We all know the feeling. We just want change. We want something fresh, new, and better. Just different. I go through this often. It’s discontentment. Not being satisfied with how things are, but wishing they were different.
Believe it or not, we feel this way A LOT. We sell some really gorgeous houses! Some that we could even imagine our lives being better in. You see where this is going. I love our home, but after showing people dream kitchens and dream home everything’s, it’s tough to come home to Mt. CleanClothes on the couch and a collection of junk and mail on what could be a nice kitchen table.
If you need more space (or a downsize), and you have had ENOUGH of your current home or apartment, HIT US UP NOW! Let’s make it happen!
Until then, here’s 4 ways that we have found to help us be more content in our HUMBLE abode while we dream.
Rearrange the furniture
It’s really not uncommon for Tyler to come in from a showing and completely rearrange the furniture in a room just so it feels more like the house we saw that day that was oh-so-beautifully staged. It’s enough to drive anyone insane, but it definitely brings a whole new feel to the bedroom or the living room without even buying new décor! We were even on the brink of buying a $2,000 U-shaped sectional because Tyler felt like we needed it.
Try having furniture face each other instead of the TV or Fireplace.
However, after rearranging the living room, we fell in love with our furniture all over again. If you don’t know where to start, check Instagram and Pinterest for inspiration, or do what Tyler does and just start moving furniture until it feels right!
2. PAINT!
That's right. Did you really think this list wouldn't include projects? This one not only changes the look of your house, but it changes the way you feel while you are in it!
Baker-Miller Pink
In a study in 1978 about the physiological responses to the color pink, a particular shade was observed to have "a marked effect on lowering the heart rate, pulse, and respiration compared to other colors." It became Baker-Miller Pink when a Naval correctional institute of the same name painted their prison confinement cells pink to see if it would really work. After the paint, the facility reported no incidents of erratic or hostile behavior during the initial phase of confinement.
After hearing about this calming effect, University of Iowa football coach, Hayden Fry, ordered the visitors locker room of their stadium to be painted pink. Fry wrote in his book, "When I talk to an opposing coach before a game and he mentions the pink walls, I know I've got him. I can't recall a coach who has stirred up a fuss about the color and then beat us."
Now, I'm not telling you to paint your hyperactive boy’s room pink, but I would also never tell you not to.
Aside from pink, painting a room a lighter color will definitely make it feel more open, more airy and can create a relaxing effect. The reason white walls have become so popular is because it creates a blank canvas for your home décor leaving you with the ability to completely redecorate without any fear of clashing with wall colors. It also provides a beautiful contrast with natural woods and small pops of color.
The actual Color, Weekend, that we painted out bedroom.
Don't be afraid of rich or dark colors either. They too can provide a pleasing contrast such as black walls contrasting with white subway tile in a bathroom. Jackie painted our somewhat small bedroom a deep shade of blue called "Weekend" by Magnolia Home Paint and instead if it feeling small and closed in, it made it feel like the color of relaxation making us melt into the sheets when we try to rise out of bed on Sunday mornings.
Change some wall colors and see how they make you feel!
3. ADOPT some house plants!
YEP, Plants! Nothing like having live indoor plants to liven up a place! The greenery will add an instant pop to those freshly painted white walls, and when seated on an end table next to a book you've never read, it provides a picture-perfect instagram shot!
Seriously though, that's not all indoor plants provide. It has been found in some studies that interacting with indoor plants can reduce both physiological and psychological stress. They also help purify the air naturally!
Add one of these plants to your home and enjoy!
Snake Plant - Also known as the mother in laws tongue because of it's sword-shaped leaves and how tough it can be. It can survive in high or low sunlight and doesn't need very frequent watering. Hard to kill! My kind of plant! We have one of these in our bedroom and LOVE IT!
Spider Plant - Snakes, then spiders? Yep! Spider plant's leaves arch over the pot similar to the legs of a spider. They look great, and they can handle a lot of neglect!
Fiddle Leaf Fig - what more can I say, these giant beautiful leaves speak for themselves. They do grow tall but not bushy. They require only medium light, and you only have to water when the soil gets dry to the touch.
Cactus - You want easy? It doesn't get any easier. The more often you forget to water them, the better off you are! It does need a lot of sunlight, but we have luckily kept cacti alive in some of the not so sunny places of our house. They have such an irresistibly unique appearance and when styled right, will look more modern or bohemian and less like a Texas Roadhouse.
4. Declutter & Clean
I know, I know, the cliché goes “a clean home is a happy home”. This one probably could have gone without saying, but we’re going to say it anyway. We know all too well how difficult it is to relax or work from home in the middle of a mess. I mean really, how can you feel productive when there’s so much around you that needs to be done? Do some decluttering, organizing, and deep cleaning. I promise that Netflix binge is going to be WAY more satisfying when done in a clean living room
Try a little bit of these 4 things that help us really love and appreciate our home more. If you still aren't feeling it, let's get you into your perfect home! You deserve to live in a place that makes you feel calm and comfortable. It should be a place where you feel safe, at peace, and restored from the harshness of this world.