Happy New Year! I hope you had an enjoyable and safe end of 2012 & beginning of 2013. Im really excited about this year to come. I have so many personal and business goals that I hope to accomplish. Over the next few weeks and months, I will also have fun news to share and hope that youll continue to follow along on this forever-changing and crazy adventure.
For some reason, I always find the first post of the year the most difficult to write. I feel like it has to be profound and awe-inspiring. After some thought, I decided to hold off on sharing the many DIY projects that Ive been working on and instead write about something near and dear to my heart what a home truly means.
Your Home. Your Story.
A home should be a place you love and enjoy living in.
A home should reflect who you are.
A home should tell your story.
A home is everything.
When I walk into someones home for the first time, I can immediately learn more about them by the things I see. Their story is finally complete. Its like the last piece of a puzzle. When a puzzle is just about done, you see the overall picture, but not until the last piece is added does the puzzle fully come together.
The things in a home tell a story of where youve been and what you love. The contents that fill the walls and shelves should have meaning. They should tell your story.
Years ago when the Mister and I had our first apartment, Ill admit, we were like many others who were on a budget, had full-time jobs, and were plain ole busy. Wanting to fill our walls as soon as we moved in, we purchased generic store-bought, run of the mill, artwork, furniture, and accessories. It was basically meaningless. The pieces were pretty, but had no depth. When months / years followed and Id look at the pictures on our walls, I thought nothing more than O, it was bought at Target or Ikea. As we started traveling and focusing on introducing meaningful artwork, pictures, and accessories, our house became a home, thus our story began.
Adding things that are important allows you to appreciate and reflect on a past moment. As you live each day in your home, your mind can wonder to the place in time where the accessory was purchased or the picture was snapped. Important treasures add character and hold value.
So how do you create a story; a meaningful home?
1. Think about your hobbies, interests, passions, or simply what makes you happy. Whether you enjoy photography, traveling, movies, fashion, etc., introduce elements that reflect what you love. It might take some inner soul searching, but when you find the real you, your home will translate the story.
2. Rome wasnt built in a day and neither will your home. Embrace that a home is ever-evolving. It will continue to change as you grow and as your collection(s) and passion(s) change.
3. Age and Time. A meaningful home has to take time and age to create. Its understandable that we bought mea ningless art when we were first starting out. We were young and had nothing of real meaning yet. Thats okay. I still have some meaningless things. But as I get older and my home changes, it reflects more of us and the story that weve created.
4. Store-bought items are okay. Dont get me wrong, I still LOVE to scour the shelves of Target, Ikea, and Homegoods, but the things I buy, I truly love and reflect my style amongst my DIY creations, thrift store finds, and personal momentos. I dont just buy, to buy thats meaningless.
5. Find your inner DIYer. Ill be honest, until I started blogging, I was not at all as creative as I am now. The more I create, the more creative Ive become. The many projects that Ive tackled give me and my family great pride. It allows us to appreciate the home weve created. Our home celebrates who we truly are.
6. Forget the rules. You can absolutely be inspired, influenced, or acquire help to create your home, but there are no rules o r specific trends that HAVE TO BE FOLLOWED. A home should be created the way you want. When working with clients, I often say, I like XYZ , but at the end of the day you have to love it since this is your home.
Some of the many meaningful things throughout my home are pieces from our travels, hand-me-downs from family, and things that Ive created
Via: Your Home. Your Story. Creating a Meaningful Home
