Creating a Happy and Cheerful Home: Engaging the Five Senses
Spring is almost here! It’s time to shake off the winter blues and spruce up our homes- but what does that look like on a practical level?
When we think about spring cleaning, we often focus on making our homes look tidy and beautiful. And looks are important, of course, but they are not the only aspect of our homes to consider. Studies have shown that when humans assess an environment and attempt to situate themselves within a space, we actually use all five of our senses: sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste. In this article, we want to share how engaging all the senses can bring richness and joy in your home this spring!
Bringing Joy to Your Home Through the Senses
There are so many ways to bring a beautiful aesthetic and feel into your home. Some things to consider include the physical layout of your space, your personal style, and the desired effect of your home on others. Maybe your goal is a warm and friendly farmhouse style, maybe it’s a clean and minimalistic look- whatever it may be, the following elements can help you to create a cheerful space that will appeal to all five senses!
The Sense of Sight
1. Beautifully framed photographs or images. Showcase your family, interesting designs, or pieces of art you love. Use smaller ones on a coffee table, and larger ones for the walls.
2. Lighting- place a decorative lamp in an area of a room that appears darker at night for added ambiance. Use candles and sconces as you like throughout your home to add vibrance and warmth.
3. For couches, pillows, and bedding, versatile colors are your friends. Play around with different hues and textures that complement each other, and add seasonal touches to bring some extra coziness.
4. Figure out the best organization method for your family, and stick to it.
5. Table settings. Spend an extra minute each night to set the table. Get creative with candles, flowers, serving trays, and dishware. Regardless of whether you’re eating pizza or a five course dinner, simple additions to the dining table elevate the meal and add a sense of comfort to those sitting at the table.
7. Fresh plants around the house make it feel vibrant and alive. They add visual interest and variety to your space. Grow fresh herbs to add visual and olfactory appeal.
The Sense of Touch
1. Soft, cozy throw blankets stored in attractive floor baskets add a sense of comfort and practicality to a living or family room.
2. Hugs. When your kids come home from school, husband comes home from work, or when you have friends and family over, make sure to wrap them up in a big hug. Your embrace is their introduction into your home and sets the tone for how they will feel inside it.
3. High quality fabrics, especially for towels and robes, go a long way when it comes to making your home physically inviting.
The Sense of Taste
1. Meals that have thought and love infused into them will make the people in your home feel special.
2. Candy dishes throughout your home or a little bundle of snacks in a guest room can make everyone in the home feel taken care of.
3. An assortment of teas or coffees can go a long way when hosting guests or for that unexpected friend who drops by.
4. Freezer cookie dough or pastries are great to have on hand for a moment when you might want to serve something sweet. A little treat is a great way to bring joy to a special moment.
The Sense of Smell
1. Lovely natural aromas that are subtle.
2. Diffusers with pure essential oils.
3. Fresh flowers that have roses and/or lilies in them for aroma.
4. Potpourri in bathrooms and powder rooms.
5. All natural room fresheners and linen sprays.
7. Simmering spices like cinnamon or cardamom in water on the stove during the winter months.
8. Displaying fresh evergreen branches and fresh eucalyptus in large vases.
9. Cooking with aromatics like herbs, spices, and vegetables.
The Sense of Sound
1. Playing classical music on a record player or portable speaker during meal time.
2. Playing classic children’s stories during the kids play time (great selection at the local public library).
3. Have a little fountain or patio display with running water.
4. Play “Name That Tune” with the family!
5. Encourage children to learn instruments, to sing, and to express themselves through sound.
We hope this article helps you as you approach spring cleaning this year. If you like these suggestions, share this blog post with a friend!
"A bright home is a piece of Earth transplanted from Heaven, where children learn guiding principles regarding God, life, death, mankind, the world, and love."
-Rev. Jesus Urtega
The Best Scents for
Every Room in Your Home
Let’s get our homes looking and smelling clean this spring! Here are some scents we recommend using when cleaning and/or refreshing each room in your home.
Kitchen:
We recommend using bright scents and cleaners like citrus cleaner when tackling your kitchen. Not only are lemon, grapefruit, and orange filled with great antibacterial properties, but they can also cut through grease and cooking odors.
Bathrooms:
Use a fresh, stimulating scent like tea tree, peppermint, and eucalyptus in your bathroom. Known for both cleaning and health benefits, any of these scents are perfect when creating a clean, cool, fresh bathroom atmosphere.
Bedrooms:
An earthy, grounding scent, sandalwood is known for its anti-microbial qualities and purifying properties. It’s a great scent to use in bedrooms because it adds both warmth and sophistication.
Living Spaces:
Lavender and vanilla both provide a sense of warmth and relaxation that is ideal for a living space. Use seasonal scents like pine, cinnamon, or jasmine to switch things up!
Home Office:
Rosemary is a great scent that promotes concentration and focus. Put rosemary in your home office to create a fresh, stimulating environment.
Seminars that Focus on Home Improvement
If you want to learn more about how to tidy your home and transform it into a cheerful, beautiful space, we have several seminars that focus on just that!
Some of these seminars include:
Longing for Home
Best and Beautiful
Creating Intimate Spaces
Less is Best
A Bright and Peaceful Home
Check out our Seminar Blueprints to learn more about the types of programming we offer! For more information on hosting a seminar, reach out to homeunlimited.aolw@gmail.com.
