Just Carrie B

3 Easy Ways to start loving your Small Home

Raise your hand if you find yourself locked into a small “starter house” you bought in 2020 with a super low interest rate *two hands raised*. Now that you and your family have grown, you find yourself itching to move but cannot justify the cost because “our mortgage will never be this low.” Well I have good news for you!

No matter where you move, your problems will follow you. And by ‘problems’ I mean that even if you do move, your new kitchen probably still won’t have a cascading waterfall of marble over a large island. You probably won’t have your own closet with a dedicated shoe display case. You probably won’t have a massive laundry room with a dog washing station. You probably won’t have 20 acres of land with a heated salt water pool and a built in stone fireplace. BUT, you will most likely have a higher mortgage, as well as the same endless list of home renovation projects to make that new home your own. And so I offer you this advice: make your current home your dream home.

You don’t have to think big picture just yet, that will come in time, and I’m here to help you with that too! But to start, make these 3 tiny changes and you will begin to romanticize your small home, and help it reach its full potential for beauty:

1. Plant something green + something flowery where you can see it every day.

Nature is healing. To bring you immediate charm and joy, add these 2 small plants either in your yard or a common area, and make an effort to admire them every day. You can start small. One single flower in a tiny pot in the windowsill will do!

2. Add something whimsical in an unexpected place.

There’s no rule that says you can’t put a tiny ornament next to your kitchen sink, or a photo you love in the bathroom. The goal is to find joy everywhere, so find an object that puts a smile on your face, and put it where you will notice it often.

3. Maximize your lighting.

This may seem like a small task, and it is, but coming from someone with 7′-0″ ceilings in their home, I cannot emphasize enough how important lighting is for your overall home’s aesthetic and mood. Open your shades during the day, use window film instead of shades to let as much light in without compromising privacy, place lamps with warm lighting throughout the house., candles, etc. There’s a direct link between daylight and your serotonin release (your hormone associated with calmness and focus), so make sure you’re using your free daylight to its maximum potential!

I hope that these 3 things help you find the delicate beauty in your home. Bigger renovations may come in time, but you do not need a big space to make something look beautiful and comfortable. Cheers to the start of loving your small home 💓