When you move into a new house, even if you love it and are excited to live there, it can take a while to truly feel at home. While the difference between a house and a home can be hard to describe, you know it when you feel it.
Here are some tips on how to make your house feel like a home, sooner rather than later.
There is perhaps no better way to infuse ambiance to a new space than by adding some greenery. Houseplants have been shown to reduce stress levels, improve mood, and even boost productivity. So, add houseplants wherever your house needs some brightening, as long as they’ll get the sunlight they’ll need. And if taking care of live plants isn’t your cup of tea, you can accomplish nearly the same thing by even cutting some fresh flowers and putting them out in a vase.
Putting up art may mean pinning your kids’ arts and crafts projects on the refrigerator with magnets or framing and hanging professional paintings on the wall. Whichever you prefer, personalizing your house with meaningful art that you pick out will go a long way toward making your new house feel like a home. Don’t forget the family pictures, either!
Throw pillows and blankets are your best friends in terms of making your house a cozy and inviting home to live in. You can either put out all the soft decor from your previous home for that familiar touch or go shopping for all new cozy home accessories. Either way, you’ll be able to snuggle in and get comfortable in a way that just feels like home.
Fluorescent light fixtures or not having enough light can make your home feel distinctly uninviting. Adding more natural light is a wonderful option but even new light bulbs and some nice light fixtures that you pick out can make your house feel more like a home. For extra personalization, change out the window dressings. New curtains can both let in more light and tailor your house to your personal taste.
Is there a special item that’s been in your family home for ages? It doesn’t need to be a priceless heirloom, but something that reminds you of the previous homes where you felt comfortable and safe can help transfer some of those feelings toward your new home. The temptation to start completely from scratch with your decor is understandable, but you might benefit from keeping some key pieces and taking them from place to place. Think of them as anchors, keeping you feeling at home wherever your house is.
As much as people love to talk about “new car smell,” there’s such a thing as a new house smell, too. Even if someone lived in the home previously, it won’t smell familiar or like your home. Luckily you can change that by doing a couple of things. First, you could light some candles you like around the house or use some plug-in air fresheners. If that doesn’t seem like home enough to you, baking is a great option. Once you bake a batch of chocolate chip cookies or your family’s favorite dessert, you’ll be close to feeling right at home.
The process of deciding where everything should be stored in your new place may take a while but it’s worth devoting the time to. A clean, tidy house will be much less stressful than a house with clutter all over the place. And, if you are organized right from the jump, staying organized will be that much easier later. That’s not to say that you should hide everything away or that your house can’t look “lived in” but neatness is preferable to mess when it’s possible.
Chances are good that there’s at least one thing about the current color palette in your house that isn’t quite to your taste. Rather than wait months or years with it bugging you, why not just change it to something you would like more? The process of putting up a new coat of paint or switching out other home elements to ones that you personally select will help you feel more connected to your place.
If you have furry friends, they’ll need a whole new setup in their new home, too. Put out their bed(s) and food bowls wherever they’re going to go in the house and give them some time to adjust right along with you. Once your pets are fully familiar and comfortable with your place, you’ll certainly feel right at home.