On a scale of 1-10 how crazy do you feel you’re going being stuck at home with nowhere (socially acceptable) to go? I would say I’m a solid 2 and here’s why:

Being able to find comfort and peace within your home extends far beyond “relaxing” after an exhausting day of work.

Your home should be your safe haven–a place where you feel inspired, motivated, comfort, and versatility to please your every need.

Why do I bring this up?

Because only recently have I achieved these things with my own home and self. I’m pretty sure i’ve brought this up in past blog posts but moving into my home was challenging to say the least.

For starters, it was my husband’s house way before I came into the picture and it was about as bachelor-esque, cabin in the woods as you can get. I felt like I had little to bring to the table in terms of decor and design.

Nevermind that I was struggling to figure out my role as a wife in terms of, what the heck was I supposed to do when my husband wasn’t home!? For a long time I would sit on the couch, binging Netflix shows I cared nothing about basically frozen in fear?

Finally, I had had enough. I wanted our shared space to be somewhere that felt just as much mine as it did his. I wanted to WANT to be home alone, I wanted to feel inspired and look at my surroundings and see potential with projects and laborious demands.

The journey to this point was slow and took some self-discovery. However, I feel more at home than I ever have in my whole life. I fit here–much like I always suspected I would during our early dating days. I have so many projects and tasks I want to complete that I find myself searching for the time to do so.

So, fear not struggling friend. If you find yourself having a difficult time during this mandatory quarantine, I have some tips to help.

1. Let as much natural light in your house as possible. | Dust off those blinds and pull back those curtains because natural light can immediately boost one’s mood. Even if i’m not spending all day in the house, my blinds and curtains are open. And on an especially beautiful day, a window or two will be cracked. There is nothing like walking into a room and immediately smelling the fresh air gently blowing through the window.
2. Go outside and identify 5 sounds. | I cannot tell you how many days passed me by that I was SO in my own head, consumed by anxious thoughts that I cannot recall the birds chirping or the frogs singing their evening song. Now, when the elephant begins to sit on my chest, I step outside and identify the first 5 sounds I hear. Sometimes it is my dogs running as fast as they can and the tag on their collars jingle back and forth. and sometimes, it’s the blue bird perched on our weathered bird houses. I find so much peace in this. Then I think to myself, “wow, this is my home.”
3. Tidy what needs to be tidied and leave the rest for another time. | Listen, nobody feels like cleaning their whole house all the time every single day. My #1 tip would be to tidy your most used areas and wait for when you feel that cleaning bug hit to do the rest. My dishes stay washed and out of the sink, counters wiped clean with disinfectant, blankets folded when not in use, and floors clean of clutter. Does that mean my “chair” is always free of 3 loads of laundry? No. I encourage you to find perfection in the imperfections of your home. Your home is supposed to look like it is lived in. Cut yourself some slack, okay?
4. Find a drink you love and look forward to it. | Hear me out on this one. I have a favorite drink for every time of day and a favorite cup for each drink. More times that not, I find myself creeping into bed with the exciting thought that there’s not that much time to elapse between that moment and my morning coffee–which is to be served slightly chilled after 15 minutes or so in the freezer and in 8-ounce mason jar. Whether I’m working at my computer or nestled on the couch, I love having my morning coffee this exact way every morning.
5. Add life back into your home. | Living plants perched in a window sill are my JAM, people. I have an aloe vera plant that started as a little twig-like structure that has flourished so beautifully with time. So big in fact, that I’m fixing to transplant half of it to reside in another window sill. Rosemary, aloe vera, ivy, succulents, croton, and jade all grow really well in sunlit window sills.
6. Cultivate creativity.| This one is HUUUGGGEEE for me. Creativity unleashes my inner child and inspires me to express myself in ways that social media and technology otherwise can’t. I would encourage to have a space in your home that is technology free. No televisions, no phones, and no playstation of any kind. Instead, fill this corner with books, magazines, inexpensive water colors, writing tools, sewing kits and fabric and allow yourself the capacity to create. It doesn’t have to be good or approved by others. It just needs to come from YOU. Ironically enough, this blog is a means of creativity for me but if I want something that doesn’t include technology I will sew or read.
7. Organize anything. | When I’m really feeling the weight of the world, I have this one space that I’ll organize and immediately feel better. Any guesses? Well, it’s my closet. I start and end my day making decisions in my closet. So it only makes sense that it stay well organized and free of clutter as to make this step as painless as possible. I hate hate hate double hate a messy closet and yet this is how is stays majority of the time. But boooyyyyyyy, when my closet is clean and organized I am a new woman.
8. Capitalize on your favorite scent. | Whether it’s a candle, laundry, or a fresh meal–capitlize on this and carryout whatever task needs to be carried out. Mine personally is a “fabuloso mixed with snuggle scent beads” smell so I’ll start my morning by mopping and doing a load of laundry to kick things off.

I want to encourage you to remember that during this strange time in our lives, it is okay to feel however it is you are feeling. It is equally as important to indulge in the notion that you have the potential to make this time a time of peace and reflection. Who knows, maybe you’ll find perspective in all of this and make lifestyle changes that you feel better yourself. I know I have.

Stay safe out there, friends.