In case you hadn’t guessed, I’m all for clearing the clutter and ensuring homes feel calm and clear. However, it’s easy to overcompensate when making your home feel clutter-free – this can result in a home that feels sterile. If you feel that your home suffers from this or it’s a fear as you move through your decluttering journey, here are a few ways in which you can give your home a sense of life whilst keeping it decluttered and organised.
Hang up some art
Art can provide that human connection to a room that is missing something. It’s a great way to spice up an empty wall and bring colour to a neutral colour scheme. Artwork can be of anything you look – to give it a personal touch, choose a piece of artwork that carries some meaning to you. It could be a painting of a place you’ve been or simply an abstract piece that you simply like the energy of.
To add a special touch to any artwork, be sure to choose the right frame. In fact, anything can look more artistic and ‘finished’ if you simply put it in a frame. When you want to make your art unique, use custom picture frames that match the pieces that you have chosen. A bespoke frame can be designed to complement the artwork perfectly. Choose the best material, colour and texture to enhance the art, rather than to simply frame it. It will add sophistication and help your art to last longer too.
Use more natural materials
Too many artificial materials could also cause your home to feel sterile. Take a break from synthetic fibre upholstery and opt for a leather or a cotton sofa to add warmth and depth. Avoid plasticYou could also try incorporating more natural wood tones in your home. Try to avoid wooden furniture coated in high-gloss paint that takes away the natural feel – instead try to preserve the appearance of the wood such as with oak furniture. Wood can also be great for flooring, countertops and frames. If you like the industrial look, there are some fantastic ways to add interest to your home using metal shelving and accessories or you could expose a brick wall. If you like more modern looking materials, consider bamboo, terracotta, marble, slate and limestone.
Grow plants indoors
You can also inject life into your home by growing indoor plants and this has the added benefit of injecting oxygen. A plant can immediately bring colour to a room. Not only that, but plants actually make us feel better mentally by helping to clean the air, whilst releasing natural scents. There are individual plants suited to every type of room. In the bathroom, the likes of bromeliad and snake plants thrive due to the low light and high humidity. Jasmine and Lavender meanwhile make great bedroom plants, releasing sleep-inducing scents in the air that can help you to get a better night’s rest. If, like me, you can’t keep real plants alive for long, there are some amazing realistic looking faux plants and indoor trees around. They will have the aesthetic affect without the upkeep.
Share memories
Sharing memories can help to make your home feel lived in and give it that more human touch. Photos are the easiest way to share memories – although boxes of loose photos can be difficult to organise. Some prefer them to be stored digitally, photos can help to tell a story of your life that is important to making your home feel alive. You could opt for single frame photos, multi-frames for lots of photos or collages of photos. Other ways of sharing memories include displaying travel souvenirs, awards and personal hand-made creations.
Use the right scents
It’s important that you home smells right too. If chemical smells such as bleach dominate your home, it could be contributing to the sterile feel. It’s also important to address any unpleasant odors that may be emanating from sources such as fireplaces. Gas fireplaces are known to produce a distinct smell, which can be caused by a buildup of soot or an improper air/fuel mixture.
Try instead to incorporate more natural scents such as orange, vanilla, pine, rosemary, sandalwood and lavender. You can introduce these scents to your home using scented candles and oil diffusers (try to avoid chemical-based air fresheners that may add to the artificial smell).
Ultimately, where you live should be your peaceful retreat and the above tips can make a house into a comfy home where you can relax and recuperate.
Thanks so much for reading
A Tidy Mind