What makes a home? If you ask this question to anyone, you might be surprised how different the answers can be. Home is a subjective place – a house is just a building. However, if you are going to be a traditionalist and settle down in some bricks and mortar, this is the place you will more than likely call your own.
The next question might be, how can you make your house feel like a home? Well, this is why you’re here, isn’t it?
Let’s take a look at some suggestions so that you can elevate your space physically and emotionally.
Put Safety First
It will be difficult for somewhere to feel like a home if someone doesn’t feel safe. If you take a look at Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, safety is listed in the most important aspects for someone to grow, and without that, everything else is unattainable. While Maslow’s theory is a little outdated, it raises some excellent points about how people see safety. If you are constantly on high alert, you won’t be able to rest, and home is where you go for those secure foundations.
Picking a house in a safe area is a luxury that some people can’t afford. Taking all the steps you can to make sure you can decompress is what is within your control. Consider installing locks, security systems, or cameras, and be mindful of who you let in your house.
Somewhere Where You Can Be True to Yourself
Your home should be a place where you can be yourself and be surrounded by the things you care about being reflected back at you. It’s not just about being able to lounge around in sweatpants and eat cereal straight out of the box (though that helps). It is also about creating an environment that you feel comfortable in. Personalized aspects of a house really make it a home.
This is a great tip, too, if you are looking to sell your home – make sure not to depersonalize it; otherwise, it will just go back to looking like a house. A trusted company that gives house valuations should be able to give you feedback on this, and presentation can also be taken into consideration.
Community and Belonging
A home is more of a feeling than a concept to some people, and the community that surrounds you has a significant impact on that. If you feel like you belong there, it rings true when you say you “feel like you are home”. Whether you have just moved house or are looking for a new place to call your own, check out the local community events, what resources are available, local shops, and anything else you can think of to get a feel for the place.
It is always good when you can envision yourself fitting in somewhere and being content, and sharing those experiences with others in the same area is a really good way to do that.
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