Have you ever had one of those days when you can’t find a thing to wear, your home feels too small, and nothing in the fridge is even slightly tempting you? Then you find yourself feeling guilty for not appreciating everything you have which makes you feel worse? The His & Hers team suspects that we all have the occasional ‘meh’ day, no matter how much we love our lives. For a short-term pick-me-up, we swear by the restorative powers of a cup of tea with a friend. However, if something more drastic is required to tackle the feeling that the walls are closing in on you, we have a few tips to make your home feel spacious and welcoming again.
Take stock
Often, we’re so busy that it can be hard to take stock of what is and isn’t working for you in your home. For example, perhaps you only notice the poorly placed bedside table every time you stub your toe on it in the morning, or maybe you remember you need to buy light bulbs every night when you get home to a dimly lit house, but not when you’re in the supermarket. Why not take half-an-hour to walk around your home and focus on what is and isn’t working. If some rooms still have an unfinished feel, make a list determining what furniture you need. Sometimes, when we’ve lived in the same place for a while it can be easy to become blind to the little things that we really appreciate, and those that irritate us, so getting a bit of perspective can be really helpful.
De-clutter
Yes, the His & Hers team knows that this is an obvious suggestion and that thanks to Marie Kondo and the runaway success of her de-cluttering method (which we do really rate, by the way) you can barely browse online without stumbling upon a whole series of articles on de-cluttering. However, if part of the reason that your home feels small or chaotic is that you’re holding on to lots of stuff, and you aren’t 100% sure that you need or want it all, there’s a lot to be said for a good clear-out. It’ll probably make you feel more organised and in control and it’s so much easier to appreciate the clothes, mementos, books and even items of furniture that you love when they’re not competing for space with stuff you no longer want.
Simplify
If you want to create the illusion of having more space, there’s a lot to be said for keeping your design scheme simple. For example, have you ever noticed that developers tend to choose just one paint shade (which is generally off-white or pale cream) for all of the walls in small and medium sized properties? This avoids breaking up the space, creating a sense of continuity. Also, choosing the same type of flooring for most rooms (with the possible exception of the kitchen and bathroom) will make your home look more spacious and will give a better flow to the space. We’re very proud to bring you this feature in association with FurnitureBox. For more inspiration for your home, please pay a visit to our interiors page.
