House to Home with Rachel Smith: Make your home a happy place

The idea is to be more intentional. It’s about being present and about making better choices.

How many times do we say “I haven’t got time”? Yet we can spend hours mindlessly scrolling through other people’s lives on social media.

The problem is that running a home, while working and juggling all the other balls we’re trying to keep up in the air, is time consuming and energy draining.

However, all is not lost! By being more intentional we can spin that on its head. Not only can we get more done, but we can focus on the positives instead of the negatives.

For example, if you make your bed nicely every morning you are saying to the universe “I’m in control and I’m ready to take on whatever today brings!” You’ve already intentionally improved your day and you’ve also made your bedroom look tidier. You’ve also ensured a positive end to the day because what’s nicer than sinking into a nicely made bed?

By using mugs that are lovely to look at and nice to hold (think stoneware with a texture that invites you to touch them) you can intentionally make all your brews a better experience. The same goes for your crockery. Why use old tea-stained mugs and chipped crockery when you have some in the cupboard that you love but only use for best? When exactly is best? If you love it then use it every day. Life is too short!

When you’re sitting at your desk instead of thinking about how uninspiring it is, have a think about what could make your experience more pleasurable. Could it be a soft rug under your feet? More plants? Or maybe some photos of a favourite holiday or your family? These items will not break the bank but they will have a positive effect on your mental health.

We quite often leave the tasks we don’t want to do until they mount up into a seemingly interminable list. So how about instead of writing a list, we tackle things when we see them?

If you go to the bathroom and the sink is dirty, give it a clean. Give the bath a quick clean after you’ve used it. All of a sudden you’ve cleaned half the bathroom and cleaning the rest doesn’t seem like such a big task.

Stop putting things on the stairs to take up later. Take them up now and put them in their rightful place. It won’t take long and you’ll feel a sense of achievement instead of having negative thoughts later after the umpteenth person has walked past/over them and ignored them.

Take a break from work and get up from your desk. While you’re waiting for the kettle to boil (I’ve got a stove top one so it takes a good few minutes), empty the dishwasher or give the kitchen surfaces a wipe down. Sweep the floor while you’re on a phone call. Take the recycling out as soon as the bin is full.

If everyone in the household gets into the habit of doing small tasks like this then you will get control of your home back and it will be a happier place to be.