Let Your Home Reflect You
How to Make Your Home Reflect Your Style
Does your home reflect your style? Is your home a true reflection of you? If not, why not? Now that’s a topic! But seriously – does your home reflect you?
Does it support you emotionally? Is it a place where you want to go home to? Once at home do you feel protected? Never want to leave? Is it your sanctuary? If not, why not? Make it your own – put your own stamp on it, surround yourself with things that you love and toss the rest. We are all unique and want to have homes that show our true style. Let your home be your canvas for expressing the artist that is creating the unique being you are.
This post is a follow up to a post on examining your life goals and ensuring that your environment supports them, You can read more HERE.
Your home should be a place that nurtures, comforts, and supports you. It’s your sanctuary. It should be a reflection of your interests, hobbies, and style.
Let your home tell your story
Good design should support you (and of course those that live with you).
Home should be a place that’s a reflection of your unique personality, your style, your interests, hobbies, passions, and desires.
Its all about making it your own
Minimalism is a trend at the moment which I’m following online. On the one hand as I go through old paperwork and shred, shred, shred, I understand the need to reduce. But there I’m going to stop and stand firm and say, yes, get rid of what no longer supports you, but don’t let anyone (online or in person) convince you to get rid of what you love, what defines you to yourself as you. Your home doesn’t have to look like a magazine spread. It needs to reflect you and your style and passions.
But I'm drowning in Clutter!
I know, me too! Well I was. I’ve worked hard and try to keep only what I really want. And, hey, what every happened to the paperless society? I seem to turn around and have paper stuck to me.
So what can we do with paper clutter? Some of it’s easy – the (more than 7 years) old tax returns – shred. Old love letters or photos – well, why would you do that? If they are in boxes piled to the ceiling then yes, weed them out. But isn’t it nice every now and then to go down memory lane?
I recently found a box of old photos and cards from my wedding. I took a deep breath, went through them, saved one or two and threw out the rest! Yes, I did. It was fun, and liberating. (I have to confess that there were cards from people I no longer remembered).
I’ve been going through my home and getting rid of duplicates accumulated through various moves. I’ve pared many items down to a more manageable inventory. That’s really what it all is – inventory. The items we choose to keep. So how do you choose?
Surround yourself with things you love – and toss the rest
Surround Yourself With What You Love to Make Your Home Reflect Your Style
I’ve got a few other posts about de-cluttering. I fully support de-cluttering – but – and this is a big but – only if it helps reveal the very essence of what you find important in life. Your home should reflect your style – the person you are, not necessarily the person you’ve been. You can read more HERE.
However, I’m going to suggest that it’s ok to keep things. But only keep things that are meaningful to you. Items that make you feel good about yourself. If you do decide to get rid of things you might want to consider having a garage sale. You can read HERE for tips. I find that sometimes it’s just easier to give it to your local charity shop.
We are all social, unique spiritual beings who have memories of people, places, and experiences that we hold dear. Sometimes those items are photos, sometimes they are things.
If they are photos then choose the ones that make you smile and ditch the rest. There are so many options these days for creating electronic memories. (Says she who has three large boxes filled with photo albums I labored hours over many years ago in another lifetime (and in a galaxy far far away…)– and no, de-clutterers everywhere – it will take me too long to scan and save – life is too short and should be enjoyed – they can stay in the boxes for now!)
Are You Displaying Your Collections?
Create displays with the things you own and want to keep. Showcase your interests and passions. Just make sure you keep them dusted and move them around every few months to create visual interest and keep the energy flowing. Your collections are part of you. It’s only natural that you will want them in your home. They, like your home, are a reflection of your style.
I’ve explored the Joys of Shopping for Antiques to make your home and collections special in a post HERE.
Honor your collections by moving and re-arranging when you dust -it will keep the collection fresh
Showcase Collections That Reflect Your Style
One of my clients dedicated a whole room to his StarWars collection once the kids moved out – space ships hung from the ceiling and shelves carried models and action figures. It was a fun room to explore and made him happy.
Your possessions reveal your layers
What Your Possessions Say About Your Style
We are all complex beings with many layers (think onions) – peel away one layer and you’ll reveal something more about yourself. Maybe even something you didn’t know about yourself – that’s why life is so exciting – you never stop learning. It’s nice to do some reflecting and learn more about yourself as well.
Let Your Home Reflect You
How can you create a home that reflects your style?
Here are a few suggestions:
- Surround yourself with things you love – and toss the rest
- De-clutter only what’s no longer useful as well as things you no longer want
- Think of everything you own as inventory you have to manage – are these items ones you want to continue to manage?
- Are you displaying what you love? or what you used to love? It’s ok to make changes. If something no longer works but you want to keep it, pack it away.
- You’re constantly growing, changing and your home should reflect the beautiful, layered parts of who you are right now
- Where am I going with all this? I guess I’m just saying for now that it’s ok to keep some things – it’s that old adage by William Morris –
Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.
William Morris
De-clutter away the trivial and items or paperwork that is no longer needed but keep out and enjoy the items that make your home uniquely yours.
Showcase your collections and enjoy them!
Final Thought: Let your home reflect your style
Final Thoughts on How to Make Your Home Reflect Your Style
Let go of what doesn’t work. Embrace what does. Surround yourself with the things that you love that help you live your life with more joy, creativity, and ease. Your home doesn’t have to look like a magazine spread. It needs to feel like you.
