I was recently asked by a magazine to give some advice on how to make your home an oasis during this crazy time of lockdown.
So, these tips will give you some absolutely free ideas on how to make a happier home during these uncertain times of Corona.
1. Be kind to yourself & your home
It might look like many people (on social media) are doing extreme make-over home projects right now, but most of us are just trying to remain sane & navigate our way through this in a positive way. Nobody honestly expects a Pinterest perfect home from you right now, so lowering your standards on the home front might not be the worst suggestion.
The idea is to create a space that makes you feel happy & calm. Now is not the time to find fault with everything in your home or tackle giant projects that will cause you stress.
Be grateful for your home & try to create a serene space with what you have.
2. Keep your home tidy
Tidying up can indeed have life-changing magic. Just ask Marie Kondo. But just to be clear: we don’t have the tidiest home right now. Anything but. And I’m not saying that you should completely declutter your home today either. What I am saying is that a tidy home feels more like a sanctuary than an untidy one. We are actually quite bad at keeping our home tidy, but we try. And that’s enough.
3. Create one area in your home that is your own space
The home office has moved into our room for the lockdown. And then it moved into the actual office. And then back again. Turns out the wifi signal in our
mini home office is really bad. Haha. Quite ironic to have a workspace that you can’t do any work in, right?
The pics below are from my home office in our George home. I miss this space so much because it was all mine!
If you share a home with others, then try your best to find a space of your very own – even if it is not an entire room. Your ‘sanctuary’ should preferably be free from toys, devices & other clutter. This is so essential for moms right now who might feel completely overwhelmed with cleaning, working & homeschooling demands.
People in your space, all this time, can be very draining. In our current house, our bed is usually my ‘nook’, but for now, it is only available during non-work hours.
You might need to get a bit creative to find a bed, bathroom, closet or your garage to escape to every now & then. It can simply be your favourite chair! Or maybe you are lucky enough to have your own study or room. A good friend told me that she lies in the bath (without water) for a mini break from her kiddos!
Tidy this area up & place some items that give you joy where you can see them – an inspiring book, a pretty picture, scented candles & a flower. Make your favourite hot or cold drink every day & retreat to this area. Even if it is just for a short while.
My current ‘personal nook’ is the bathroom or the kitchen (which has a door that I can close to be alone & listen to a podcast while cooking).
4. Add flowers, fruit or greenery
Once again, you have a great opportunity to get those creative juices flowing!
Use what you have – pick flowers or greenery from your garden & place them in pots. How about moving your favorite houseplants around?
A week into quarantine, I spray-painted some fynbos (that dried during the first week of lockdown) white & it looks great. Play around with rocks, dried branches, or even artificial plants. Create a still life in a window sill.
Fresh fruit in bowls also adds some colour & interest.
4. ‘Shop’ your home
Open your cupboards or look in your storage area. Unpack things that you might have forgotten about. Rearrange open shelves by displaying similar (coloured) items together for a new look.
Or swop around lamps & other decorative items in your home. Make new scatter cushion covers by combining old ones. Display old books. Maybe now is the time to move some of your furniture around for a more practical set-up? Switch curtains in different rooms around. Find new locations for your art or other wall coverings & voila, you have a refreshed space!
I really hope that these tips help you to view your space differently & create a tranquil home during these times.
Stay safe friends. Keep going. Stay positive. Sending you a BIG virtual hug.
Yolandi ♥
Images: Melanie Mare for aZestyLife
