Newsletters

10 Ways to Enjoy Your Home to Its Fullest

Adrienne Breaux
Adrienne BreauxHouse Tour Director at AT Media
For more than 10 years, I've led Apartment Therapy's real home content, producing thousands of house tours from around the world. Currently, I live in my maximalist dream home in New Orleans, Louisiana, with my partner, a perfect dog, and a cute cat.
Follow
updated Jul 16, 2020
comments
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
Post Image
See More Images
(Image credit: Adrienne Breaux)

It can sometimes be easy to mindlessly move through your home, just going through the motions of your daily routine. Are you just existing in your home? Or are you enjoying your home to its fullest every day? There are a few ideas I’m re-reading these days to help me remember to really live in my home.

1. Laugh in it
What really makes you laugh? Is it the latest viral pet video? Watch a bit before you jet off to work. Love stand-up comedy? Play a few sets instead of music while you do housework. Or call up that friend who makes you snort when you laugh, and have them keep you company in your favorite part of your home.

2. Embrace your own style
No matter if it’s weird, or kooky. If you love a certain color, couch, wallpaper or piece of art, it’s perfect. You can look to others for inspiration, but don’t decorate the way you think a home should look, incorporate things that truly make you happy and smile.

3. Use your fancy things
The nice bed sheets you usually save for guests. The candles you bought on travels. Go ahead, splurge on every day things that make you happy for a bit (unless eating that cupcake for breakfast will get in the way of any goals you have for yourself this year). The point is to indulge in something you love as often as you can in your home.

4. Learn about your home
Maybe you could find out when your house or apartment building was built. Perhaps you could learn about the materials your furniture is made out of. Maybe you could finally learn how to work every feature of an appliance. The point is learning and knowledge breeds appreciation. And hey, you could discover really interesting, positive conversation topics to amaze your guests with next time they visit!

5. Choose what and who you let into your home wisely
There are limitations our houses are under, whether from size or compromise with a partner or budget, which can dictate the objects we purchase for our homes. But it is something to consider, being extra careful about the things you buy and find and let into your most personal spaces. This also applies to the people you invite into your home — don’t let folks with too negative of views spend too long, in case they rub off on you or your home.

6. Make messes and have out-of-the-box fun
Nothing is more appealing than when someone cooks dinner and absolutely demolishes their kitchen in the process. I saw on our newsfeed two friends who had pulled some mattresses into their living room in front of the fireplace to have a movie marathon camp-out session. Heck, pitch a tent, make a tipi, have an adventure in your home (especially important in winter months).

7. Focus on the positive things about your home
Not to sound like a broken record, but do spend time thinking about the things you’re grateful for about your house. Since I’m still months away from my home being the way I want it after recently moving in, I make sure to tack on a few extra “gratefuls” to my morning list to really reinforce the positive aspects about my place.

8. Celebrate just about anything, often
I love vibrant people who are always celebrating even the smallest of events, accomplishments and more. One might even suggest that celebrating failures and disappointments could be useful, too (they are life lessons, after all). We’ve shared ideas on how to use your decor to celebrate.

9. Live in the present, but prepare for the future
Existing in your home is ignoring the warning signs from appliances, not caring about energy usage and not paying attention to or planning for repairs. Really living in your home is loving it, taking care of it, and helping it stay a happy and healthy home for the future.

10. Smile at the little things
You’ve probably put a lot of work into decorating your home, filling it with art and furnishings and collectibles that you love. Don’t forget to take a moment every now and then to touch and feel a favorite object, remember its story. Smile at how it came into your life.

How do you really live in your home, and not just exist in it? Do you have anything special that you do that really helps you enjoy your space to its fullest? Share how you’ve made really living in your home a priority!

Looking for more home-enjoying advice to chew on this weekend?

Filed in:
Mindful Living
Wellness