The average American moves between houses more than 11 times in their lifetime.
Apparently, we move way more than the average person in Europe, who moves only four times in their lives.
If you’re like me (and most Americans) and have moved a bunch of times, you’re no stranger to the fact that some houses feel more like home than others.
You don’t have to live in a house for 20 years to make a comfortable home, however. Let’s take a look at eleven things you can do right now to create a more comfortable house.
Table of Contents
1. Get Rid of Clutter and Keep it Clean
We’re all guilty of it: having too much stuff. Not only is it unpleasant to live in a cluttered environment but also it can lead to negative mental and physical health effects such as unhealthy eating, stress, anxiety, and being mentally cluttered.
Having a clutter-free home is a great way to make your home a relaxing and stress-free environment.
Not only will living without clutter make you feel better about yourself and your house, but it’ll also be easier to clean. Keeping a clean house is crucial to feeling comfortable in your home.
Have you ever let the dishes pile up a little too long, only to finally power through them and realize you feel so much better? Me too. It’s a better plan to stay on top of household chores because it’s a way of reminding yourself that you care about your space and your self.
2. Get the Temperature Right
It’s hard to be comfortable in your home if you’re freezing to death or burning up.
Make sure the heating and cooling systems in your home are keeping you and your family not too hot and not too cold. If it’s time for a new furnace, find out which type of Carrier furnace would work best in your home.
3. Hang Art
Nothing can change a drab room like a well-chosen piece of artwork. If your feeling like your apartment or house feels like a cookie-cutter factory model, hanging artwork can make it feel like your own palace in an instance.
Art is a powerful tool to display your own personality and style. By selecting works of art that speak to you at a deeper level, you’ll have something to think about when you’re home alone and a conversation piece when you host dinner parties.
The sky’s the limit when it comes to what kind of art you have on your wall. This is an opportunity for pure personal expression on your part.
Maybe it’s time to frame and hang those old photographs you found at a thrift store or maybe you have an artist friend who you can buy a painting from. You can make your own art or purchase some from a local artist you admire.
4. Display Sentimental Items
One of the things that makes a house a home is the items that convey sentimental value.
Do you have drawings your children made that you want to hang on the wall? Do you have a set of china that belonged to your grandmother that you’d like to put on display?
We all have sentimental items that have stayed with us for our lives or were passed down from relatives. These pieces reek of deeper meaning and a sense of home. Find a way to honor these objects in a way that makes sense to you.
5. Add Some Life to Your Home
If you’re looking to make your space feel radically more comfortable, it’s time to buy yourself some houseplants. There’s something about greenery that completely changes the feel of a room.
Purchasing cut flowers and displaying them in vases or decorating with dried flowers also can create a soft, cozy, and life-filled sense to any space.
Another great way to make a house feel like a home is to get a pet! There’s nothing like having a furry friend meet you at the door when you get home at the end of a long day.
Even if you can’t have a dog or a cat, even having a fish tank can add some life to your place. As a bonus, aquariums are known to have a calming effect on people. If you’re looking to make your house a castle of relaxation then this is something to consider.
6. Make it Smell Nice
The part of the brain that processes emotions and memory are closely linked with our sense of smell. If you’ve ever wondered why catching a whiff of someone’s cologne fills you with memories of your favorite uncle, that’s why.
One of the easiest ways to fill your home with pleasant smells is to use an essential oil diffuser. There are a bunch of different types of essential oils to choose from, many of which are believed to be calming, invigorating, cleansing, among many other things.
Of course, another easy way to make it smell nice is to be preparing delicious home-cooked meals. Cooking food that’s made with love and served to your family is a sure-fire way to make any old house feel like your home in an instant.
7. Lighting is Key
You might be surprised to learn that lighting can have a big effect on how we feel. If you feel like your home is drab and uninviting, consider switching up the lighting. It could make a huge difference.
There are a number of different things to consider when you’re thinking about lighting for your home.
Do any of your rooms rely on an overhead light alone, with no lamps that can be used in addition or instead? Do you only have table lamps, and you feel like your always stumbling in the dark?
Another thing to think about is the color temperature of your light bulbs.
There is a scale that measures bulb color temperature from cool to warm. Cool light is known to promote being alert and energetic, while warm light is known to have a relaxing effect. There’s a place for both, but you might have things backwards if you have cool bulbs in the bedroom and warm bulbs in the kitchen.
Also, of course, don’t forget to decorate with and enjoy using candles. They’re the best!
8. Add Some Cozy Elements
Maybe this is obvious, but a great way of how to make your home feel cozy is to, well, make it cozier!
Maybe you can’t afford to replace your imperfect couch, but you can cover it in plush blankets and pillows. Maybe you can’t splurge on a new mattress right now, but could you treat yourself to a set of silk bedding? Make the spaces that you spend your time as soft and cozy as possible… you won’t regret it!
9. Get Some Area Rugs
A cold or unattractive floor can make any house seem like it’s missing something important.
Purchasing a soft, colorful rug can make a big difference in the feel of any room. It’s also another way to inject some of your own personality and style into your home, making it feel more like your own.
10. Invest in a Good Pair of Slippers
If you’re trying to make sure your home is comfortable, you need to also make sure you’re comfortable.
While a lot of what makes a place comfortable is material, there’s an aspect of it that’s about how you experience it too. Having an uber-soft pair of slippers can help you relax in your space and let you begin to experience it as your own.
Like I’ve always said, no house is truly your home until you’ve spent an entire day in your pajamas lounging around and eating snacks.
11. Listen to More Music
If you’re not in a position to be changing the physical space your living in or you’re on a tight budget, that doesn’t mean you’re out of luck.
You don’t necessarily have to change your physical environment to change the way it affects you. Listening to music can alter your mood and change the way you relate to your home.
Music is known to be able to lift your mood and reduce anxiety. It might even help reduce pain.
So if you’re feeling uncomfortable and anxious in your new home, put on some tunes and call me in the morning. You might be amazed by how much more at home you feel!
How to Make a Home Homey: The Power is in Your Hands!
There’s so much in this world we can’t control. Our home is one of the few places where we can create exactly the atmosphere we desire. If you’re feeling uncomfortable in your new place, the power is in your hands to turn that house into a comfortable home!
Did you love this article on how to make a house cozy? Be sure to check out the rest of our blog for more awesome content!