells, or any other stale lingering odor this way.

How can I make my house smell good all the time?

5 Use your crock pot.

Did you know that you can use your slow cooker to eliminate odors in your home?

Here’s how:

  • 1. Put some water in your slow cooker. (a small one works great for this) But any size will do the trick
  • 2. Add in 3 or more tbsp of baking soda.
  • 3. Keep the lid off, and just let this concoction work its magic.

6 Get an air purifier.

To keep your home smelling fresh all the time, run an air purifier regularly. In addition to eliminating house hold odors, it also reduces dust and pollen.

7. Make your own pet deodorizer.

If you have pets, you know that they just come with their own set of odors. If you’ve ever wondered how to keep your house smelling good with pets, try making this natural pet deodorizer.

  • Mix 2 tbsp baking soda with 2 c distilled water and 8-12 drops of pet safe essential oils in a spray bottle.

You can spray it right on your pet, or in their bed to help neutralize odors.

Also be sure to brush your pet regularly, in addition to vacuuming the carpet and furniture. And of course, if they have an accident, use a pet stain and odor eliminator as quickly as possible.

8. Get rid of those musty towel smells.

One of the lingering odors that could be jeoperdizing your home’s freshness, is the moldy towel smell. Here’s an easy trick to rid your towels of that gross mildewy scent.

Soak your towels overnight in hot water and cup or 2 of vinegar. You can lay them in the bath tub or put them in the washing machine (but dont run the load) Then the next day, wash them like usual, and ta-da! No more musty smell.

https://uncommomspaces.com/keeping-up-with-the-laundry-its-easier-then-you-think/ Find more tips and trick in this post! And learn how you can easily stay on top of the laundry.

9. Freshen up your shoes.

You may not even realize that your shoes are contributing to the odor in your home. Spray the insides of your shoes with “shoe-pourri” to eliminate any bad scnts. Another hack is to spray so dry shampoo inside your shoes to soak up any funkiness.

10. Use drain cleaner.

Your sink drains can be another contributing factor to the way your house smells. Plink is a product I find to be a great way to freshen things up.

11. Use a daily shower cleaner spray.

The benefit of daily shower spray is two- fold. Your shower will stay cleaner longer, and it will prevent a mildewy smell.

What can I use to make my home smell good?

12. Use a linen of room spray.

When wanting to make your room smell good, just spritz the air, or your furniture, or linens with a room spray. Grove collborative has many to chose from. https://www.grove.co/referrer/3825420/ this is my referal link if you’d like to make an order!

13. Put essential oils on your furnace filter.

Sprinkle a few drops of your favorite essential oils right on your furnace filter to keep the scent pumped through out your home.

14. Use good smelling cleaning products.

To help motivate you to clean and keep your house smelling fresh, use cleaning products with scents you love.

15. Burn candles.

Scented candles are one of my favorite ways to make our house smell good. There’s something for everyone. Try Jewelry Candle Co – JEWELSCENT | Hidden jewel valued $15-$7500 in our jewelry scents For some really amazing scented candles. They are my fav!

16. Use wax melts.

If you want to make your house smell good with out candles (because having a lit candle in your home kind of freaks you out), let me introduce you to the wax melt warmer. I use mine daily. It creates scent by melting wax cubes with a light bulb, so there’s no need for a flame.

17. stove top pot pourri.

Simmer some pot pourri right on your stove top by adding pot pourri to some water in a pan. You can also make your own mixture with things like citrus peels, cinnamon sticks, and your favorite herbs.

18. Clip fabreeze vent clips to your home vents.

Typically designed for the car, try using the fabreeze vent clips in your home. Your furnace or air conditioner will push the scent out into your home.

19. Use coffee beans.

Fill a small jar with coffee beans. Then place a tea light in the center. When lit, it will warm the beans and make your home smell delicious.

20. Try an oil diffuser.

I absolutely love my essential oil diffuser. Just add some water and drops of your favorite essential oils, and enjoy the scent all day long.

21. Hack some scent boosters

If you know the beauty of downy unstoppables I’m about to drop some knowledge! You can use them for more than just fresh smelling laundry!

Put some in a little mesh bag and place around your home or in your drawers! Your clothes will smell good, and keep your drawers from getting that stale odor.

If you have a wax melt warmer, you can also use scent booster instead of traditional wax melts.

22. Put essential oil in your toilet paper roll.

Yup, just sprinkle a few drops of essential oil right on the card board part of your toilet paper roll. It makes your bathroom smell good, and the lovely scent will waft out everytime someone grabs some toilet paper.

23. Get some fresh plants.

You could treat yourself to a bouquet from the grocery store, or buy some flowering plants to keep in your home. Growing your own herbs is another idea to make your kitchen smell good.

In conclusion

When it comes to making your house or appartment smell good, these strategies make a really big difference.

I really hope these fresh smelling home tips and tricks gave you some inspiration for new ways to keep your house smelling good.

Categories
Clean home how to's

Maintaining the progress you’ve made in your home.

Do you ever work really hard to clean your house and it feels absolutely amazing about how great it looks, then wake to a complete disaster zone the next morning and immediately become discouraged?

You are far from alone! I think we’ve all been there – the laundry, dishes, and clutter piles sometimes feel like they form out of no where! And while my house wont clean it’s self, I have learned a few tricks about keeping it manageable and nice looking most of the time, and I want to share those tips with you.

10 ways to keep your house clean, after you clean.

This post contains affiliate links. I can make money if you make a purchase after clicking on one of my links.

1 Give your home 15 minutes a day.

You may not be able to clean the entire house everyday, but you can still spend 15 minutes doing something. Whether you unload or reload the dishwasher, tidy the living room, or fold one load of laundry, you’re making forward progress.

Many days, you’ll be able to do more than one of those but even on days you can’t dedicate alot of time cleaning, accomplishing just a little bit will help keep your house in decent condition until you can get to the rest.

2 Having a cleaning day (or 3) every week.

Regularly give your home a little extra time to take care of anything the 15 minutes couldn’t do. The more cleaning sessions you have planned each week, the better, because a few days worth of stuff is easier to clean up than a full weeks. And, if you have multiple cleaning sessions scheduled each week and need to skip one, you know you’ll have another coming up soon.

3 Skip playing catch up.

Is vacuuming supposed to happen on Mondays but now it’s Tuesday? Don’t vacuum – simply move on to the next chore and wait until vacuuming day rolls back around. The same goes for scrubbing bathrooms, mowing grass, cleaning out the fridge etc. Just move on and catch up those chores the next time around. This will allow you to take needed breaks and enjoy your loved ones instead of becoming a slave to your schedule.

4 Focus on blessing – not impressing – visitors.

When we try to impress people, our entire mindset changes. Instead of putting things away and considering it good enough, we start shoving clutter into corners and closets so we can dust or mop or shine things up to a higher standard than what we’d normally do.

Focus instead on blessing your visitors with a welcoming attitude. This way, your cleaning in a way that’s beneficial to your family, not just potentially impressive to company.

5 simplify your routine.

Do you really need to dust on top of the fridge or sweep your side walk on a regular basis? Somethings can wait for longer inbetween.

6 Forget about perfection.

The Pareto principal states that it takes 20% of time to complete 80% of the job, and the other 80% of the time to finish 20% of the work. Most of the time, it’s perfectly wonderful and freeing to quickly complete your 80% of the house keeping and not worry about the final, more time consuming 20%.

7 Think positively.

If you think you can accomplish something then you can likely accomplish it. On the other hand, if you can tell yourself that homemaking isn’t important or you don’t have time, you’ll end up living in a constant mess. Believe that you can succeed, and make sure your actions validate that belief.

8 Hit your clutter spot.

Think about the one room you really love to clean – for me it’s the kitchen. If the rest of the house is a mess but my kitchen is clean, I feel like my house is under control. On the other hand, if the rest of the house is tidy but the kitchen is a mess, I feel overwhelmed and stressed out.

Maybe your hot spot is the laundry, or the living room, or the toy room. What ever that one place is (and don’t say it’s your entire house) clean that first. Every time. I promise it will make the biggest positive difference in your home, which will likely help your stress levels and mental health.

9 Speak kindly to those around you.

A clean home isn’t worth a damaged relationship. If you have a Martha Stewart type home but your family members are harshly criticized everytime they leave something out, they’ll remember the criticism, not the clean home. On the other hand, if a mess house full of love, hospitality, and encouragement, the love will be cherished and the mess will likely become a faded memory.

But there’s no need to choose – you can work on both your attitude and your house to provide a clean home as well as a loving environment.

Want to learn to love your home even more? Read this related post! https://uncommomspaces.com/7-simple-tricks-that-will-make-you-love-your-home/

10 De Clutter annually

I know the idea of de cluttering annually sounds crazy at first, but just hear me out on this. We live in our homes, and especially if there are children in the house, there’s a steady stream of Christmas presents, birthday presents, Easter baskets, school projects and every day clutter that comes with it.

So once a year, take a few days (or weeks) and really focus on thoroughly de cluttering your entire house from top to bottom. Out of all the things on this list, de cluttering annually has by far had the biggest, most positive impact for my family.

Do you ever wonder why you can’t make your organizing systems work? Read why and what to do in this post. https://uncommomspaces.com/why-do-organizing-systems-work-great-for-some-people-and-fail-miserably-for-others/

Bonus tip: Spend tons of time outside.

Completing chores first thing in the morning, then spending the rest of the day outside is a little trick I learned when I was a teenager and earning babysitting money. The kids had a blast, the adults were happy because their house was clean, and I was happy because someone was actually paying me money to play outside all day.

Doing this with my own kids keep everyone smiling, the house in great shape, and bed time a breeze because they’re so tired they fall alseep in two 2nds. WIN!!

Categories
Uncategorized

Why I have to run my dishwasher every single night!

I’ve mentioned to a few people that I run the dishwasher every night, and empty it every morning.

They think its strange not to just wait until it “needs it”.

They don’t understand because they’re normal.

I’m not!

I have to make myself run it every night for two reasons.

First, by running it every night, I’m able to empty it first thing in the morning, leaving myself no excuses to let dirty dishes pile up in the sink all day long because there’s no room in the dish washer. Or, if I run it randomly during the day, I may or may not have the time (or the occurrence of of thought) to empty it, leaving me in basically the same situation. Second, if it isn’t a non negotiable for me, I tend to assume that there aren’t enough dishes to fill it, and so I don’t bother to put the dirty dishes from the counter, or the table, or the computer desk, or the coffee table in it. And generally, I’m wrong.

Knowing that have to run it every single night (because I’m a slob, and I’m compensating for how my slob brain works) means that I go gather up every dish in the house in an attempt to fill it full. Generally, I do fill it full. Since we don’t use paper plates anymore, and as a germaphobe. I don’t like to drink out of a cup if I can’t remember for sure if it was mine… We have lots of dishes at the end of the day. There’s also enough room for the bigger stuff that I used to hand wash because the dishwasher was completely full with cups or plates.

Occasionally there are days when it isn’t full, and generally that’s when we’ve been gone. If that’s truly the case after every last dish has been gathered, and I can justify that the next day won’t bring an overabundance of dishes, I won’t run it. But I can only make this decision after I have made every attempt to get it full. And at that point, at least there are no dirty dishes laying around.

Categories
organizing

9 reasons you fear de cluttering clothes (and how to get past it).

In this post we’ll discuss nine reasons why so many of us fear decluttering clothes. To successfully de clutter your wardrobe, it’s imperative to recognize many of the seemingly logical excuses we make are actually based on fear.

It’s harder to de clutter clothes, so we’ll also talk about mind set shifts and strategies you can practice to conquer your fears about getting rid of clothes you don’t wear.

This post may contain affiliate links. I can make money if you make a purchase after clicking on one of my links.

These are part of my essential de cluttering tips to help you enjoy a clutter free home and life whether you struggle with one of all of these issues, I know you can reach your goal of a de cluttered and amazing wardrobe.

There is some tough love in the post… Please understand that it comes from a place of wanting you to be happy and comfortable with your home.

Ready to stop feeling like a clothes hoarder and end the fear of de cluttering your clothes? Keep reading…

How to recognize that you fear de cluttering clothing.

The first obstacle many face when learning how to de clutter your wardrobe is thinking it’s necessary to keep everything. We may not recognize this fear, but that’s what it is.

We often phrase this fear in a way that gives us a logical – sounding reason to keep too may clothes.

But in the end, fear is just an excuse. Which is awesome because it means you can find even better reasons to get rid of clothing you don’t need.

Here are some of the fears I and many others have worked through, along with some tips to help you stop making excuses due to fear.

1 What if I de clutter too many clothes?

Are you afraid you’ll de clutter so much that you wont be able to assemble complete outfits?

The odds of that happening are so low that you really shouldn’t worry about it. If you managed to dress yourself daily now, and you don’t wear everything you own, then you have nothing to worry about.

Besides, after you declutter, you will still have at least a base wardrobe. Many people call this a capsule wardrobe and find it makes creating a variety of outfits easier than when trying to work with an overwhelming wardrobe.

Try this:

  • Store half of your current season clothes in covered bins.
  • Put the bins somewhere you wont see them everyday. If you don’t have the space for bins, store them in zippered bags under your bed.
  • Then, just see how it goes for two months. Set a reminder on your phone or in your planner to do a wardrobe review.
  • Did you miss anything? Did you forget about those clothes you didn’t wear?
  • If you didn’t miss anything, pack those bins in your vehicle and drop them off at a donation center. Don’t even open them, just let them go.
  • Do this every season for a year.

2 I’ll be sad if my closet isn’t full.

This fear is so powerful. Triggered by our need to fill and desire to exceed the basic necessities of life, we start to equate a smaller wardrobe with an empty closet. We confuse it with lack, poverty, and failure.

Turn that thinking on its head:

  • Rejoice because you can find all your clothes which means you are successful at organizing.
  • Everything works together… or works on its own because it’s an amazing piece. This means you continue to provide well for your self.
  • Your clothes have room to breathe, so they will be less wrinkled and require less preparation time before wearing. You care for yourself and your possessions admirably.

3 My clothes are my identity. Getting rid of them would be like losing part of myself.

No, a wardrobe is simply a collection of inanimate objects.

Keeping the best of your clothes is making a positive choice. And when you keep and wear only the clothes that make you feel amazing, it means you’re not afraid to be your very best self all the time.

Or – a related fear – you just know people would talk about you… how you used to dress so well, but obviously now you can’t afford a decent wardrobe.

Well, first of all, most people really wont notice. We’re all naturally less observant of what others wear then ourselves. So, stop letting that concern you.

Second, if you have friends like that, it may be time to expand your circle to include people who really care about you and don’t gossip. I know, not exactly the point here… but not all of our decluttering is about physical objects.

4 What if I have to go back to work.

Maybe you successfully work from home right now, but in the back of your mind lives the niggling worry that something will happen and you will have to get a “real” job again.

So you hold onto your old work clothes, because you want to be ready just in case.

Plus the idea of replacing those expensive work clothes makes you cringe.

Been there, felt that. This ones very personal. Guess what I kept in my closet for two years after I quit a job which I knew I would never return? Yep, work clothes that I had no other reason to wear.

Here are some things to consider.

  • If you do decide to return to work outside the home, wearing newer clothes that are more stylish will give you a confidence boost.
  • Your old work clothes may not be appropriate for a new work position.
  • Most importantly, hanging on to those clothes is a limiting belief. You’re telling yourself that you don’t truly believe in your abilities or your decisions to work from home.
  • Let go of the old clothes, let go of the doubt, and go all in on your belief in yourself.
  • If you want to move forward in your business – and your life – you have to release things from the past. That includes the clothes that represent the old work you – you aren’t that person now. You’ve moved on.

Try this:

Keep a few things from your previous professional work wardrobe that are comfortable to wear and make you feel confident and productive. Then, wear those clothes even when you’re working from home and nobody can see you.

Don’t worry about wrecking them. You weren’t wearing them anyway, so what would it matter. You just may boost your productivity and your business. If the clothes don’t help and you don’t love them, then its truly better to let those clothes go completly.

5 I have a hard time finding clothes that fit.

For many of us, shopping is difficult because stores carry limited sizes, and anything outside that selection is hard to find and often expensive. We feel like we have to keep everything even if it’s not particularly comfortable or we don’t really like it much.

A couple things to try.

  • From your closet, pull out the things you like and fit us. The ones you wear all the time. See how many outfits you can make from those. It’s likely you really do have enough clothing you love and you can just let the other things go.
  • If you have a difficult time finding clothes in brick and mortar stores, check online. If you have a Amazon Prime membership, you can often purchase clothing with free prime shipping. Also check the description because many companies also offer free return shipping when you buy through Amazon. It’s a good way to try on clothing with out as much frustration.

So don’t be afraid to get rid of those things that aren’t you… That aren’t comfortable… that don’t make you feel good when your wearing them. A good base wardrobe means it’s simpler to plan outfits and keep track of your stuff.

6. Shopping is overwhelming.

Oh, I hear you! Even when most stores carry your size, simply finding them can feel an immense effort.

Walking into a store and seeing so many options that you forget what you needed to purchase, searching through racks and racks of clothes just to find a few things that you like.

Then, finally you try them on only to discover they look weird. Or suddenly you realize they wont work with anything you already have.

You end up keeping all of your old unworn and unloved clothes simply because you already have them and it makes you feel like you don’t have to search for anything new.

Once again, online shopping is your friend. It might take a while to find a store that caters to your personal style with clothes that fit and make you feel amazing, but once you do, sign up for their email list and periodically browse their site.

It’s so much less overwhelming than shopping in person and you’ll often end up with clothes that are more unique than what everyone else is wearing.

In the mean time, slowly weed out the clothes you’ve hung onto and either never worn or that don’t work with your favorites. Keeping them isn’t helping you or preventing the need to occasionally have to replace your favorite items.

7. What if I gain or lose weight?

I often hear people say something like “my weight fluctuates so regularly that I have to keep all the things”

I can understand that. I’ve been there.

But I would suggest just keeping only one or two outfits in one size higher and lower than where you are now.

What ever size you’re in right now is probably the one you wear most often, so just go with it and build your wardrobe around that base.

Then consider… What can you do to stay in one size clothing? Some of that is personal health choices, some if it can feel out of control.

For now, work with your body. Keep clothes that have a little bit of give, some stretch, ect. Use your current accessories to help you feel more stylish in your outfits even if they don’t fit perfectly.

If you are a large size right now and your hoping that your going to reduce 5 sizes into things your still keeping from years ago, you really need to let all of those very tiny clothes go.

Realistically, it will take a while to lose enough weight to change that many sizes. Plus, something you can look forward to… clothing in those smaller sizes will be easier to find when the time comes.

If your afraid your going to gain 10 or 20 pounds because that’s been your history… what can you do to prevent that?

Dress for the person you are today. You’ll be happier because you wont have to face negative reminders every time you open your closet.

You might be surprised that it’s easier to stay one size if you don’t have so many “just in case pieces” on hand.

8. Everyone saves their special clothing.

No, many people don’t. That statement in your head is simply more flawed thinking.

Keeping all those old clothes for the memories is doing you no good at all. How often do you pull them out to help you remember events from your past?

Probably never.

As an example, here is how I learned that lesson.

I saved my wedding dress, high school graduation dress, and several other “special pieces” for many years through several moves. I don’t recall ever pulling those things out to look at, only packing them up to move.

Then we had an incident with one of out pets. My special clothes were ruined and discarded. I definitely shed some tears.

But, most importantly, I made a discovery… I didn’t actually need these clothes to remember those events. It kind of blew my mind, but it was also incredibly liberating.

Try this.

Pull out some of the memory clothes you have been saving. Take a picture. cut a swatch of fabric, if you enjoy the texture, make a scrap book or quilt.

Keep the memories, let the clothing go.

9. What if I make a mistake when decluttering my clothes?

At the root of everything, this is our biggest fear. It encompasses everything I’ve already talked about in this post.

Some where deep inside, we’re sure that we’ll regret our decisions. Or tat we’ll accidently give away our all time favorite piece of clothing.

Try this:

Trust yourself and trust the decluttering process.

People who have been right where you are now have been successfully decluttering their clothing every single day with out regrets or mistakes. Believe that you can do this, because you really can.

You can read more about decluttering your wardrobe with these 3 posts as well.

https://uncommomspaces.com/3-clues-that-an-item-of-clothing-is-clutter/

https://uncommomspaces.com/how-to-quickly-declutter-your-closet-5-easy-steps/https://uncommomspaces.com/how-to-organize-your-closet-with-out-spending-anything/

Categories
how to's

3 clues that an item of clothing is clutter.

De cluttering clothes? Or… trying to declutter clothes? Over whelmed because you have a hard time identifying which pieces are clutter?

I feel your pain, clothing seems to multiply when I’m not looking, and de cluttering clothes is a constant battle in our home. While a big purge is awesome, there are clues I find on an on going basis that help me stick things straight into the donate box.

This post contains affiliate links. I can make money if you make a purchase after clicking on one of my links.

Clue #1: It’s in the dirty clothes (again), but it’s clean (again).

This is a common frustration for moms. I roll my eyes and think unkind thoughts when it happens in our home. I lecture, remind, and re lecture.

And usually, after a particularly profound lecture, I run across one of my own still clean items of clothing while sorting for laundry day. UGH!

When that happens, I’m reminded that many clean things which end up in the dirty clothes pile actually need to be De cluttered. Usually they are there because I thought about wearing them but changed my mind. I might even have tried them on.

The beauty of de cluttering these clothes is that they can never end up clean, but in the hamper again, once they are gone.

Yay for that!

Clue #2: They are at the bottom of a drawer that wont close.

I put away clean clothes and the drawer wont shut. Instead of throwing my hands in the air at the pointlessness of even trying to do the right thing (right thing = putting clothes away), I take a look at the clothes in the bottom of the drawer.

The ones I’m putting away are ones we’ve recently worn. We like those. If the ones in the bottom of the drawer have been there a while, we haven’t worn them.

Which means we don’t like them as much as the ones we’ve worn. Clothes we wear deserve drawer space more than clothes we haven’t worn.

Clue #3: There’s a dust line on the shoulder.

This is hanging – clothes specific. And a little embarassing.

If a closet is over stuffed and I know we need to purge, I look for clothing with dust on the hangers line.

We haven’t worn those items in the amount of time that it takes for dust to become visible on them. This isn’t a perfect or thorough strategy. Its simply a clue to help me yank out some easy stuff and get on decluttering clothing.

Getting going cures de cluttering paralysis, and even if I stop after I remove the dusty shouldered items, we have less then we did before.

And less is good.

If you get through these clues and still need some help maintaining, check out this post! https://uncommomspaces.com/how-to-quickly-declutter-your-closet-5-easy-steps/

Categories
Decor organizing

7 simple tricks that will make you love your home.

There is little worse than walking into your home and feeling stressed out and over whelmed. You want to love your home but, all you see is a chaotic mess.

Let me tell you I’ve been there. For 20 + years, we’ve lived in a pretty tiny home of less than 900 square feet. When the kids were little it was hard not to feel like there were toys and clutter everywhere, even though I did my best to keep it at a minimum. Any time family came to stay, there was always the comment about how tiny out house was, only adding to the discontentment.

We often thought about adding on, but it made no sense financially. At the same time, I knew that the environment in our home generally effects everything else. You see, if you don’t love your home it’s going to reflect itself in the rest of your life.

It was easy to see that when ever I allowed my house to get out of control I was much more likely to snap at my family and be easily irritated. Plus, I found it so hard to just sit down and relax. Its hard not to allow discontentment to show itself in your general attitude.

So if you’re like me, and want to love your home again, then its time to get intentional.

Start by being clear on what you want from your home. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but it should be a reflection of you and a place that inspires you.

In addition, it’s important for your home to be a refuge where everyone feels safe and cozy. I also want my family to feel relieved to be home when they walk in the door. Ultimately home is the place I want everyone to feel at peace.

To achieve these tings, there is no need to wait for your “dream home” There are things you can do right now to be intentional and love your home.

The best part, loving your home isn’t about making big changes: Its about learning to appreciate the little things.

By making a few simple changes I was able to change the entire atmosphere of my home and most importantly my attitude and mood.

So are you ready to rekindle your love affair with your home? There are 7 simple tricks that will make you love your home again.

This post contains affiliate links. I can make money if you make a purchase after clicking on one of my links.

1 Have a clear and organized space.

It is so true that a cluttered space creates a cluttered mind. In turn, a cluttered mind leads to overwhelm and stress. If your feeling over whelmed and stressed there is no way your going to feel at peace and love your home.

Studies have shown that a clear organized room is actually good for your. Instead of feeling discontentment, it creates a feeling of satisfaction. When you keep things clear and organized, the feeling of your home becomes restorative and restful. On the other hand, a space filled with clutter and unfinished products actually creates depression and fatigue.

To truly love your home take the time to clear your space. Here are a few simple ways to keep your home clean and orgainized.

A: Make your bed every day.

There are so many benefits to making your bed everyday. But, with out a doubt, the greatest benefit is no matter what, at least one room will feel clean.

B: Limit your laundry.

I can’t tell you how many times I would have my kiddos come to me, “hey mom! I have no socks or undies” UHG, I would get theirs done, and mine would pile up.

Honestly, laundry was always one of the hardest areas for me before I started paring down my wardrobe. To be completely truthful, I love clothes and I’ll probably never have a minimalist wardrobe. But as I have worked on downsizing and building a capsule wardrobe my laundry load has definitely lightened.

I have a bunch of tips included in this post to help you keep up with your laundry. https://uncommomspaces.com/keeping-up-with-the-laundry-its-easier-then-you-think/

It is very rare that my laundry piles up. Because it takes me so much less time to fold and put my clothes away its become a no biggy to do laundry.

While my family generally still has the same amount of clothing, lessening mine has been incredible.

C: De Clutter

Plain and simple, clutter equals stress. Lets be real, nobody walks into a cluttered space and feels a sudden sense of relaxation and peace.

If you really want to love your home, you MUST clear the clutter. I realize that if you have alot of clutter this is not an easy task. But I have a ton of help for you on this. You can find links below to my many decluttering post.

https://uncommomspaces.com/10-tips-for-controlling-clutter-in-kids-bedrooms/

https://uncommomspaces.com/13-ways-to-organize-and-get-rid-of-paper-clutter-for-ever/

https://uncommomspaces.com/de-clutter-your-home-fast/

https://uncommomspaces.com/how-to-organize-a-desk/

D: Keep your space clear.

As I mentioned above, for the past 20 something years I have lived with my boyfriend and all of our kids and pets in a small 1300 square foot home. Trust me, at various points we have used every square inch of our little space.

But here’s the thing, creating clear areas of floor space made a dramatic difference of cleanliness and order in my home. This simple adjustment made the entire house feel less cluttered and less over whelming.

You really don’t have to have hours of free time to maintain a clear and organized space.

2 Use home decor colors that make you happy.

We’ve already talked about the impact our environment has on our mood. This include the colors in our home.

According to an article in country living “the five paint colors that will make you happy” the shade of paint on your walls can bring you down, help you relax, even suppress your appetite. Amongst a number of other feelings.

For me personally, warmer neutral tons are what helps relax me and love being home. I’m just naturally drawn to warm tones. When ever I’m pursuing pintrest or scanning a decor magazine, I’m always drawn to the photos of those gorgeous rooms with pops of color from natural plants to throw rugs.

So when your looking to love your home again, focus on how you feel around certain colors and how you can incorporate them into your home. Go to pinterest or pick up a decor magazine and pay attention to what colors catch your eye, then start adding them to your home.

You don’t need to redo everything or break the budget. You can pick up some throw pillows or cozy couch throw from Amazon pretty cheap.

The point is to incorporate those colors that make you feel happy and at peace. As you do, you will love your home again.

3 Bring a little nature indoors.

Haven’t you noticed how simple little tings like fresh cut flowers or new plants can brighten your day?

Not only has it been shown that these can benefit your physical health, but simply seeing a plant subconsiously makes you feel calm and relaxed.

Flowers and plants have an immediate impact on happiness! Adding a few plants or fresh flowers is such a simple and fun way to love your home.

4 Display framed inspirational words and quotes.

We know our environment impacts our moods because we’re taking in what we see. So it only makes sense to fill our home with things that evoke a positive emotion.

Words are so powerful, in fact, they are the most powerful thing in the universe. With words, the entire universe was created.

The words we speak not just to others but to ourselves are hugely impactful. Because words matter, displaying your favorite inspirational quote creates an atmosphere that inspires you to be your best.

5 Let the light shine in.

During the day time hours make sure you regularly open curtains and windows and doors. Natural light is a natural mood lifer and so is fresh air.

Make your home a place you love. Let the light shine in.

6 Remove things that don’t make you happy.

If theres one thing in your life you should NOT make room for is its negativity. So why would you want to keep things in your home or life, that doesn’t make you happy.

To love your home, keep only those things that you love or are truly useful. Remove everything else.

I’m not talking about general de cluttering here or Marie Kono sparking joy. I’m talking about things like that incredibly ugly but expensive vase great Aunt Jenny gave you. You know that every time you see it, you want to get rid of it, but you feel too guilty. Honestly, it’s time you give it up. Your home should be a place of comfort and joy, not guilt!

https://uncommomspaces.com/how-i-conquer-clutter-when-its-emotionally-difficult/ This is a great post if you struggle with emotional clutter.

7 Create a beautiful ambience.

We’ve already talked alot about the impact our physical environment has on our mental state and our emotions. In light of this, it’s evident that creating a beautiful ambience can help you love your home.

You can do this so easily by adding some soft lighting. I love my salt lamp and diffuser for creating a soft glow. Add a few candles and you’ll instantly create a beautiful ambience in your home. Candles have the added benefit of infusing a fresh clean scent.

The right lighting naturally adds a feeling of comfort and a cozy warmth.

You deserve to love your home! Take some time to de clutter, clean and organize. Add a few decor items with color that makes you happy. Mix in a few plants or fresh flowers and hang those inspiring words. Once you’re done, pour yourself some tea and set back and enjoy the home you love!