10 Things That Made Me Fall Back in Love With My Home
Sometimes all it takes is a shift in how we show up in it.
There was a season where I felt disconnected from my home. Nothing was technically wrong, but it didn’t feel like me anymore. The energy was off, the rooms felt cluttered, and I was constantly overstimulated just walking from one space to the next. I also found myself constantly getting caught up in the idea of what my home “should” be like. What would people think if they came over? Does my decor fit the latest trends? Why doesn’t my house look like other peoples? Like Pinterest? Like Instagram? Like I’ve “made it” in my life?
But little by little, without a full makeover or anything fancy, I started to fall in love with my space again. It began as a quiet thought: What if I treated this home like a place that could hold me, too? Because doesn’t it? Isn’t that what our homes really do? I knew that living in the mind set that I’d be happy once my home “looked right” was sabotaging the ability to enjoy it right now.
So I began doing these small things…simple shifts that slowly made me see and appreciate my home in a new way. I realized this isn’t just a house. It’s the place that carries me through every season. That holds my family. That I always return to.
And it deserves to feel safe. To feel like mine. To be loved.
So here are 10 simple things that helped me return to my home with softer eyes, that you can do too. Because you deserve to love the place you’re in right now.
1. I stopped waiting until everything was perfect.
I used to think I needed a spotless house to feel peace. But peace doesn’t live in perfection, it lives in presence. Once I let go of the pressure to have everything “done,” I started noticing the beauty in the becoming. The beauty in the being. The beauty in the cleaning. YES, even the cleaning! The beauty in dishes in my sink that = full bellies. Toys sprawled across the floor = fun was had. Dirty clothes = a day spent living. Homes are meant to be lived in, not staged for life. This doesn’t mean that deep clean power hours and slightly unhinged, overstimulated decluttering moments don’t happen – but it means I remind myself to embrace the process and fully know that perfect isn’t possible, but gratitude IS.
2. I created one space that felt like me.
Not a Pinterest-perfect version of me—but the real me. The me that knows exactly what makes me feel at peace, at home and safe. A cozy corner with a warm blanket, my favorite candle, my special sacred notebook or a special decor momentum. Even a small basket filled with yarn and my latest crochet project. Whatever it is that brings me joy. A space I could land in when the day felt heavy – that I know is always there to catch me in whatever mood I’m in.
3. I brought scent into the rhythm of my day.
Lighting a certain candle in the evening, diffusing fresh earthy oils in the morning, or even just wiping the counters with a citrus spray became a ritual that made my house feel like home again. Scent carries memory. I wanted mine to say, “you’re safe here.” I like to stay away from harsh chemicals or artificial scents, and I lean into natural products instead as they are better for your health and your mind.
4. I slowed down how I moved through my spaces
Instead of rushing from one task to the next, I am purposeful about pausing to notice the way light moves across the floor, or to soak in the sounds of my kids playing. I notice the quiet hum of my home when everyone else is asleep. It’s amazing what comes alive when you stop to feel it. This can also known as “romanticizing” your life, but I like to boil it down to practice of making it a habit to appreciate the moment you’re in. It truly is so powerful.
5. I played music during the mundane.
Folding laundry with something soft playing in the background turned a chore into something sacred. It shifted the energy—not just of the room, but of me inside it. As silly as it sounds, I turned music into the soundtrack of my life. Because we really are the main characters in our life, and music can bring whatever feeling you strive for into even the smallest most “basic” moments.
6. I gave my home permission to evolve.
This one is huge, and I know so many people struggle with this. I stopped trying to keep my home a certain way and instead started asking: What does our life need from this space right now? Rearranging furniture, rotating toys, or even just moving the kettle closer to where I stand in the mornings—it all counts. There is something so special and powerful and joyful about your home serving you in practical, every day ways. It may not look picture perfect, but if it carries you with ease through each moment – that to me is a home well lived in.
7. I began saying thank you to it.
Thank you for the roof. Thank you to the walls. Thank you for the warmth. Thank you for holding the sounds of laughter, the hard days, the naps, the meals, the growing up. Gratitude softens everything, and if you don’t believe me, try it yourself.
8. I chose softness over aesthetics.
I’m talking the coziest throw blanket. The slightly worn pillow I always reach for. A cozy wicker basket near the door so things don’t pile up. I realized I don’t need my home to be beautiful to anyone else—just safe and soft for us. That’s really all that matters. And honestly? There is an aesthetic in that which no popular trendy vibe can ever replicate or match.
9. I noticed what made me exhale.
A fresh set of bed sheets. A clean, clear kitchen counter. The smell of something baking. I paid attention to those little “mmm” moments and tried to create more of them, just because they made me feel like I could breathe. And in turn, my house felt a little more put together, more clean and more settled. I focused on what I know would make me feel good, and I do more of it.
10. I stopped seeing my home as a reflection of my worth.
Dare I save the most important for last? Because the truth is, no matter how ingrained this may be in our heads – mess doesn’t mean you are failing. Dishes don’t mean you are behind. Your home is a living space. Lived in. Loved in. I started seeing my home as an extension of our real life—not a measuring stick. And when you give yourself permission to take a step back and see a home for what it truly is in your life, you realize that it is so much more than just a reflection of you. It’s a reflection of life – sometimes a little messy, sometimes calm, but always changing, shifting, making space for new things. Not perfect, just real.
You don’t need to change your home to fall back in love with it.
You just need to come back to it. Gently. Slowly. With the kind of love that remembers: this place holds your life every single day. And you deserve to feel held in return. You deserve to love the space you’re in right now. You don’t need to spend money to do it, or change everything inside of it. You already know what makes you feel safe, and you can choose to focus on those things and let your home hold you the way it is meant to.
If you enjoyed this post, you might like reading about how to create a home that calms your nervous system, or how I romanticize my life every day without spending a thing. I believe that there can be so much beauty in the spaces we exist in, as well as the small moments that make up our life -we just have to locate it and hold on to it.
With love,
