People tend to assume that everyone feels at home in their house. But when you actually ask people how their properties make them feel, you regularly wind up with a different story. Not all houses are as welcoming as others. In fact, some people’s homes feel so hostile to them that they end up feeling like they’re trespassing.
Do you sometimes feel like an intruder on your property? Check out some of this advice for how not to feel this way.
Adopt A Pet
Feeling that your house is a home is less about the decor and more to do with the relationships that you have in it. Sometimes, though, it can be a challenge to build up this connection, especially if you live alone.
In situations like these, adopting a pet can help a great deal. A dog or cat can provide you with much-needed company during the day, and help keep you grounded. Once you have a companion, it doesn’t just feel like you versus the house. You have somebody else there with you – a factor that can make all the difference.
Put Photos On The Wall
Sometimes putting your mark on your house can help it feel more like home. We suggest using multi photo frames to display pictures of your family and friends. Having them up on the wall is a powerful symbol that makes it clear that the house is yours and nobody else’s.
Add Some More Space for Yourself
Does your home feel like there’s little to no room for you? This could be what’s causing that trespassing feeling; there’s stuff all over the place, encroaching on you, but you don’t recognise it as yours! A good clearout is the first thing that’s needed here!
And if the issue here is about feeling like your home is overcrowded, there’s plenty you can do about that as well! Indeed, it might be worth thinking about turning your home into a duplex house. This means there’s more room for integrated living between yourself and any grown up children, extended relatives, or even any tenants you’ve taken on.
Make Your Home Appear Softer
One of the main reasons people feel like intruders in their own homes is that their interiors lack “softness.” None of the furnishings reminds them of their family address, and that programs their unconscious to feel away from home.
The trick here is to make your furnishings appear softer and more welcoming. If you can surround yourself in soft rugs, cushions and other items, it can totally change how you perceive a space. It goes from somewhere that feels hard and harsh to a place that’s warm and cosy.
Add Greenery
Adding greenery is another thing you can try. When you bring plants and flowers into your interiors, it immediately lifts your mood and reduces stress. You get a sense that life is worth living and that your property is more sustainable.
Going green is also part of the famous hygge movement. When your property reflects your ecocentric values back at you, it suddenly appears more aligned with who you are.
Add Light to your home
If your house has insufficient lighting, it can feel a little dingy and dark. And that can sometimes make you feel as though you shouldn’t be there. Adding a bit of light can help a great deal.
Rip out your fluorescent lighting and add warm bulbs that create a cosy atmosphere. Add some string lights if you can and use battery-powered flame candles for your bedside tables to provide reading lights at night. You should find that warm colours change how you feel about your property. You go from feeling alien to welcomed.
