One thing about living in the blog world is that it’s very easy to get caught up in the perfection that photos and social media can portray. Day in and day out, I look at photos of seemingly perfect homes wishing I could change mine. It’s a real struggle learning how to be happier in your home.
The truth of the matter is that we purchased our home for a great price, but we knew from the start there would be work to do. Although we’ve been making changes since we moved in 2014, our home is nowhere near where I would like it to be. Regardless of the fact that we have a good sized functional home, I find myself stressing over the fact that our kitchen has yet to be redone, our upstairs is still covered in the home’s original carpet, and our front yard has no landscaping. I’m slowly learning to be happy in the home we have, but it’s difficult.
Here are some things I’ve learned to be happier in our home:
1. Comfort and functionality are more important than aesthetics
Our home has 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, two living spaces, a decent back yard, and a fairly large kitchen. On paper, the home fits our family to a tee. There is nothing that makes day-to-day living difficult, and sometimes I forget that. Regardless of the fact that our floors are full of 1970’s grey carpet, we have enough space. Our kitchen may have the original cupboards and counters with burn marks, but I’m able to cook in it every single day.
Although I hate that carpet, we live a good life walking around on it. Paintings and frames don’t change the way you live your life and this is something that I need to remind myself of almost every day.
2. Making a prioritized to-do list can ease stress
It’s extremely easy to get overwhelmed when you look around and only see all the work that needs to be done or all the changes that need to be made. A few years ago, I made a prioritized list of home to-do’s and it’s really helped me to stay focused and see the bigger picture.
The top of my priority list included items that would save us money in the long run, hence make for a more comfortable living. These included changing out a drafty rear entry door and replacing all original light fixtures. Although these are only small changes, I felt a real sense of accomplishment crossing them off the list.
As much as I would love for our home to look Pinterest worthy, it’s not worth the stress. Get done what needs to be done, and let the rest come as it may.
3. Be realistic, consider your options, and don’t overspend
It’s so easy to overspend on your home. There have been several times where I’ve seen a blog post and absolutely fell in love with a table or lighting fixture only to find out the item sells for $1000+. For me, that’s nowhere near realistic.
There are always options. Chances are, if you look hard enough, you’ll be able to find something similar for a much lower price. You can also look up plans to build something yourself. For me, the fact is that $1000 could transform an entire room (maybe even two!).
In the grand scheme of things, an expensive decoration will never improve your quality of living. Putting the money towards experiences or higher priority items will.
4. Give it time
Sometimes, you just need to forget about it and wait. I’m someone who wants everything done right now, so this is a really tough one for me. I usually have at least 2 home projects on the go at any given time, but I’m slowly realizing that letting things rest is helpful.
Sometimes you just need to live. Take 3 months where you don’t plan to make any upgrades or changes to your home. Just live in your home as is. I promise this will make a huge difference in your happiness level, and it will also give you space to reflect rather than make snap decisions.
It’s a process, but I’m learning to be happier in our home every day.
Do you struggle with being happy in your home the way it is? Tell me how you deal!