Stop watching Tidying Up on Netflix. No, really. Stop it. Decluttering is a January thing and, friends, January has come and gone. February and March are all about “more is more,” and by that, I mean that the decluttering is complete and now it’s time to decorate, modify or maybe even build.
Resolutions — for you or for your home — take determination and commitment. If you have decided that you want your home environment to better reflect your interests, vision and needs, why not get started?
Let’s look at some common areas where you might be considering a change for your home. Think about how you can make these improvements specific to you.
Beauty
Getting more gorgeous was the focus of 80 percent of the ads you were exposed to on New Year’s Day. Hit the gym. Refine your skincare routine. Refresh your closet. Drink more water. Get more sleep. Manage your health. Those messages definitely sink in — and they also can affect how we feel about our living spaces.
We want our surroundings to be pleasing to the eye, too. My friend Lionel recently turned his whole house upside-down, rearranging furniture and art. Another friend moved into a new place and went shopping for curtains. I got new houseplants.
Sprucing up your space — in whatever form that takes — definitely sparks an endorphin rush.
Safety
Do you remember baby-proofing your house when your first one was born? Locking the cabinets, covering the electrical outlets. Moving heavy objects off of easy-to-reach tables and shelves.
That’s barely scratching the surface.
Now safety means the protection of a security system that allows you to view your home’s interior and exterior on your phone when you are out. Have you found yourself shopping for a digital security system and educating yourself about smart home integrations?You’re not alone.
Security fits squarely in the center of “new home, new you” because a safe place for you and your family to rest your heads is an ideal — one that can be realized.
Wellness
Bioclimatic design has landed and now we’re thinking about ways that an ecologically friendly home can improve our lives. Imagine a home that collects and purifies stormwater and wastewater and uses it to cool its own interior and irrigate the exterior landscape. On the home’s roof is a garden that provides fresh vegetables or a peaceful place to relax. That’s what Marcie Geffner asked us to reflect on in this recent article.
This design approach is not only about integrating better with the natural world, but it’s also about a healthier lifestyle focused on improved air quality, home-grown food and being conscious of your environment. This kind of home needs to be built from the ground up, but many of the principles can be applied to existing homes as well.
Your Bucket List
What’s on your bucket list? When the new year rolls around, we tend to check in with ourselves about our big-picture goals and lifelong dreams. No doubt you crave a trip to a faraway place. But some bucket list items are meant for home. Having a child, hosting an anniversary party or getting a dog. All of these things ask you to set the scene at home, making changes to accommodate a new phase of life or a special event.
Any degree of lifestyle change comes with a shift in the practical and aesthetic qualities of your house, and those projects can be big ones, like building an addition or completely transforming the interior or exterior of the house.
Start Fresh, Buy New
All of the above is a lot to consider and a worthy occupant of your grey matter. Chipping away at your goals (a more beautiful home, a safer space, a healthier environment and adapted spaces to match your lifestyle) is a major undertaking. The sweet part is that all of these things can be addressed by buying a newly built home. A new house is designed for you and factors in your needs, goals and aspirations. Did you know that:
- People living in new homes are more social and more likely to host gatherings
- People living in new homes improve their marriages
- People living in new homes are able to save more money
Check out HomLuv’s Start Fresh, Buy New content to learn more about these benefits and discover the ways a new home can become the transformation you have been looking for.
Sarah Kinbar is a writer and editor with a passion for design and images. She was the editor of Garden Design magazine, curating coverage of residential gardens around the globe. As the editor of American Photo, Kinbar worked with photographers of every genre to create a magazine that told the story of the photographer’s journey.
She has been writing about architecture, landscape design and new-home construction for NewHomeSource since 2012. During that time, she founded Kinship Design Marketing, a boutique agency that provides content for website redesigns, blogs, inbound marketing campaigns and eNewsletters.
