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1.01.2021

celebrate home!

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"endings need grieving... and beginnings deserve celebration."
i read that line recently in a devotional, and it really spoke to me.
while many of us may not actually be grieving the end of a very trying year,
we certainly DO need to celebrate the arrival of a fresh new one!

there's a lovely song called 'Celebrate Me Home'
(originally by Kenny Loggins, and recently covered by Josh Groban)
that includes these lines:
"Come on and play my music, Let's turn on the love light in the place...
Please, celebrate me home...Play me one more song that I'll always remember,
And I can recall, Whenever I find myself too all alone, I can sing me home."


what a beautiful idea - to celebrate home.
not feel imprisoned in, not tolerate, not begrudgingly accept... but celebrate.
express gratitude for the home we have, enjoy the time spent there, really live there.

as we enter this new year, i thought it would be good to focus on 
ways that we can refresh, reclaim, and rejuvenate the MOOD inside our rooms...
celebrating our homes, if you will.
helping us to embrace and enjoy where we live our lives in simple ways every day.

continue reading for some of my top tips to help you celebrate your home...

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LIGHT
winter has been called 'the season of darkness', due to long nights and short days.
thankfully, it's not hard to counteract that darkness with a few tricks of the light:

* open the blinds, shutters, curtains and let daylight in!
if privacy is an issue, tilt your blinds or shutters so the light angles in from the top.
a layer of sheer curtain panels allows more light without a clear view into your rooms.

* use mirrors to bounce light into dark areas -
place them on walls to reflect a window, or multiply the level of light from lamps.
a round mirror in our entry hall bounces light from the kitchen/dining area,
making a huge difference in the mood of the space.

* clean the windows, inside and out 
my 'recipe':
a drop of Dawn dishwashing liquid, a quarter cup of white vinegar, and a gallon of water
make a solution that works to dissolve grime...
apply to windows with a soft fabric cloth, wiping to release the dust & grime
use a squeegee to remove water from the windows -
wipe the squeegee with a dry soft cloth between wipes on the glass

* turn on the lights at night!
add a table lamp to a room to get that warm, cozy glow...
ceiling lights just don't invite you in. and use warm-hued bulbs, not clear glass ones. 
go for light-colored lampshades to increase the amount of light you get from a lamp.
add accent lighting - re-use Christmas tree lights on top of cabinets or shelving,
add under-counter rope or puck lights, tuck uplights into dark corners.

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SOUND
change your mood and your energy level with the sound of music!

* turn up the tunes!
flood your rooms with music - use a streaming service like Spotify or Pandora,
ask Alexa to play your faves, or pop in a CD if you wanna' go old school!
from nature sounds for a peaceful vibe to big band or disco faves that energize,
music is a mood-changing tool that is easily accessed and enjoyed.

* more musical options: play an instrument, sing your favorite hymns or show tunes,
hum while washing dishes - essentially, whistle while you work!
 
* dance! shimmy your way across the floor as you sweep or vacuum,
shake it while you load the washer, tap dance down the hall to the bedroom.
it's an easy way to get some motion moving through your body - that's mood-changing, too. 

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SCENT
scent is a major mood lifter, and an easy way to refresh a room, too...

* open the windows and doors for a few minutes each day as much as you can -
get some fresh, clean air moving through your home to dispel mustiness and lingering odors.
if you don't have cross-ventilization, use a fan to pull air from outside to inside.

* light a scented candle, use a reed diffuser with essential oils, or plug in a wall diffuser
to infuse your rooms with scents to wake up your home.
i love adding a seasonal touch to our home with scent -
in winter, i choose scents that evoke cozy, warm moods: vanilla, spice, woodsy, herbal tones.

* bring in some greens from outdoors - boughs are not just for Christmas!
the fresh clean scent of eucalyptus, fir, pine, and other greens naturally enhance your home.

fresh flowers - even from the market - add a touch of nature and color that uplifts.
(top tip: add some ivy or herb cuttings from your yard to elevate a low-cost arrangement)

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COMFORT
give yourself the gift of physical comfort with small touches...

* place a soft blanket across the foot of your bed or the arm of your sofa -
it will be ready for you to snuggle into fwhile reading or watching your favorite show on Netflix.

* place a bottle or tube of beautifully scented creamy lotion on your bedside table,
and pamper yourself at bedtime by smoothing on your hands and feet.
(speaking of feet... get some fluffy warm socks or slippers, too!)
 
* make time to sit outdoors, or where you have a view of outdoors...
even ten minutes a day, listening to the silence of a snowfall or songbirds trilling outside,
will lift your spirit while you rest your body and mind.
the caveat: this is dependent on having no phone, no book, no noise. maybe soft music.

remember that old McDonalds' slogan 'You deserve a break today'?
you do! TAKE IT!

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TASTE
simple treats for those daily breaks you're going to start taking:

* warm up on cold days with a mug of tea or cocoa - it only takes a moment to make one.
choose a bright, happy color mug for an extra lift.

* pour a glass of bubbly before you slide into the bath!

* a small bowl of small nibbles - candies, nuts, fruits - on the counter or coffee table
helps to soothe a craving in just a bite. i prefer roasted rosemary & sea salt almonds.
tip: don't put them on your desk if you work from home. just sayin'. 

* slow down during meals, and really taste the goodness of your food.
we all rush this too much. meals provide more than physical nourishment.


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CLEAN
keeping a home clean and tidy isn't just healthy, it's energizing...

* if you can, invest in technology that helps you tackle the task of cleaning:
Roombas vacuum all on their own (some even MOP!).
ditto the 'self clean' function on ovens and dishwashers.
timers on many home systems mean you can set it and forget it.

* get some help: enlist a family member or friend to help you do the big jobs -
like cleaning windows (they could do the outside during quarantine) - then return the favor.
hire a gardener or window cleaner if the job is beyond your physical capacity....
remember, you're helping a small business survive by hiring them.

* stock up on items for cleaning your home so that you always have what you need -
it truly makes your job easier, because you work smarter by using the right tools.
and if you can combine cleaning power with beautiful scents, even better!
a drop of essential oil in the water reservoir of my steam cleaner
does an amazing job of making our home even fresher.

you know i've joked that i only deep-clean my house so i can redecorate for a new season ;)
but honestly, it's motivating! i can talk myself through the heavy work
(steam cleaning the wood-look ceramic tile floors in EVERY room of our home,
 dusting every doorframe and ceiling fan)
because i know it creates a fresh clean palette for me to fill with color in my rooms...

which brings me to:

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DECORATE
adding seasonal touches - even small ones -
refreshes the visual impact of our home, and delights our eyes. 

* pick a favorite color to use as an accent each season,
then concentrate that color in a few of your main living areas:
front door, entry console, kitchen island, mantel, dining room table.

* go for small manageable pops of color:
a bouquet of flowers, plant in a colorful pot, throw pillows, a stack of books.
in your chosen hue, they become a punctuation point in your rooms.

* use what you haveyou don't have to spend money on decor!
grab some books and wrap them in colorful gift wrapping paper, paint a flowerpot,
wrap a scarf around a wreath - you've got a whole new look.

* add a new piece of art by framing a book illustration, a grandchild's drawing,
or a card with beautiful photograph on it.
hand-letter or print a word, verse, or quote onto printer paper and frame it.

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for more helpful tips about celebrating life and your home through simple efforts,
i recommend books by author, philosopher, and designer Alexandra Stoddard,
credited as a pioneer of the Happiness Movement.

Creating a Beautiful Home, Feeling at Home, Open Your Eyes,
The Decoration of Houses, and Style for Living 
are a few of Alexandra's books that have been in my library for decades,
along with other titles that share her decorating expertise and encouraging view of life.
i never fail to find inspiration and helpful suggestions for celebrating our homes -
and many of those correlate with the ideas shared in this post.
(i have had the blessing of talking with Sandie and her sweet husband Peter on two occasions,
and i can tell you that she lives what she preaches!)

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new years' day makes me feel a bit like i've just cracked open a new sketch pad,
with blank pages waiting to be filled with dreams and thoughts and drawings and ideas...
i get to fill it with whatever i want to!

as we begin this year with a clean fresh page to fill, let's look for things to enjoy.
things to be grateful for. things - and people, and experiences - 
to recognize as the blessings that they are to us.
things to celebrate.
we've all lost a lot. let's focus on what we have gained, and have yet to discover...

for 2021, my focus is to continue to create.
to continue to decorate - on a shoestring.
and to celebrate home in every way that i can.

wishing you all the best in this new year, my friends...
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stay tuned for upcoming weekly posts,
 sharing colorful ideas to help you brighten up your home for winter!


links to resources mentioned above:


Alexandra Stoddard's website

'Celebrate Me Home' by Kenny Loggins 1992

'Celebrate Me Home' by Josh Groban 2020


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