10 Easy Ways to Make a House Feel Like a Home

Just because you’re living in a house doesn’t mean it always feels like home. Especially if you’ve just moved in, you may be wondering how you can make your house feel cosier.

We’ve rounded up 10 incredibly easy fixes to transform your house into a home. 

Choose the right colour palette

First things first, you’ll want to make sure you’ve established a colour palette. Collecting a hodgepodge of things in all different colours will make your living area feel less like a home and more like a university crash pad. 

Whether you decide on a traditional colour palette, a bold and bright one, or a dark and sophisticated one, it doesn’t matter. The key is to find the one that speaks to you and use it consistently. 

Your colour palette can also change from room to room! Your living room may use a traditional and neutral colour palette like whites, creams, and beiges. While your bathroom may want a bolder and brighter palette, like bright blue or even orange. 

Choosing the right colour palette will set everything else up for success when it comes to how to make your house feel like a home. 

 

Add artwork to your space

Make sure it looks like someone actually lives there! Having artwork or photos on your walls will keep your living space from feeling less like a sterile hospital room and more like a cosy home. 

Add framed artwork, canvas artwork, or your own photos of special memories to your walls. 

 

Place (faux) plants around high traffic areas

Greenery can do so much for a space! Whether it’s faux or real, using plants as decor in your house will instantly make it feel more alive. 

Add large plants in empty corners of high traffic areas. Use smaller plants on shelves for decor or even as table centrepieces. 

 

Change the fragrance

The smell of someone else who lived in your house before you, or even the smell of construction if you’re in a new build, are two things that can keep your house from feeling homey. 

So an easy fix? Change the fragrance! This is especially helpful if you’re trying to make your house feel more like home on a budget. 

 

Scented plug-ins

Adding scented plug-ins is a perfect easy fix to make your house feel more like home. They’ll run continuously, which means you’ll have a fresh scent all the time. 

Plug-in scents in the high traffic areas first. This will make a drastic improvement to the aroma in your home. 

We recommend using only one scent at a time so different kinds of smells aren’t mingling together and fighting for dominance. 

New candles

Candles are one of the best ways to make your house feel (and smell) more like a home! Not only do they give great fragrances to help change the aroma in your house, but they’re also excellent for adding a cosy element. Nothing beats the warm glow of a new candle! 

 

Don’t forget the extra bits

Speaking of cosy elements, you may want to add more of those throughout your living space, too! 

If your house makes you want to curl up on the couch with a blanket and watch a movie with your family? Then you know you’ve made it a home for your and your loved ones. 

Add comfy throw pillows

Pick throw pillows in shades of your colour palette to keep your home feeling cohesive. And while it may feel like you’re overdoing it, more throw pillows than not enough is always a good idea. 

Toss in more blankets

Nothing makes a home feel warmer and more inviting than having blankets on hand. Find a few throw blankets in different shades of your colour palette. You can even find them in different fabrics to add texture and dimension to your living space. 

Find a nice basket to keep your blankets in when you’re not using them. It’ll add a nice touch of decor to your room, as well!,

 

Change the lighting 

Lighting is often overlooked when it comes to transforming your living space. But changing out light fixtures and even bulbs can do so much when it comes to making your house into a home! 

 

Add extra lights

When it comes to lighting, you need to make sure you have enough, to begin with. Are there any high traffic areas that feel too dark? If so, be sure to add extra lighting. Use floor lamps in empty corners and table lamps on end tables or shelves. 

Making sure you have adequate lighting goes a long way to make your house feel warmer and more welcoming. 

Change the bulbs

Cool, blue-tinted light bulbs can make your house feel cold and sterile. If you have any light fixtures of these kinds, do yourself a favour and switch them out. Use light bulbs that emit a warm, yellow-tinted glow instead. 

Swap out the fixtures

With the right bulbs in place, you might still feel like your house doesn’t quite feel like home. If that’s the case, double-check your light fixtures. If they’re still standard, builder-grade fixtures, consider switching them out for something else. 

Updating your pendant lights or vanity lights in your bathrooms can do wonders when it comes to how to make your house look like a show home! 

 

Change your cabinet and door hardware

Door and cabinet hardware and kitchen and bath taps can help to make your house feel homier. 

Door knobs and cabinet pulls are an easy way to add personality and flair to your home. Switch out the cabinet knobs in your bathroom, kitchen, and even on your dressers! Swap your door knobs for something that brings excitement to your living space. 

 

Dress up your windows

Don’t let your windows fall by the wayside when you’re transforming your home! Typically, windows have simple blinds to add privacy to your living space. 

Make your home cosier and warmer by dressing them up to match your own personal style. Add different blinds, like Roman blinds or even vertical blinds. 

Bring colour to your windows by adding curtains to your windows, too. This will give you more privacy, and it will make your house feel more like home. 

 

Let your feet get cosy

Not much feels worse than waking up on a cold winter morning and having your feet hit the freezing floor. 

That’s where rugs or even carpets can come in handy. 

Adding in a rug or carpeting is the perfect way to make your house feel cosier and more inviting! The right size rugs can instantly elevate your house to make it into a show home. Not to mention, they’re excellent for muffling sound in homes with higher ceilings. 

 

Declutter your living area

It’s difficult to feel at home and cosy when a house is dirty or filled with too much clutter that’s no longer used. 

Clutter and old decor or items you don’t use detract from your house. So taking time to reorganise lets you make your house a place you want to come home to. 

 

Remove old decor and items you don’t want or use anymore

Sort through the decor and items you have now. Is there any wall art that you don’t like the look of anymore? Do you have throw pillows or blankets that are old and worn? Or is there any decor that doesn’t match your new colour palette or personal style? 

If so, pile those items together and make a donation trip! 

Add new storage options

Find new ways to store the items you do want to keep, instead of letting them stay out and take away from your home’s cosiness. 

For any of your valuables, you find that you’re not ready to part with, make sure they’re stored away properly.

Place new bookcases

Bookcases don’t have to be solely for books. You can add plants, knickknacks, and other items you want to display. They’re a great way to showcase your personal style while keeping decor items in their perfect place. 

Secure floating shelves

Shelving units, especially floating shelves, are great when it comes to how to make your house feel like a show home. Floating shelves elevate your home aesthetic! They don’t take up any floor space, and they’re perfect for showcasing your things. 

You can put them just about anywhere you have walls. They’re great for living rooms, bedrooms, and even bathrooms. 

Find decor that acts as storage

Get smart and add storage that acts as decor. Wire or wicker baskets in a corner next to the couch are the perfect storage for extra throw blankets. And adding an ottoman to your living room that has storage inside is great for kids’ toys.

Use your garage space

If the inside of your home is feeling too cramped and cluttered, move some of your belongings to your garage area. This is especially helpful for any sports and seasonal items you have lying around inside your house. 

Don’t forget under the stairs

Often, spaces under the stairs are awkward and small. But with the right organisation, you can maximise the space and use it to your advantage. From hiding away books and paperwork to storing away shoes, you can convert the space under your stairs into valuable storage space. Don’t let it go to waste! 

Add to your attic

Your attic is another valuable place to store away items you don’t need every single day. Organise your items in plastic bins or cardboard boxes and label them before you put them in your attic.

Go for a self-storage solution

And for items you don’t want to part with, but need a place for, use self-storage solutions. This will help you declutter your home while allowing you to keep sentimental items you’re not ready to separate from. 

Wondering how self-storage works?  We’re here to help!

If you’re ready for an excellent self-storage solution to make your house feel more like home, get in touch for a storage solution quote and get started![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]