Healthy Home
My home feels oddly empty after taking the tree down and putting all the decorations away, but these tiny changes help freshen up our home for the new year.
While I always feel a tinge of sadness when the holiday season ends, January brings me a burst of energy and excitement when I think about all a new year can hold.
Thankfully, making your home feel new for the new year doesn’t need to involve spending a ton of money or tackling a huge renovation.
10 Small Ways to Make Your Home Feel New for the New Year
1) Swap out your throw pillows
Buying pillow covers is an inexpensive way to refresh a bed or couch without having to store bulky pillows. It ads a splash of color that can be easily changed out.
2) Rearrange your furniture
It’s a totally free way to see your home with fresh eyes!
3) Breathe new life into a room with fresh flowers
Try a hibiscus for a touch of the tropics or a few branches of fragrant eucalyptus in the bathroom or just a small bouquet of fresh flowers. I get mine from ALDI!Â
4) Unearth a hidden gem via a secondhand venue
Try flea markets, yard sales, Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, or OfferUP for furniture and home decor! Someone may be getting rid of something that is just what you need for your space.
5) Start making space for the products that make you happy and help you stay healthy
I’ve been replacing my products using the Think Dirty app, which tells me how toxic products are. I’ve been shocked at the rating on some products that are marketed as being “green”!Â
Grove makes it possible for me to use my favorite products without driving all over Timbuktu. They deliver my favorite natural products from brands like Seventh Generation and other non-toxic products to my doorstep, on my schedule. I’ve been ordering from them monthly for over three years now!Â
6) Change up candles or other small items
It’s easy to change the look or smell of a room by switching out candles for different colors or scents. I would also suggest using non-toxic candles made from soy or beeswax. Diffusing oils can also change the mood of a room.
You can also switch around small items in your home that you already have and move them to other rooms to give them new purpose or life.
7) Get organized
This can be overwhelming, so take one area at a time. Don’t try to tackle everything at once. Try a closet, a cabinet, a pantry, a drawer, and move on from there.Â
8) Keep on top of chores
Instead of procrastinating, follow the 3-D system that my mentor Holly taught me. Every single day, do a load of laundry, take care of dishes, and know what’s for dinner no later than breakfast!
9) Declutter one thing every day
By the end of the year, you’ll have gotten rid of 365 things and you’ll have more space for living.
10) Cut the comparisonÂ
It’s easy to get caught up in comparisons like “Her kitchen is always immaculate or I wish my living room looked like that” — especially if you spend any time on social media. Be gentle with yourself and remember that you’re comparing your behind-the-scenes with someone else’s highlight reel.
Bonus tip:
While this takes a little more time and ingenuity, painting a room a new color or adding a vinyl decal can totally change the look and feel of the room. It’s still a small change that can bring big results.
Anastasia crist
I love this this is the first time seeing this site found it on Facebook. Can’t wait to see more. Thank you
Loretta
That last tip, cut the comparison, is just magic. So often we are given the impression that our home needs to be this or that because society says so, or our mother says so, or our grandmother would have said some thing about how it’s arranged. The truth is that for it to feel like home and truly be comfortable it just needs to be what we need it to be for ourselves. If you hate knick-knacks, go minimal. If you find a piece of art that makes you happy, hang it up where you’ll see it most often. Poo on other people’s opininos of what your decor needs to be 😉