Home is where the heart is, but when you’ve made countless memories in an older space, calling a new, unfamiliar space “home” can be difficult—even if you’re moving into your dream house. Learning how to make a house feel like home takes time, but with a few tricks, you’ll find yourself feeling right at home much sooner.
Personalize
When most people put their homes on the market, they take their houses through a process of depersonalization. They strip away the things that made the house quirky or unique to the people living there until the house is a blank canvas. That way, the potential buyers who enter the home can imagine their own lives in it. But now that the house is yours, it’s time to fill the space with you.
Find colors that remind you of your favorite places and memories to paint the walls. Come from a coastal neighborhood? Breathe the ocean into your color scheme. Missing the autumn walks in your hometown? Fill the room with autumn colors! Don’t be afraid to display the photographs, souvenirs, memorabilia, or even artwork you love throughout the house.
Organize
In the chaos of unpacking, throwing things haphazardly into closets or telling yourself you’ll “find a spot for that later” can be easy. Don’t wait. The faster you give all your things a home, the faster your house will feel like home to you. Even if you think it’ll all get disorganized again later, the fact is most people feel ill at ease in a cluttered or disorganized space. Straightening up will trick your brain into feeling more at ease and thus more at home.
Don’t Underestimate Scent
People tend to associate scents with events. That’s why the scent of a parent’s home cooking or a favorite holiday tends to elicit such a strong response out of people. If you’re moving into a new place, chances are it doesn’t smell at all like home. Taking the time to clean it, add plants, and change the air filters will remove any unpleasant odors. Then, try to incorporate things that add pleasant smells: a diffuser, a bouquet, or even a favorite recipe.
Create Memories
Why did your old house feel like home? Was it the floorboards creaking just so? The way the light filtered through the old maple tree? Or was it the memories of dancing around with your kids or sitting under the oak tree with a spouse? Your relationship with your home is like your relationship with a person. When you first walk in, the house is a stranger. But the more memories you create together, the more it will feel like an old friend. Give it time. Soon enough, you’ll walk through the door, take a deep breath, and say, “Home, sweet home!”
About the Publisher
Bo Kauffmann is a residential real estate agent with over 18 yrs experience in helping buyers and sellers achieve their goals. Inducted into the REMAX Hall of Fame in 2010 and receiving the REMAX Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019, Bo has sold over 500 houses and condos in the Greater Winnipeg market. He is an accredited buyer representative (A.B.R.) and a Luxury Home Marketing Specialist.
Bo provides exceptional service to First-Time Home-Buyers, Seniors looking to downsize and Home Sellers of all ages.
He can be reached easily By E-Mail or call/text him Call/Text Here
Never miss an episode of our real estate podcast. Install our FREE Podcast App available on iOS and Android. For your Apple Devices, click here to install our iOS App. For your Android Devices, click here to install our Android App. Check my videos on Youtube
