How Using The Space In Your Home Can Make You Happy
Do you have an area of your house that you planned to use when you moved in but now you find that you don’t use it? Did you fall in love with the large dining room and imagine fantastic dinner parties? Was part of the allure the outside patio or deck area where you envisioned sitting in the afternoon and reading? Is there a area such as a closet or small room that you planned on redesigning but haven’t been able to do? For this week’s Try This At Home, I want you to ask yourself if you are you using your space in a way that you are enjoying it as much as you originally wanted to? Last week I was able to spend the afternoon with a friend at her beautiful pool. She shared that she has made it a priority this year to spend days enjoying it. This is something she has not been able to do in the past due to her work schedule and weekends often being scheduled with other events. I know she is not alone in regards to having a fantastic space has been under utilized or not used at all. Many times we put off using spaces because we want to make it nicer. We state we will use it when we have the time to remodel, buy more furniture or paint. There are other times that we simply don’t make the time to enjoy the space that we have. As an open house junkie, there have been many times when I fell in love with beautiful spaces and then wondered if the family ever used them. I’ve visited beatuiful sun rooms that I later discovered were only for show and high end kitchens that were never cooked in. When we built our current home, it was important that we have a kitchen bar area with bar stools. I envisioned myself sitting there and that space is where I now do most of my computer work (even though we have an allocated office). On the nights my husband cooks, I sometimes sit at the bar. This space has been what I wanted it to be from the beginning. The current trend in home design is to make sure that each space has a purpose. However, I know that many people often have spaces that are never truly lived in. I encourage you to stop waiting and begin utilizing these forgotten spaces in your home. Perhaps you will need to be purposeful (like my friend) and make it a point to use the space. Schedule a dinner party if you want to use your dining room. Set aside a day to organize that closet or room in the manner that you want. No matter how small or large, enjoy the space that you have in your life. On relevant note, I also encourage you to utilize the outside spaces in your life. If there is a trail in your neighborhood – take time to walk it. Enjoy the water of a nearby pond and sit underneath a beautiful tree at a favorite park. Those spaces are waiting for you to enjoy them. [tweetthis twitter_handles=”@how2makealife”]Stop waiting until later to use the spaces in your life. [/tweetthis]
Are there spaces in your life that you are not utilizing? How will you begin to use them?
I love this!! It is such a good reminder. We were just at a pool party on Friday, and I was so sad to see how little they cared for the pool and actually didn’t want it. My husband & I were like man, we would love a pool. I try to be grateful and happy for the areas and aspect of our home! Great post!
Thanks Alexis!! I think there are more people who have spaces they don’t use – for a multitude of reasons. It’s important to simply be happy with what one has and to make the time to enjoy what we have.
I love the idea of truly being aware of how you are using the space in your house. In our little apartment, there isn’t much room for unused space, haha, but after one year here, I’m pretty happy with how we’ve arranged things–turning one bedroom into an office so that we can keep the computers out of the main room, making it more open and prettier for having guests over.
Rachel, it sounds like you are certainly making use of your space. It doesn’t matter how small it is, you can make it what you need for it to be and you are a perfect example.
Is that picture the front of your home, Sheryl?! Seriously beautiful! I love the flowers and bench- so welcoming! This is a great post. Funny, growing up my family and I had a joke about one of the rooms in their home… if someone couldn’t find something and it was in this particular room, we’d say, “Oh it’s in The Room that Nobody Sits In” – that’s truly what the room was called. haha! My mom had furniture that no one was allowed to sit on (because it was antique) and so therefore, no one ever went into that room. As we got older, I think my mom realized how ridiculous this all was and ended up selling the furniture and replacing it with comfy things. NOW, that room is the one we spend all our time in when we’re all home! 🙂
Oh Emily, I would love to say that the photo is my house – but it’s a stock photo! (Although I have to say after 5 years the front of my house is finally looking like it used to). I am laughing at “the room that nobody sits in” because I think we’ve all encountered or had a room like that. My great grandparents had a small sitting room that I was fascinated by as a child but I was equally afraid to go into the room because it was always so “perfect.” We need to enjoy our spaces and I’m all about comfort.
Thank you for this! When we bought our home, I looked forward to using our loft as a family space where we could all hang out and enjoy each other, but it’s really just become a junk space. I really need to talk my husband into moving things around a little!
Those spaces become so easy to use as a “junk” space – I’ve been guilty of it myself. It simply takes some time to make yourself go through things (and that’s not an easy task).
I’ve been trying to take the little space I have and make it my own (I recently moved back into my parents house for the time being). This is inspiring for me and I also think I will take a little time to create my own space somewhere outside as we have quite a bit of land to do that on!
Hilary, I know it’s hard to move back into someone else’s’ space but you can make what space you have your own. I love that you are thinking about outside the house – sometimes that space can mean more than inside. Would love to know what you do. So glad you stopped by.
We are so desperate to move (as soon as I find a job!) and both complain about the house Jason had built. We are not utilizing it. Our guest room and office are really more junk spaces! We don’t need more space, just need to use it better. Thank you for this reminder! One thing we have been doing: we live right across the street from the Salato Wildlife Center and we’ve made it a habit to walk there more!
I agree with what you say here – that you don’t need more space, just need to utilize it better. I have closets (and a garage) that I need to utilize better. Good for you for going to the Wildlife Center (would you believe I’ve never been). It’s important that we make time to enjoy the nature trails around us.
I could stand to do with using the space in my apt a little better. It’s a small space but I’ve seen where designers use space way more efficiently. I should do that one of these days.
http://runwright.net
I know it’s hard when you have a small space but I’m always amazed at what designers can do. Sometimes it does take some time and money but often it is worth it. Always great to see you!
We have a lovely front porch that’s perfect for a swing or some rocking chairs. Unfortunately other projects (like our bathroom) have take precedent over purchasing those things.
This is such a beautiful sentiment – like you’re filling every part of your house with love, no matter if it fulfilled its intended purpose or not. Thanks for sharing with the Wednesday Showcase!
You hit the nail on the head with many people I am sure! We all have those spaces that we want to redo or make better and therefore avoid them in some cases until they meet our standards. Like with everything in life, we should be embracing all parts of our home…even the less than “perfect” parts!
This is so true!! We ONLY just started using our dining room after 18 months in this house and even though it isn’t decorated etc, its so nice to be using the space properly!