How to Make a Home Your Sanctuary
If you want to learn how to make your home a sanctuary know that it doesn’t take a lot of money! Instead try these easy tips.
To me, my home is a sacred place. It's a place for love, rest, and growth. It brings me peace and allows me to be my truest self without fear or judgment.
It's also the window to my mental or emotional state. If it's messy or disorganized I know, I'm stressed. If it's tidy and in order, it allows my mind to create, my heart to sing and my body to dance.
Just this weekend, I was able to share my home with my mother and in my in-laws. It was so nice having them here, laughing, and creating memories. It wasn't about the decor on the walls, the amount of space, but it was the warm inviting energy that allowed them to relax and enjoy.
If you're home doesn't bring you comfort, try these tips to love your home today!
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What makes a home?
There isn’t one thing that makes a home. In fact what makes a home are a combination of small moments and things that will make your home feel like a sanctuary.
Set An Intention
Your home isn't just a place we lay our heads, it's a special place for our bodies, minds, and souls to re-energize. It should comfort you in your sadness or when you're feeling down. It should be a space for creativity, love, family, peace, laughter, solace, and be your ultimate happy place.
The best way to fall in love with your home is to set an intention for every room. Your bedroom should be your sanctuary. Your desk a place for thought and creativity. The kitchen and living room a place for love and laughter. Or really whatever you choose it to be. Create a home you love by following through on those intentions.
If your bedroom is meant to be a place of rest, remove all electronics from it. I made the decision when we moved to our apartment in Phoenix, that I would not have my phone in my bedroom. I have kept true to this promise about 90% of the time. Having the phone in my room kept me from getting out of bed and sleeping on time!
Commit to fulfilling every room's purpose and love it.
Discard the unwanted
There were so many times I would walk by something in my room or bathroom (anywhere really) and question why I had that nicknack, or that book, or lotions. But the moment I walked passed it, I completely forgot about it and went about my day.
But the second time I walked by the cheap mini Australian Koala in my bookshelf, I noticed it frustrated me and gave me anxiety.
Once upon a time, this little guy gave me the warm and fuzzies about living in Australia, but it carried no special memory to my life down under. Except the obvious, Koalas live down under, I saw Koalas while I lived there, and I bought a toy koala before I left.
It was time to say goodbye to the koala, an old feather, roses from prom, extra cups, fridge clutter, old coupons, dried pens and markers, books I've read, and unread books I'll never read.
I kid you not, once these items were gone, my space felt lighter. I felt like I could breathe better, and the belongings I kept shining more brightly and I felt happier and less stressed.
Organize Like Items
Over time and especially when life is busy, I find myself moving things like lotions and hair products in different places, thinking it would make every day easier. But it doesn't because they end up everywhere except where I think I left them. Not helpful!
For example, hair ties next to the bed. Cups in two cupboards: next to the stove and above the dishwasher. Lotions next to the couch and under the sink. Pens, papers, and books in multiple places around the house.
It drove me insane! Instead, I reorganized liked items into one spot. You know what happened? I saved time! I placed hair ties in the bathroom, my pens were always at my desk, and my toiletries were why they belonged, in the bathroom. These small changes added so much flow to my mornings.
It drove me insane! So I reorganized liked items into one spot. You know what happened? I saved time! I placed hair ties in the bathroom, my pens were always at my desk, and my toiletries were why they belonged, in the bathroom. These small changes added so much flow to my mornings.
Out with the Old... in with the Me
I am the youngest of five kids, so it was standard to receive hand-me-downs. From clothes to toys, and more. As I got older and finally had a place to myself, my sisters and my mom were pretty eager to offload some of their unwanted items.
A free couch, old knife set, modern art, even an old coffee table. I mixed this in with my childhood furniture, including my bed.
This was okay for a really long time, but after awhile my apartment felt drab. It really didn't feel like me. After all, these items were bought with the intention to furnish another person's home, so they weren't my style. My teen furniture was from another time, and I wasn't a kid with the same interest.
Little by little, I let go of the old and bought stuff that was my style. New bed sheets for our new bed frame, pots and pans, and decor. With every item, it felt cozier and I loved coming home more!
Clean Start
I don't mean picking up your home, I am talking about deep cleaning your home. From top to bottom, baseboards, windows, cupboards, refrigerators, under furniture and around furniture, and definitely don't forget your blinds and ceiling fans. Give your home the fresh start it needs to open your heart and love it.
Don't forget essential habits to help you keep your home clean!
Spiritual cleanse
If a deep clean isn't enough, try resetting the energy of your home.
One of my favorite ways is by completing a Sage Clearing.
Set the intention of your clearing, like "to remove negative energy and bring in love and life."
Light bundled sage in a heat resistant pan or bowl. (I use my pie pan). The fire should die down on its own and the leaves should be smoking without embers.
Then clear your energy first, starting from your feet, up to your head, and back down again.
Next clear high traffic areas like doors, and living spaces, and don't forget the corners of each room. You can repeat your intention or try searching for a clearing "spell."
As woo as this is, there's something refreshing about clearing your space. It triggers your mind to believe that it's time for a new beginning and hope. It allows you to let go of the negative energy that may have filled your home so you can create happy ones.
Let in Light
Natural sunlight gives us energy. It warms our body, it helps plants grow, and most importantly it makes us happier! Like really happy!
The first thing I do every morning is open the blinds. Most days I practice yoga as the sun rises. Once I'm done stretching, I enjoy my cup of coffee and sit in the sun. It's beautiful.
Let the sunshine through your home so you can see it's natural beauty!
Add Pops of Color
We all know that color can affect our mood. So adding pops of color can really make a drab day great. I don't have many pops of color because I'm really trying to curate a home for both myself and the boyfriend, but the little we have does bring a smile to my face.
We have bright, colorful plants, fresh flowers, and have color coded our books. We also have a simple rug with shades of blues, red, and yellow. I also want to mention our dish towels that bring a certain balance to the room.
What colors would you choose?
So Fresh + So Green
Gah! I love plants. I'm in the process of jungle-fying my apartment, but it's a slow start. My plants range in a variety shades of greens, shapes, and textures. Every day it excites me to see them flourish in my home. Yes, I am a crazy plant lady who talks to her plants and sometimes sings to them too, but I see them as living beings with their own unique personality.
Caring for plants is beautiful. They let you know when they are thirsty, sad and happy. In return, they clean your air, flower, and change colors.
Just today my snake plant has two little babies pop through. Yay! Because they are growing in in my home, it makes my heart warm!
Leave An Open Space
We are so used to filling voids. If a wall is barren, we add a painting. If a shelf is empty, we fill it with books. If there's nothing in the cupboard, we buy stuff to fill it But sometimes we just need to leave a space open to allow for new energy, new memories, appreciation, and so much more.
Not only we need to leave parts of our homes clear, but it's also vital to do this with our time. Keeping a space open to allow your brain and body to process our experiences will enable us to digest what's going on in our world entirely. If we're continually doing and consuming, we never allow ourselves to recuperate.
Be Grateful
Everything you own, the walls you live in, the bed that allows you to sleep is precious. You have spent your time and some money on items that fill your space. You have probably also felt an emotional connection to the things you owned. So treat everything you own with respect, love everything like it's the only thing you own or will have again. Be grateful for its purpose in your life.
I know it sounds super "woo-woo," but trust me, it changes your perspective when you are grateful for every item in your home. You start to realize what has an actual purpose in your life and what doesn't. You also connect with yourself because it removes the things that have been keeping you from your passions, your people, and living your life.
Share it with people you love
People make a house a home. Energy comes from every emotion, but the warmth comes from family and friends who visit. Special memories between your loved ones.
This apartment has a very special place in my heart because I feel like Chris and I have grown so much. We laugh more, we hug more, we kiss more. It all stems from the foundation of my intentions for it.
This happiness radiates when we get to share it with the people we love. The holidays like thanksgiving, Christmas, and birthdays make coming home every day oh so loving!
I believe doing a few of these things, you will learn to love your home more. If any of these feels overwhelming start with setting the intention to love your home and let that love blossom: let the light in, and slowly evaluate what brings you down and what makes you happy. Experiment with what you need and what you don't. The energy will change, you will change, your home will change all for the better.
What have you done to love your home?
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