10 Simple Ways to Fall in Love With Your Home

Inside: How to love your home all over again by bonding with it emotionally. Sounds weird. Changes your life anyway.

I used to love running errands. Not because I liked the aisles of the grocery store, but because I wanted to get out of the house, a house that felt strangely boring and stressful all at once.

It was what most people would consider “nice.” But I couldn’t stand being there. A little dark, a little messy. Nothing terrible. But just…I don’t know. I wanted out most of the time. You too?

The good news? We can change that. And don’t worry, we aren’t painting, buying lighting, or shopping for throw pillows. We’re making it a place you love, in all the human ways that matter.

You can’t buy that, but you can create it. Here’s how.

A bright and airy hallway in a country home, with sunlight streaming through the windows, a hardwood floor, a welcoming plant, and a series of framed pictures along the white-paneled walls.
Clean and sunny will take you far.

1. Make a reading spot

Make sure you own at least ten books that you love to read and are easily accessible to you in your living room. Not classics that you think you should be reading, but books that you truly love, whether they be novels or home decor books.

Group them together on a shelf in the room you are most frequently in. Try to get in the habit of settling down to read instead of watching TV. It feels more productive and not so gross.

2. Start planning your meals

Nothing is more damaging to the budget than going out to eat for dinner all the time. The most difficult and most important part of getting dinner on the table is having a plan.

Even if it is frozen pizza and carrot sticks, have that plan either written down or firmly planted in your mind.

You won’t feel anxious all afternoon because you have no idea what to serve for dinner, and won’t be forced to waste time and money going out to get something at the last minute. Knowing what’s for dinner for the whole week is very peaceful, but just having one day planned is a good start.

3. Do all your housework in the morning

Work as hard as you can all morning, to the point that you are maybe a little overworked. I like to set up a weekly schedule with specific things to focus on each day, but it’s not necessary if it doesn’t interest you. Make your bed and clean the bedrooms every morning.

Do a bunch of laundry, clean the house, arrange your bookshelves. Stay busy.

Then when afternoon comes, you can take a break… but you won’t be bored. Boredom is the enemy of staying home. Getting everything done in the morning allows you to focus on dinner in the afternoon. You can turn on the radio and have a drink while you cook.

You start feeling that maybe being home is fun.

4. Grow something

Anything. A big garden, a small garden, herbs in containers, a house plant. The more things that are at your house that require care, the stronger your connection to your home. The stronger the connection to your home, the less you will want to get out all the time.

An inviting porch lined with an assortment of potted herbs and plants in various rustic containers, showcasing a variety of textures and shades of green, with a wooden porch floor leading to a sunny garden in the background.
A few minutes every morning watering and trimmed herbs can turn your day around.

Plants can be beautiful, they can be useful, but the most important thing about them is the care they take and the emotional response that creates. Maybe this sounds a bit wacky to you. Try it anyway.

5. Automate less

Having a bunch of machines running the show does not make you feel like you want to be at home. It makes you feel like you are not really that important and might as well be out shopping.

I love many of my machines: the dishwasher, vacuum, bread maker, and deep fryer are all my friends.

But don’t neglect the human element of your home. Everything you can do by hand at home strengthens your bond to it. Sweeping by hand, hanging your laundry, or heating water in a kettle instead of the microwave will all affect your sense of home satisfaction.

Just a few things done by hand will make a difference.

6. Do something creative every day

Not cooking, cleaning, gardening, or laundry. Something else.

You can create a pretty photograph, a napkin you’ve sewn, or a new gallery wall. It doesn’t have to mean retreating to your art studio or composing a song.

A cozy corner of a living room showcasing a gallery wall of framed botanical prints and vintage illustrations, accompanied by a comfy couch with plush pillows and a soft throw
This counts as creativity, 100%!

Obviously, completing one project a day is not realistic, but working on one every day is usually doable, even if it’s just for a few minutes. Keeping up this takes you out of the consumerist mindset that tells you your main function is to buy things.

7. Declutter and beautify

Not decorating. I don’t know how to do that.

I just mean taking your everyday practical spaces and making them appealing to you.

A tranquil view from a home's window featuring a rustic rocking chair and a knitted blanket on a porch, overlooking a serene yard with autumnal trees and a white picket fence, framed by sheer curtains

For me, this means natural materials, warm neutrals, and visual calm. For you, this might mean bright colors, lots of modern art, and lots of energy.

In my shower and by my sink, I’ve switched everything to wooden brushes and clear bottles, and now those practical spaces are uplifting instead of soul-crushing.

Try making your cabinets and fridge pretty when you open them. It is depressing to pull a drawer open and see a jumbled mess. This is hard for me and I have to make a conscious effort at this. But when I open a door and find everything looking pretty and organized, it’s like a little gift to myself.

8. Change the view out your window

What do you see when you look out your windows? Your old deck furniture and some cracking planters? The back of someone else’s house? A bunch of outdoor toys sitting around? Perhaps the curtains are always closed?

A charming porch scene with a rocking chair adorned with a quilted throw, set against a background of vibrant garden flowers and lush greenery, evoking a sense of peaceful country living.

Change it, as much as you can, to something you’ll enjoy. This might mean putting some flowerpots out. It might mean making your kids put their outdoor toys away every time they are done. Maybe a bird feeder would help, or even just bird seed scattered on the ground every morning.

Looking out the window should be a happy thing.

9. Get some natural light and fresh air

This is the difference between a home and a prison. Open the curtains unless it is night. Open the windows whenever you can. Air out your bedrooms early in the morning. If it’s cold out, shut the bedroom door so cold air doesn’t rush through the house.

Find the sunniest corner of your house and put a chair there. Spend the mornings in places that face east and the afternoons in places that face west. It’s good for you.

10. Change things up

There is plenty you can do to mix things up around the house without spending any money.

  • Rearrange your furniture to make a conversation grouping instead of facing the TV.
  • Style your bookshelves by mixing in some picture frames and vases that you already have.
  • Simply rearranging throw pillows, blankets, frames, and fresh flowers makes a big impact.
  • Keep in mind many small things can look like clutter, but a few bigger ones make more of a statement.

Love your home

When you take care of your house, it will take care of you. There will always be days you’re itching to get out, but I hope these changes make you happier where you spend most of your time.

picture of smiling female

By Katie Shaw

Katie lives in Virginia with her husband, three daughters, a chocolate lab, and over thirty chickens. She loves creating simple tutorials for sourdough, bread, and soap. Her recipes, articles, and YouTube videos reach millions of people per year.

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78 Comments

  1. This is a great post about loving your home. I do most of these already and it does make for a happier home. Thanks for sharing.

  2. Nothing is more annoying when you’re trying to read a nice article and ten ads pop up all over the screen.

      1. i am approving this comment and responding against my better judgment. it is hard to put things out into the world and very easy to sit back and criticize what other people do. I can certainly think of a few things worse than typos in an article and ads on the internet (which is just how the world works). I’ve been doing this for a while and have developed a tough skin, but i hope that you consider that next time you feel the need to make a comment like this to someone that there is a real person behind the screen and it is rude and unnecessary.

  3. As a stressed professional who recently turned into a full-time homemaker that rarely ventures out, I spend my downtime scouring articles on the novel subject. This post, by far, was the best I’ve found. Practical, enjoyable tips and very well-written. Thank you.

  4. Gosh this really resonates with me. Love staying home not just for the saving money aspect. We do most of these things already so must be why we love staying at home.
    Thanks for the article. Coming to you from New Zealand????

  5. I just love your blog. Learning so many things from you . You inspire me so much. Blessing to you and your family.

  6. I LOVE being at home. I have been a stay at home for 22 years and my last one will graduate in 2 years. I pretty much had it nailed down from day one as far as daily schedules, baking, cooking every day and never missing time with my kids. However, I constantly read to update ways to do better or do things differently. I am born to do this and it’s where I shine. I treat it as a very serious and necessary job. I can say it probably helped me during this quarantine, I really do not mind at all and love having my son home all day with me like summer! (and when I homeschooled) I do admit, I would love to do my tradition on the first day of school, but that isn’t going to happen this year…I drop of the kid(s) and then grab a starbucks peppermint mocha and then head to target to just walk around. I then go get a big salad from somewhere, taking the rest of the day to read a book(s). I don’t do this any other days of the year so I really enjoy it! We are getting hit badly with the virus right now, so I haven’t gone out to shop in months (pick up and delivery only) so I am adjusting my days, but I think because I love being home so much, it really doesn’t bother me!

  7. I love staying at home. ThT said, I love making it cozy and my happy place. I love this post for more ideas. I like to clean in the morning. I feel that I have accomplished something. Plus, it makes me happy to have a clean house. One thing I did for muse was to turn one bedroom into a craft room and my guest room into a library for my books. This makes me happy. I can go and craft or read in a special place. I’m also going to start a garden again cuts been years. Retirement isn’t boring. It’s getting to do things I really enjoy again. Baking is another thing I like to do. Boy does my house smell good. I love being at home.

  8. Stumbled by accident…Haha-dont believe so…on your blog. Love it!!! Just what I needed to hear. I retired a year ago after the passing of my husband of 47 years and then my daughter 18 months later. I sold my larger home and moved into an apartment near my son. Been a challenge to adjust but working on it. Love being home with my 6 year old puppy and striving to make my home my sanctuary once again.

    1. Charlene, So sorry to read of your losses. How nice to be near your son. I hope you love your new home and feel settled and cozy soon. ?? -Katie

    2. I am going through the same heartache. Trying to create a sanctuary with things I love that don’t make me cry is difficult for me.

  9. This is such a great post! My husband and I just downsized earlier than most empty nesters. It was a struggle for the first 2 months for us. I pulled myself out of it and started to discover things about our new small home not to mention myself. It’s been a wonderful journey only 5 months into this new chapter. I have plants in every room (small ones) ??. I am decluttering and making changes in the closets which were overwhelming. Thank you for your article. It’s truly inspiring.

    1. Hi Fawn,
      Thank you so much for this sweet message. I think moving is so hard emotionally, even if it’s a happy change. Hopefully you are feeling more and more settled and at home each day. I think plants in every room is great way to set down roots, so to speak!
      Wishing you all the best,
      Katie

  10. Hi! I just found this blog through Pinterest and I am excited to start looking for some good reading and encouragement, as I attempt to locate other blogs that you’ve posted. You are touching on things that mean so much to me, and this will be total enjoyment!
    Thank you, Kathy

  11. This is such a unique post and brought me such joy to read. I just stumbled across your blog and am hooked. I personally enjoy being home but there are definitely times where it feels stale or – being that I work from home- I find myself disconnected from the warmth and safety of my home and connect to it in a more formal sense. Thank you for sharing! <3

    1. oh Beth, thank you for the kind comment. I totally understand how working from home would be very confusing mentally. So glad you stopped by.

  12. I too believe your home should be your haven, love being home and I nurture our home everyday, I love that my husband feels like it’s a retreat after a long day at work. “homebodies unite” lol

  13. This is a great post, and it is so true! Love these tips – going to absolutely work on implementing them! Thanks for the inspiration!

    1. Hi Katie. My husband and I downsized to a 2 bed bungalow 7 years ago and I took early retirement 3 1/2 years ago and I have to say I love it. I keep myself busy, and it’s not all housework. In fact housework is only a small part of my day. I make my own soaps, toiletries, household cleaners and I enjoy sewing. I also have a cockerpoo puppy (nearly a year old) and if it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t leave my home for days . Hope when my husband does retire, he can have as many interests as I have. Really enjoyed your post and all the other comments from like-minded women.

      1. That sounds heavenly Denise! I would love to get into sewing more when my children are older and I can leave things out easier. I bet it feels so cozy to be home working on a project. Thanks for your kind comment.

  14. I’m definitely a change things up kind of gal, but it stresses my husband… go figure. I love being at home and I think that’s because I follow most of what you have above. The morning chores is a game changer though!

  15. Love these ideas! We are new empty nesters and after our twin grandsons are gone, we are ready to chill! We keep them 5 days-8hours a day! We now enjoy just being home too!
    You have motivated me to start that herb garden! I completely failed with my first one. I’m going to bo it again!
    Awesome ideas:)

  16. Yes!! This is such a great topic! I read a blog many many years ago about a woman who made her home into a respite from the world. She didn’t have a lot of money but she was determined to make it cozy and beautiful regardless. It inspires me so much and that’s what I’ve tried to do as well. Now I have the opposite problem, I never want to leave! Lol!

    1. Haha, yes! If I didn’t have kids in activities I would truly never go anywhere. Homebodies unite!

  17. A lovely read, and it reminded me to take something out of the freezer for dinner tonight! Now that I am home all the time I am trying to find a god schedule for myself and this was a good start.

  18. Great thoughts! I’ve spent many years making our home a cozy haven away from the world. I believe home should be place you don’t need to take a vacation from. So each room becomes it’s own welcoming space. It’s always a work in progress because our needs and tastes change over time. Thank you for all the interesting ideas. I love bright airy spaces that invite a person to kick off their shoes and get comfy!

    1. You are so right about it being something that constantly evolves… and I do think that’s part of the fun. ??

  19. I truly love to be home. I have had the “make your home your favorite vacation spot” mentality for years. I also want my home to be a destination spot for my adult children. We are well on our way to always being on vacation!

    1. Love that kym. I definitely struggle with this because sometimes I just want to get out! But I think part of that is having young children.