5 Things Keeping Your House From Feeling Like YOUR Home: Part 1

Welcome to a 5 part series that I am feeling very excited about! I was recently watching a video of someone sharing tips on "How To Make Your House Feel Like A Home", and I really loved all of their ideas. Adding some plants/greenery, throwing in some snugly blankets, placing a candle in each room, and hanging curtains. All of these design elements absolutely make a house feel more homey (aka cozy). However, I really feel passionate about pushing this idea one step further. The thing is, I don't want any house of mine to just feel like A home. I want it to feel like MY home. And when I move from here, I want my next house to feel like MY home, as quickly as possible.

I sat with this thought for weeks, trying to really hone in on what aspects make the biggest difference from a home that feels super cozy and inviting, vs a home that feels completely individual to me and my family. The place I long to return to when I am away. What types of things would get in the way of me being able to feel this in my home. As I mulled it over in my head, 5 specific things seemed to continuously stand out.

I thought it would be fun to take a closer look at each of these over the span of 5 days. Each day I will share an introductory Reel to my Instagram Page, followed up by a blog post where I dive a bit deeper into each idea and why I think it is worth mentioning. I will also be issuing out a challenge. Something you and I could do today to make a shift in our homes.

Today is Day 1, so I guess it is time to dive right in!

The 1st thing that I believe might be keeping your house from feeling like YOUR home:

YOU AREN'T DISPLAYING ANY PERSONAL PHOTOS.

Whether it is family photos, extended family photos, photos of loved ones who have passed on, candid shots of you doing things you love, or snap shots from your favorite vacations. I remember someone in the design world once saying, "When I walk into a home, I want to immediately know whose home it is." For some reason that really stuck with me and felt very powerful. I have come to totally agree with them! Personal photos tell our stories in such effortless ways. They speak to relationships and experiences that are so unique to each one of us.

As a bonus, I was impressed to learn of certain studies that actually show how displaying family photos increases our confidence, strengthens the family unit, and serve as a subtle mood booster when you walk past them.

There is something extra special about displaying personal photos with intention. It sets the tone as if to say, "I value these people (or memories) so very much that I designated a specific place for them to shine and be seen." I know many people who do this on their refrigerator and it works perfectly well for them. I prefer to keep ours as clutter free as possible. So instead I try to place them in frames around the house. Some are hung on the wall, some are resting on our end tables or shelves. We also have our Chatbooks displayed in our living room that our girls flip through regularly.

If you are a Poloroid photo lover, Kim and Scott at Yellow Brick Home have been super creative with the way that they display their's. Including throwing all of their loose Polaroid photos into a big beautiful bowl and incorporated it into their table decor. Such a fun and entertaining thing for guests to flip through when they come over!

YOUR CHALLENGE:

I dare you to find a way to display at least one special, personal photo around your house within the next week. My goal is to put a few up in our big girl's bedroom. Afterward, take a photo of it and share it to your Instagram stories! Tag me so I can share the love with the rest of our little online community here!

And don't forget, when displaying personal photos on your walls, it is often best to use a picture frame mat to help keep things looking nice and clean!

I hope you all have a bright and beautiful fall day (we are finally waking up to crisp morning air!) and I'll see you back here tomorrow for Part 2!

-Kams