One of the challenges of staying home is looking at the same stuff over, and over, and over…

Here are some simple ways to get a much needed change of scenery.

Use trays in your kitchen (or home office) to organize the things you reach for the most.

Be creative and open minded about your ‘vessels’. Cups, little plates, pretty drinking glasses all work. A practical bonus: it’s easy to move around for cleaning.

Bring in the green 

if you don’t have a green thumb, I’m all for great fakes. Whether it’s a succulent in a small container, or a tree in the corner, bringing in plants is one of the most transformative things you can do for the energy in a space. If you want to try your hand with a windowbox, mix a few herbs in with hearty flowering plants - there’s nothing like having a cutting of rosemary or mint in a bud vase. Here are a few places you can get plants online:

Bloomscape, Home Depot for the real thing.

Target, Amazon for the faux thing.

Spruce up your front entry/landing pad area. 

Before (and I’m afraid this is very real, it’s my own home)

After:

• Move out any out of season coats or shoes

• If needed, put up some new hooks or hangers

• Get a pretty bowl for keys, or a tray for mail. 

Re-style a shelf or console

Here’s How:

• Take a ‘before’ picture

• Gather some artwork options, some metallic objects, and some organic things; a plant, some nice twigs, some rocks (a personal favorite) - anything that speaks to nature. . 

• Start by taking as much out as you can - permanently edit out things you’ve been looking at for a while. 

• Next the art:  lean some framed artwork against the wall, hang on the wall, or lean on the back of a shelf.  Not family pix for this one - a painting or drawing works best.  You’ll be placing some things in front of these pieces. Distribute what you have around, not all on one side.

• Tidy the books (if there are any), stacking some horizontally and some upright. On the horizontal stacks you can put a framed family pic, a bowl, one of your metallic accessories, or a plant (good place for fakes!). For a change of pace, take dust covers off of hardcover books to show off the simple spines and stack by color. 

• Step back to view your work - is it balanced? does the eye go up and down, not straight across? Is there ‘air’? Thin it out or add to it until it feels right.

• You’ve done it!  Take your ‘after’ picture and send it my way!
  
  

Hang up a new piece of art and retire an old.

For more on where to find affordable art, take a look at my previous post on the subject here.

Give your home a spa-day

I’m trying to re-frame cleaning... If I can’t get pampered, I can live vicariously though my house getting a nice dusting and mopping. The task is a lot more enjoyable when you feel like you are giving your home a massage and a manicure. Your home will appreciate you and get that ‘taken-care-of’ glow. So put on some music and light a scented candle, it’s spa day for your home. 

Put new pillow covers on your pillows

Some great budget-friendly places to look are West Elm, Zara Home, Urban Outfitters

Create a surprise moment

A little humor goes a long way. I found this clam my son had made into a googly-eyed character (it’s apparently ‘Alexander Clam Bell’ from Sponge Bob). It’s sitting on my desk after many years in retirement because it just makes me smile. And his friend has stepped in as a paper clip holder…

Hang in there, and let’s not forget that even a small change of scenery can uplift your mood and shuffle the energy in your home.

If you’d like some expert help refreshing your home or even planning for a bigger change, I’m offering Design from a Distance consultations. You can find out more here, or schedule a call using the button below.