9 Ways to Appreciate Your House Just as It Is
Look on the bright side — or that soothingly dark corner — to feel genuine gratitude for all the comforts of your home
Laura Gaskill
November 24, 2014
Houzz Contributor. I cover decorating ideas, Houzz tours & the monthly home maintenance checklist. My favorite pieces to write center around the emotional aspects of home and savoring life's simple pleasures. Get The Simple List, my short & sweet weekly email: https://www.lauragaskill.com/thesimplelist/
Houzz Contributor. I cover decorating ideas, Houzz tours & the monthly home maintenance... More
Whether you've been letting your home improvement to-do list get the best of you, or are finding yourself comparing your real-world home to professionally styled and photographed ones, it's natural to get a little down on your home from time to time. Luckily, feeling content at home is something available to everyone, no matter the size or condition of your space. By working your way through these nine suggestions, you can gain a deeper appreciation of your house, just as it is today.
1. Consider what first drew you to your home. No matter where you live, there was likely something that attracted you to your house when you first saw it. Was it the sunny yard, charming porch, original wood floors? Once you are living in a place, it's natural to focus more on home improvements, but taking a moment to recall your favorite things about your home can put things in perspective.
2. Use your senses. If you're getting down on your house, it can be hard to find anything to appreciate — but using your senses, you can zero in on the pleasures of home. Take a quick sensory tour of your home and note anything positive: the cozy comfort of your couch, the smell of coffee brewing, the feel of a fluffy rug between your toes.
3. Contrast it with not-home. Imagine you've just been on a long trip, and you are arriving home for the first time in weeks. You close the door behind you and take a deep breath. What are you most looking forward to about being home in that moment? Think about the ways your home comforts and supports you.
4. Think beyond the visible. Is your rent or mortgage affordable, allowing you to live within your means? Is your home near your best friend's house, a lovely park or your favorite café? Is it quiet? Are your neighbors nice? There are many factors that you may not see when you look around but that are just as (or more) important than the space itself.
5. Consider what visitors like about your home. When friends come over, do they comment on how welcoming and relaxing your house is? Is it great for parties, intimate chats, or barbecues on the lawn? Pay attention to what others have to say about your space.
6. Look at the living things. Be sure to count the people and furry friends you share your home with among your blessings. Does the light in your home make it easy to grow that windowsill herb garden? Does owning your own home or having an accommodating landlord make it possible to share your space with furry friends? Do your kids love jumping on that squashy old couch?
7. Look out your windows. Do you have a view of your private garden, a bustling city street, a beautiful tree? Do you have a favorite spot where you like to sit and daydream, simply gazing at the clouds outside?
8. Look on the bright side. Sometimes all it takes is a fresh perspective to turn what could be a negative into something good. A small space may feel cramped, but it also uses fewer resources, so it's naturally greening your lifestyle.
Sharing a home with extended family may be trying at times, but it's undoubtedly providing memories you will cherish for many years. If something has been irking you, try to think of an upside.
Sharing a home with extended family may be trying at times, but it's undoubtedly providing memories you will cherish for many years. If something has been irking you, try to think of an upside.
9. Consider what your home allows you to do. Whether you love to cook, entertain, read, watch movies or play with your kids, focusing on the activities you enjoy at home can help take the focus away from that never-ending list of improvements. In fact, using your home more is one wonderfully simple way to appreciate what it has to offer.
Keep it up: If the suggestions in this ideabook have inspired you to look at your home in a new way, consider collecting your thoughts in a gratitude journal. I also encourage you to pay attention to precisely what makes you feel grateful at home — and do more of it! It's only natural as you are digging in the garden, kneading bread dough or reading a story to a child that you will begin to feel more content with things as they are.
More:
13 Ways to Be Happier in Your Home This Year
How to Savor Your Beautifully Imperfect Home
More:
13 Ways to Be Happier in Your Home This Year
How to Savor Your Beautifully Imperfect Home
Step into a Ferguson Showroom and you'll be surrounded by the latest styles in kitchen, bath and lighting design... Read More
What are you working on?
Related Products
Step into a Ferguson Showroom and you'll be surrounded by the latest styles in kitchen, bath and lighting design... Read More
Related Stories
Most Popular
13 Ways to Be Happier in Your Home This Year
Savor a richer experience in your house without Herculean efforts or spending a fortune, by focusing on what's important
Full Story
Remodeling Guides
First Things First: How to Prioritize Home Projects
What to do when you’re contemplating home improvements after a move and you don't know where to begin
Full Story
Feel-Good Home
10 Ways to Shower Your Home With Gratitude
Give your home some love with these thoughtful ideas and watch it return the favor
Full Story
Simple Pleasures
Simple Pleasures: Your Home Is Your Château
Bring a little more beauty and elegance into your daily life with these 8 ideas
Full Story
Most Popular
10 Steps for Saying Goodbye to Sentimental Objects
Are keepsakes cluttering your space and your life? Consider this approach for letting go and moving on
Full Story
SH Sale
Up to 80% Off Presidents Day Bestsellers: Area Rugs
By Houzz
Find a rug for every room in this broad assortment
See Products
Feel-Good Home
The Question That Can Make You Love Your Home More
Change your relationship with your house for the better by focusing on the answer to something designers often ask
Full Story
SH Sale
Up to 75% Off Oversized Area Rugs
By Houzz
Bring comfort and expansive style to your bigger spaces
See Products
Most Popular
Simple Pleasures: Stocking Up for Winter
Have these essentials and treats on hand to make even blustery days and snowed-in time feel special
Full Story
Decorating 101
How to Savor Your Beautifully Imperfect Home
Hardly anyone escapes home design envy. These strategies can help you appreciate your home for all it offers you right now
Full Story
I returned to this bookmarked article after many years to give me a reminder on appreciating my home for what it is. Great and inspiring article, but Deepchit Wardozski, nobody asked for your opinions, especially on this thread. Its tenor mars and misses the whole point of this conversation. GO AWAY.
Good topic. Not sure it's that easy for me. Although my house is newly constructed with the kitchen, bathrooms and floors I chose, and not in a neighborhood, which is what I wanted, it is an absolute blank slate including the landscaping. And that's my "first world" dilemma. The slight slope of the yard has made it way more difficult and costly to get the garden I want so inside finishes just aren't able to get done. At my age I don't have time to work on it for 20 years and I just can't be happy with 2 arborvitaes and a birdbath out side or blank walls inside. I'll either have to accept that its not all going to get done and live with it as it is or move into something with a more manageable yard so my $$ goes farther. Who knew 2018 would bring torrential downpours enough to bring me to this point? Thanks climate change! What was supposed to be a dream house and garden won't be now!!