Hello Y’all! This week we are doing things a little different. With a lot going on over the next few weeks, I have asked Rachel Beeman, my friend from Rae Elizabeth Design, to hop on and give us some of here best tips to freshen up our homes! I know you will enjoy your time with Rachel today, she is a sweetheart so open of your homes and welcome Rachel to the Lauren Ashley Design Blog!
Let’s say you’ve been in your home awhile now, your home or apartment or even your room. You have it how you like it in general but… it needs a boost, right? It needs to be freshened up. If this is you or you just want to learn some easy and practical ways to freshen up your home then you’ve come to the right place! Let’s look at one way to do just that…
Rearrange, Rearrange, Rearrange
I won’t lie, this is my favorite way to freshen up my home. This can be a quick and easy way to breathe new life into your space without spending a dime! If you aren’t sure and have never done it, give it a try! It can be anything from just moving one piece of furniture from one area to another or changing the layout completely. Now, there are plenty of ways to rearrange such as keeping the same furniture in the same room but changing the layout. Another way, if you REALLY need something different, is to bring furniture from another room and use it somewhere else.
I believe doing this lets you be creative all over again, without spending a fortune on new furniture and accessories. You use what you have! This also gives you the opportunity to make your space more functional and less cluttered. Which brings us to another way to freshen up…
Declutter and Organize
Now, this isn’t always fun, am I right? But it’s a necessary evil sometimes. Or hey! Maybe you love it and that’s great! This method definitely gives your home a new look without spending anything! When you put your time into decluttering, you are taking out what is cluttering your space and putting it away or getting rid of it. Another thing separate from decluttering is organizing. Not to confuse the two, organizing is arranging your things into a practical system that works for you. Some people like to see their stuff all laid out where they can see them, while others like to have them organized, but hidden from view.
Bring Nature Indoors
Something I have been doing lately is getting my favorite plants. I have a mixture of real and faux and I think they really add a nice earthy tone to my home. No matter your style of home decor, whether it’s farmhouse or modern, bringing real or faux greenery can really liven up your space. Some ideas would be to use garland on your mantle or around a large picture frame or using simple hanging plants to add some depth to your living room. My favorite thus far has been using an old basket to house my fiddle leaf fig tree. I love the mixture of earth tones. Between the woven basket and bright green leaves, it’s a breath of fresh air.
Smell is Everything
A good way to freshen up your home is to make sure it has a lovely scent. I know most of us have children or pets and that can sometimes work against us, but there are ways to combat it! First off, making sure things such as your disposal and trash can are cleaned and deodorized regularly WILL help your home smell fresh. I’m not perfect so I have forgotten those things but when they are done, it makes a world of difference!
In addition to preventing bad smells with cleaning, simple ways such as using your favorite candle can be wonderful for your whole home. If you are sensitive to normal candles, I like to use 100% soy candles from my favorite small shops. This not only is healthier but supports small businesses! A win-win! You can use any of your favorite scents for candles, sprays or wax melts. Any of those will do the trick. I have also heard of simmering a pot of water with your favorite spices and some citrus for a whole-house experience. You know what? Let’s do just that. Here’s a little recipe for a GREAT smelling home via the stove:
Orange peels (I used three clementines)
Vanilla (2 tbsp)
Ground cinnamon (sprinkle haha)
Clove essential oil (4 drops)
Peel the oranges and put it all in a pot with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Immediately turn to simmer. And watch the magic happen. Easy, Right?
Using What You Love
The simplest and most important trick to freshening up your home would be to use things in your home that you love. If you look around and see a space filled with unnecessary clutter of things that don’t bring you joy (Thanks Marie Condo) then why have them? This is something that I am working on as well and I am realizing the importance of having a lovely home and one that you LOVE to come back to. A sanctuary. A home filled with only things that bring good memories and current joy.
Thanks for coming along with me as we looked at different ways to freshen up your home. Hopefully, these small tips can help you in making the home one that benefits you and your family. I just loved being here on Lauren’s lovely blog and am grateful to be meeting YOU. I hope you will consider checking out my home blog as well HERE.
Connect with Me
Website: www.raeelizabethdesign.comInstagram: www.instagram.com/rae.elizabethdesignFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/rae.elizabethdesign/
A little more about Rachel :
Here Is just a little bit about me, my family, our home and my motherhood journey. Soooo, you know my name and what I look like so well, what else? Well, I’m a wife to my husband of eight years, Peter, and mom to two rambunctious kids. I was a guest on the podcast “Cozy Minimalism” By Angie where I talked about my cleaning schedule and how to get one yourself. It was such a fun experience to chat with Angie
Thank you, Rachel, for that beautiful blog post! I know you have inspired me to rearrange my home! Not to mention, I need to boil a pot of water right now and try that scent! Great tips! Please be sure to comment below and show some love to Rachel for sharing her expertise and love from her home to ours. Blessings!
