There’s No Place Like Home 

Road trips, boat trips, camping extravaganzas, adventuring, and exploring… ah, summer travels. With traditional schools out of session and more lenient work schedules, the months of May through August typically provide more freedom and time and traveling is one of the best ways to stock up on all those sweet summer memories.

Planes, trains, and automobiles can take you all over the globe, but when all is said and done, there's no place like home and returning to your comfort zone after spreading your wings to exploration. We might even go as far as to say that coming home is just as significant — if not more so— than traveling itself. Why? Simply because home is your landing pad, a foundation that remains stable in the midst of life’s up and downs. Home is the runway that launches you into your next adventure. When home is a place that exudes comfort and rest, it ultimately equips you for experiences beyond your four walls.

While home is supposedly where the heart is, many would never consider their homes to be a soft place to land. As home-lovers ourselves, the thought of not wanting to return to our nests after travel is downright depressing and we believe every home should be a place of comfort! Making your home into a special place to land doesn't have to be complicated, though. With just a few simple and affordable changes, you'll be well on your way into transforming your home into a place like none other!


DECLUTTER
Did you know that excess clutter and messes can affect your brain and emotions? We’ve all probably heard quotes like “cluttered life, cluttered mind” or “mess equals stress”, but did you know there’s actually provable, scientific truth found in both of those statements? According to PsychologyToday, “Clutter bombards our minds with excessive stimuli (visual, olfactory, tactile), causing our senses to work overtime on stimuli that aren't necessary or important… [it] makes it more difficult to relax, both physically and mentally, [it] constantly signals to our brains that our work is never done, [and it] inhibits creativity and productivity by invading the open spaces that allow most people to think, brain storm, and problem solve.” Clutter and excess mess is, plain and simple, not good for our overall well-being.

They say home is where the heart is, but the heart cannot be at complete peace when clutter is taking over! The first way to make your place like none-other is to take the time to remove all the extra “stuff”. It can seem overwhelming if you’re just starting out, but just begin with one room at a time. The smaller the room the better, we suggest starting with a bathroom or guest room. Go drawer by drawer, closet by closet, and before you know it your car will be filled with items to donate or trash and your mind will feel all-the-more clear.

DECORATE WITH WHAT YOU FIND TO BE BEAUTIFUL
One of our favorite bloggers, The Nester, puts it well when she says “It doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful.” And it doesn’t! Your home does not require high-end designer decor and constant perfection to be beautiful. Every pillow does not need to be karate chopped perfectly, and your kitchen doesn't have to be spotless 24 Spend time poking around thrift stores, shopping ads on Facebook Marketplace, and keeping your eyes peeled for second-hand deals and sales. Keep in mind that a higher price tag does not always mean the items are any better! As long as your home reflects your own personality and place of refuge, that’s all that really matters. Ultimately, you want to ensure your home is one that keeps you wanting to come back. In the end, we like to apply Johanna Gaines' wisdom, “It’s up to us to choose contentment and thankfulness now—and to stop imagining that we have to have everything perfect before we’ll be happy.” 

START WITH SMALL CHANGES
If the thought of making your home into the ultimate place of comfort seems overwhelming, we suggest starting out with small changes. Don’t feel like you have to declutter, decorate, and transform the space all at once. Even taking time to repaint, to add some new throw pillows, or to hang family photos can give your home life and personality, transforming it into a place that provides serenity while also equipping you to travel and adventure well.

When your home is well lived-in, it becomes well-loved. It's no longer a shell in which to store your belongings, but rather a place where of refuge and a backdrop for the best of memories. It becomes a landing pad that equips you to explore and adventure, to see the world in new ways!  When your home is all it can be, there truly is no other place in the world like it and it will always keep you coming back for more. 

We want to hear from you. How do YOU make your own home a soft place to land?