Do you struggle to find contentment in your home? I’ll be honest—sometimes it feels like everyone else is renovating or building their dream homes except for me. One quick scroll through social media, and suddenly, it feels like you’re the only one missing out. It’s easy to get caught up in watching home renovations—who doesn’t love a good before-and-after? But if we aren’t careful, what starts as inspiration can quickly turn into comparison. And that, my friend, can become a breeding ground for discontentment.
Moving doesn’t always solve this problem. Sometimes, it’s not even an option. A bigger budget or acquiring more stuff won’t fix it either. Nope—this is a matter of the heart. Finding contentment with our homes, regardless of our means, requires a shift in mindset. And that perspective can follow you wherever you go, no matter where you call home or what season of life you’re in. Here are a few things that I do to help me love the space I’m in.
First, I ask myself these questions:
What am I allowing to influence me? Are the accounts I follow inspiring and encouraging, or are they planting seeds of discontentment? How do I feel after spending time on social media? If the answer leans toward discontent, I take a break. Don’t let yourself fall into the trap of thinking everyone else can afford amazing renovations while you can’t. Step away from the screen and tackle a simple task—like putting away that pile of laundry. It reduces visual clutter and blesses your family more than you know (I’m reminding myself of this, too!).
Clean, clean, and clean some more!
Every time I find myself in a slump about my home, I realize I need to change the narrative in my head. It’s easy to focus on the things I don’t love when my home is messy or in need of a deep clean. But it’s funny how tidying up can shift my perspective. The way we care for our homes impacts how we feel in them. Any time I catch myself grumbling about my space, a quick power-cleaning session fills my heart with gratitude for what I do have. Plus, it’s free—and there’s nothing quite like the feeling of a freshly cleaned home.
Rearrange, refresh, and shop your home
There’s nothing like rearranging good furniture to rekindle your love for your space. Sometimes, all that’s needed is a simple switch-eroo—swap out nightstands, play musical chairs, or rethink an entire room layout. If moving furniture isn’t an option, try swapping curtains or throw pillows. Sometimes, even just swapping around your smaller decor breathes life into not only your space, but your heart too. Take a minute to walk around your home and look for pieces that you can “shop” to switch things up.
It might also be time to rethink your storage systems. For years, we kept a bench by our front door where our toddlers sat while we tied their shoes, with crates underneath for storage. But as our kids grew, they no longer needed help with their shoes—they needed easy access to their hats and gloves, which were inconveniently stored on a top shelf in a closet. So, I swapped the bench for a small dresser and filled the drawers with their hats and gloves. Now, they can reach what they need without my help.
Make one small change at a time.
When I’m struggling with contentment, I find that pouring a little love back into my home helps. Sometimes, all it takes is one tiny change. Never underestimate the power of a fresh coat of paint—it can transform a room in a day. Or maybe it’s revamping a piece of furniture or creating new artwork for your walls. When the budget is tight, I’ve even painted lams instead of buying new ones. It’s natural for our feelings about our homes to grow stale if we haven’t spent time tending to them. And I’m not just talking about chores—I mean the kind of tending where we work with our hands, invest our hearts, and pour love into our spaces. Tackle a small DIY project or creative craft. When we nurture our homes, they have a way of nurturing us in return.
You might not be able to afford a full room makeover, but when was the last time you gave your trim a fresh coat of paint? I do this every couple of years, and I’m always amazed at how it makes my home feel brand new again.
Ditch the clutter!
If you feel stuck with your home decor, try decluttering. This always helps me when I’m not loving a space. Go through drawers and bins and decide what to keep and what to let go of. If you have a spot where clutter piles up—like the dreaded “drop zone”—brainstorm a creative storage solution. One of my favorite tricks is gathering all the clutter into a box and placing it onto the table. Then, I go through it piece by piece, making sure everything is either put away or properly dealt with. You can even do this for each kid if they tend to leave things lying around.
Whether your living room is covered with toddler toys or your dream home makeover isn’t in the budget yet, there are things you can do today to cultivate contentment with the space you have.
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Making Your Home Meaningful, by Bre Doucette, will help you decorate and create heartfelt, authentic spaces that truly make your house a home you love living in. First, readers will learn how to identify their personal style and then apply it to every space in their home. One of the major decorating decisions have been made, the second half of the book will show how easy it is to add seasonal touches that stay cohesive with the rest of the home’s decor, adding a festive, celebratory feel throughout the year.
Ready to get started? Learn more about the book and how to purchase here.
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