A new year often brings with it the desire to re-evaluate the way that we live our lives. Many of us will have made resolutions as the clock struck midnight on the first day of January that involve starting the year afresh: breaking old habits, embarking on new challenges – to be fitter, stronger, happier.
Traditionally, a new year offers the chance to change aspects of our lifestyle that don’t live up to their potential, and a major part of this is our home. Where we live is so much more than a place where we keep our belongings and lay our head at night, it’s a sanctuary that we can retreat to when life outside our front doors becomes too frantic and busy. It’s the cluster of rooms that offer relaxation, serenity, and warmth.
As soon as you step inside and shut the door behind you, you should feel a sense of calm and familiarity, and if you’re reading this shaking your head that that’s not the case, then now is the time to change that. Before we start work on any new project, we take a lot of time to listen to our clients describe how they live now and how they want to live in the future. We have to truly understand everything about the way that their family functions day-to-day to provide them with a home that not only suits their tastes, but also the lifestyles of every person that lives there. Of course, this is easier with a blank canvas to work with, but there are simple changes that you can make to your home today to help it function better.
Be discerning about everything you have in your house; every item needs to earn its place.
Question everything for either its beauty, its sentimental value, or its usefulness, and if it doesn’t fall into any of these three categories then cheerfully wave goodbye to it as it goes on its way to another home, a charity, or the nearest skip. Once you’ve streamlined your belongings, turn your attention to the aesthetics of your home. Does the style of your furnishings epitomise your personality? Do you still like the colours you once chose? 2019 is the year to give yourself the home you deserve – there can’t be a better resolution than that.