It's a bit ironic that after pouring through shelter mags and blogs on a daily basis I can forget to appreciate or even notice my own home. Maybe it's sitting in traffic, leftover work stuff, or just a compulsion to stay busy, but I can spend an entire day (or longer) without once appreciating my home (or anything in it).
It's easy to think--oh as soon as I finish going through the mail, etc I'll sit down. Or, if I just had that clawfoot tub or if all all my ducks were in a row, etc, then I would sit down and enjoy myself, but we all know that's not the issue. Sometimes you have to just sit down even when nothing has gotten done. These are some great ways I've found to get centered once I get home. Once I'm centered I can actually look around and say "oh my gosh, what a great life I have(and what an awesome apartment).
Not all of these may seem directly related to being at home or even to enjoying it, but I've found that they all contribute to the true feeling of being at home.
• Sit down. As mentioned, this one might seem obvious. But just try coming in the door, putting your bags down and sitting. Too often we feel compelled to follow up on something for work, get to returning phone calls, or any myriad of ways to keep ourselves busy.
• Folding Laundry/Doing Dishes. Yes this does require doing something, but it's something you don't have to think very hard about, you just do it. Repetitive actions are great for freeing up your mind to wander around and have a great 'a-ha' moment. Plus, once the laundry is put away or the dishes are clean, home feels taken care of and I feel happier to be there.
• Setting the mood. I'll go around and light candles, put on some great music and spend a couple of minutes straightening up. The key is doing it for yourself, not just because people are coming over. Then I get to enjoy (by myself) this wonderful home I've made. If I go on to making dinner, sorting the mail or returning phone calls, my evening is better for having taken the time to make home, home.
• Doing things One Thing at a Time. No matter what I'm doing, even if I have a whole list worth in front of me to get done before I go to bed, I remind myself to do things one at a time so that I can be awake for them instead of multi-tasking until I'm totally spent/burned out and just want to watch TV. This being present helps me to relax even when I'm busy and I end up getting a lot more done AND have a sense of satisfaction when I've completed whatever it is. This makes my time at home less stressful and gives me a chance to actually appreciate my home.
• This is the one I'm worst at: Don't watch TV. A lot has been written about this all over the place and I'm sure you've got some opinions so I won't go into it. As much as I love indulging in TV watching I do notice that when I can keep it balanced with seeing friends, being quiet and trying new things, that I'm a better and happier person for it.
• Have a routine for when you take care of certain chores so that you can escape the urgency of everything's-got-to-get-done-now-or-it-never-will syndrome.
Do you do something that helps you transition to being at home? Are there things you do that help you to notice your home and all the work and creativity you've put into it?
© 2009 Apartment Therapy
I like playing records. It takes a bit more time to pull out the records, get the player set up, and then keep flipping them and finding more to play, but I find I think more about what I'm listening to and enjoy the music more than if I just keep playing what's on my iTunes at the moment.
view Angie in Montreal's profile
When I get home I tend to change my clothes to shake off the day. Reading your list helped me to realize that I already have some good patterns for myself, but candles and hot tea need to find their way in as well.
My ex-husband transitions with toast. He'd wake up and have toast first thing; he would come home, more toast, getting ready for bed, even more toast. I don't recommend this unless you have an enviable metabolism like he does!
view CSalt's profile
That's funny "Angie in Montreal." I do the same thing. Hence my name.
view spinsLPs's profile
Have a snack. Change into PJ pants.
Also, greeting/hugging pets is a must.
view mmadden's profile
I find sitting in a new place gives me new perspective. I always forget this, and then one day, I'll sit in a chair I don't sit in all the time or move my furniture and it makes everything new and lets me really see it. Ditto the changing of clothes and candle-lighting!
view Christine (the one in DC)'s profile
When I come home from work, I'm usually already tired, drop my satchel and what groceries I may have bought and go wake up the computer and sit for roughly an hour catching up on journal entries of friends, responding, posting as required along with any emails etc, then it's go fix dinner of some sort, sometimes actually cooking, sometimes it's a boxed item I need to simply nuke in the microwave but dinner with a nice glass of wine but the transition to me are finally shucking my shoes for polar fleece slippers and washing the dishes and getting the kitchen picked up, even if just to cook but having a picked up kitchen feels really nice.
Another transition is taking a few moments to clear off my desk and pick up stuff that finds its way to the floor beside it but while it's al small stuff, it really does feel nice in the end when the place is picked up a little.
I rarely watch TV but will watch part of a movie on DVD or some such and then part of the night spend on the computer and other times, I'll return to the living room to watch some looney tunes cartoons and ultimately doze off before actually going to bed.
I'm hoping that with the job situation settling down some I can relax more and perhaps do more creative things in the evenings and not feel so tired when I get home.
Need to utilize the candles more myself btw.
view ciddyguy's profile