3 Tips for Curating a Home that Sparks Joy
It is a natural time for many to take reflect on their lives as the chapter of a new year opens. It is also a time when many are dealing with a sudden influx of new items from the gifts of the month before and are spending more time indoors with the cold weather. The confluence of these lead to many a New Year’s Resolution of getting organized. I think at the heart of this oft-made resolution is a desire for our homes to bring us joy and not be an overwhelming pile of to-dos. Here are three ways to create the home you want:
1. Choose Joy
The easiest way for your home to feel refreshed and easy to live in is to declutter! Removing the items that weigh you down and that no longer serve you will allow the items that bring you joy to shine. They won’t be diluted or hidden by other things!
Remember, this is not about minimalism - it’s just about “weeding” your home of the items that no longer serve you in the same way you weed a garden of unnecessary plants. Remove the items that will choke out and minimize the things you love.
Also, in the same way weeding a garden is not a once and done task, managing your home’s items by weeding out those that no longer serve you is an ongoing task. Taking time to do so on a regular basis is an excellent habit to foster in your life.
Not sure where to begin? Here are four areas that can almost always use a good decluttering:
clothing
bathroom
linen closet
pantry / spices / fridge
2. RESET SPACES DAILY
Life is busy! Keeping your home Pinterest perfect is not a realistic goal. When a space is lived in (especially with children), it is going to look lived in, and that is fine! There will be toys left out, papers that pile, throw blankets that end up on the floor, dishes on the counter. However, as long as you have a home for all of those items, you can easily put everything back in its home as time and energy allow.
Every area of your home cannot always be perfectly tidy and spotless. However, I do recommend choosing one to two areas that you reset every day.
The two areas I reset every day are the kitchen and a few areas in the living room. There are two surface areas in my living room that tend to collect clutter. If I reset them each day, they stay clear, which brings me joy, and it prevents a clutter pile-up that becomes overwhelming to deal with.
If you’re unsure what area to reset, I highly encourage you think about your clutter hotspots and perhaps choose one of those areas to reset daily.
3. Sprinkle in the Joy
Do you have a tchotchke that reminds you of a trip? Do you have a special drawing from your child? Do you have an old photo of a family member? Do you have a letter from a loved one?
Don’t tuck them all away in a box! Sprinkle a few throughout your home to curate moments of joy in surprising locations! Consider placing these sentimental items, that bring you so much joy, in areas throughout your home that are not necessarily always on display. Opening a drawer and seeing your grandma’s tea cup holding your rings, seeing a letter your daughter wrote on the cabinet door when you are getting a plate, opening a closet and seeing a cherished souvenir on the shelf next to your towels, or seeing medal you earned at the bottom of your sock drawer can all be ways to use your sentimental items to bring you joy in your everyday home life.
I have a wooden top that I received as a gift long ago. While I don’t play with it, I keep it in my linen closet and every time I get sheets or a new towel it brings me a moment of joy! Were I to keep it stored away in a bin, I would lose the moments of joy it brings me.
Keep in mind, curation is key, don’t overdo it!
The new year often brings waves of ambitious resolutions to get organized, get in shape, eat better, read more. etc, and often quickly fizzles into old habits. If having a home that sparks joy instead of feelings of stress is a goal you would like to strive for this year - please reach out for help and support. As a certified KonMari Consultant®, I would be honored to guide you through the tidying process so that you can have a home that functions smoothly and feels restful and refreshing!
