DIY Home and Don't Spend a Dime

designlovefest.

Natural light, bright splashes of color and fresh flowers can make a beautiful house feel inviting and warm. But it's the intangibles and what money can't buy that make a house feel like a peaceful, safe-haven. Here are a few easy and free ways to make you house feel like a home! We could call this a DIY of a different color.

1. Put in the hours: Surely we aren't the only family that spreads ourselves beyond thin. We commit ourselves in so many different directions during the day and trying to weasel in a measly 6 hours of sleep at night. It's easy to get so caught up in the crazy that suddenly you spend very little time in your home, non-the-less with those who live there. Let your house be more than a place you rest your eyes at night and spend some valuable time there. Give yourself permission to say no to some of the noise in the world and have a much deserved staycation at home packed full of family meals cooked together in the home you love.
2. Use it: So you're committed to hanging around the house a little more? Well, use this extra time to interact with the things in your house, and most importantly the people you share it with. Dirty your table with a craft, sprawl out under a quilt fort with the kiddos, bake you favorite recipe and dare we suggest clean it all up? Break the routine of wake-work-eat-sleep-repeat and revisit something you love and embrace the way you've always envisioned your great space to be used.
3. Speak Kindly: Some of the most significant words I've ever heard have been phrases of encouragement before leaving the house for work, passionate debates about the future and whispered prayers before bed. Each day when you wake up, choose to speak words of encouragement, grace and kindness to others in your home. Create a positive and warm environment by being aware of your tone and attitude. Speak kindly to those beyond the walls of your home, so when you come home you aren't burdened by shouldn't-haves and should-of's. Realistically, conflict is going to happen and less-than-constructive things will be said, but don't let your home be defined by these mishaps. Be quick to speak words of grace, honesty and forgiveness. 
4. Tune In: It feels good to have a little music as the back drop to your time at home. A good song can shape a lot about how we feel or see something. I don't particularly like folding laundry, but a great soundtrack can make it a little more bearable. I do, however, enjoy dancing with my husband, and sometimes the only reason I need to have to dance with him is that a song is on and our living room floor is clean enough that we might not trip. 
5. Entertain. No Excuses: Spend time with others in your home without apologizing for a mess or talking about things you want to change. Just enjoy your home as it is right now. Don't worry about the dust they might see or the things that didn't get done. Learn to let the little things go, so you can really feel at home and at ease.

Originally posted on Beacon Fine Homes. Inspired by article from Apartment Therapy.