HOW TO MAKE YOUR HOME FEEL LIGHTER

I spent the weekend washing linens and dog beds!

I reset the house back to the summer before there were pine trees and pumpkins. And even with clean banisters and an organized entry closet, my home felt heavy.

I walked through my house like a seasonal walkthrough and found some inexpensive ways to make your home it feel lighter.

And the best part these are easy, inexpensive ideas.

HOW TO MAKE YOUR HOME FEEL LIGHTER

WHITE BEDDING. This first one sounds like a bad idea with a Bernese Mountain dog. I borrowed this idea from a seller who used white sheets for her lower-level bedrooms. It made a basement bedroom with a window well look brighter! I adapted her idea, using a white coverlet instead of a busy comforter from HomeGoods. The white neutralizes the space, making the room look bright and airy.

2. OPEN WINDOW TREATMENTS.

Closed window treatments make rooms feel heavy. My mood lifts when I open up the drop-down/push-up blinds – even on cloudy days.

I keep my kids’ window treatments open to keep their rooms looking bright and airy! I want to point out that my kids only live in their childhood bedrooms during the holidays.

But I like the sunlight streaming into the hallway and upper levels.

3. OPEN WINDOWS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR The fresh air is a welcome breeze after winter. It might be a good time to call a window cleaner.

If you are worried about privacy or staring at your neighbor’s messy side yard, try this popular idea.

3. ADD LARGE PLANTS Buy an oversized plant (real or faux). Plants are great for the air and our moods. And don’t be afraid to move or add height to a plant.

Plants work great near windows and transition rooms. I don’t love plants next to a view with trees in the background- your eyes have to “pick a side”.

And if you have thirty-plus-year-old oak or pine trees, they deserve the spotlight.

4. THROWS If you have more than two throws on your couch (or behind the couch), remove the excess and fold and place the throw on the edge of a sofa. Throws are great until they start to look like a laundry pile.

THROWS TOSSED ON A FAMILY ROOM COUCH LOOK MESSY

Try this look instead!

5. FURNITURE SIZE

Our couches are too big for our family room.

To fix this, I added a sofa table behind one sofa and pulled the second couch away from the wall.

If your couch is hugging a wall, pull it away from the wall (just a few inches).

Place a narrow side table at or just below the height of the couch, and add a light.

Don’t overthink this one! Your home will feel lighter when you pull your couches just a smidge from ( most) walls. Another way to look at it is pulling furniture away from the walls allows the room to breathe.