Whether you have lived in your house for thirty years or are about to move in for the first time, homeownership can be very exciting. With a space that you can call your own, you have the freedom to make changes to suit your or your family’s needs. The goal for every change should be to turn the house into more of a home.

Since this is a space that you have to spend lots of time in every day, it should be an atmosphere of comfort, peace, and joy. However, if you are leaving things that you want to change unaltered, it can take away from the quality of your living experience.

Turning your house into a home comes down to making the right decorative, layout, and functional decisions. What does your family need in the kitchen that will make it serve your needs? What color palette in the family room will make it a place to relax? How should the furniture be organized to foster relaxation and connection with the family and potential guests? With these questions in mind, here are a handful of ideas to make your house feel more like a home.

Clear the Clutter

Cleanliness in a home can impact your living experience either positively or negatively. A chaotic space with lots of clutter can increase your stress levels, sometimes without you even realizing it. The benefits of having a cleaner, more organized space may be greater than you expect. Getting rid of clutter can be difficult, but there are some steps you can take to make the challenge a little easier. Identifying the problem, tackling one room at a time, looking for tech solutions, and sustaining your efforts can make your de-cluttering plan effective, clearing up space and reducing your stress levels.

Bring in Some Plants

Nature is full of mental health-boosting benefits. While you probably do not want to live outdoors all the time, there is no reason why you cannot bring a little bit of nature into the home. Adding greenery to the interiors can bring more life to the space and make it feel warmer. Simple additions like potted flowers, shrubs, or small trees can make a big difference in the family room, bedroom, or bathroom. Plus, these oxygen creators have a positive effect on the air quality and overall scent of your home. Find some sun-facing windows in your home, install greenery there, and feel the positive effects that it will have on the room.

Dress Up the Windows

Windows with nothing but blinds are a missed opportunity for making the room feel cozier. Why waste this opportunity by leaving the windows as they are? The addition of some beautiful curtains mounted on a wall or ceiling curtain track can make the room feel more comfortable, and it gives you an extra privacy feature from the outside world. Additionally, the chosen color of your curtains is an easy strategy to complement the palette in the rest of the room, adding a splash of brightness or contrast to the space. Don’t let your living space windows go to waste. Rather, find ways to dress them up to create a more relaxing and private setting.

Take On a Bigger Project

Home improvement goes hand in hand with ownership. While you can purchase a home and move in with all your furniture and decorations replacing those of the previous owner, improvement projects are a way to personalize the house. You can put your personal stamp on the property by tackling a larger project that results in big changes. Maybe the kitchen is outdated and could use an upgrade. A new shower/bathtub and vanities in the bathroom will update this crucial room to your expectations. Building a deck on the exterior can be a worthy addition to the home that unites the outdoors with indoor spaces. A big home improvement project is a chance to put your name on the property and design it for your family’s needs.

Let the Light in

Lighting plays a big role in the atmosphere of a home’s interior. The more natural light that gets in during the day, the more open the rooms can feel. With this purpose in mind, you can install larger windows, put in a skylight, or add some large mirrors to reflect light better. Natural lighting is proven to have a positive effect on mental health, so taking advantage of the sun and using its ability to brighten a space can make your interiors emit a positive atmosphere.

Consult an Interior Designer/Decorator

If you are short on ideas for making your house feel more like a home, fear not. There are professionals dedicated to this exact industry. More likely than not, you can find local interior designers and decorators who have an eye for making home interiors more comfortable and beautiful. Working together with one of these professionals can help you come up with a vision for your home and then execute it to perfection. The added benefit is that the changes you make will likely make the home more attractive to potential buyers if you want to sell in the future. Whatever route you choose to improve the feel of your home, make sure that it fits with the needs of your family.