3 tips for living a more considered life
3 tips for living a more considered life
Sarah Yarrow @sarah_yarrow
Living a conscious and sustainable lifestyle….For most of us, that’s a daily practice. Some days life just “flows” - we feel connected, grateful and confident. Then other days, well, life seems far more of a challenge. And that’s ok.
Here’s the thing I’ve learned after years of being invited into people’s homes...our home environment is generally a reflection of what’s going on inside ourselves. In other words, how we’re feeling on the inside (when we stop to really listen) is reflected in the way our homes are presented.
Feeling calm and motivated? Your home is most likely organised with adequate storage, the furniture is the correct size and proportion for the spaces, it’s well kept and free from wear and tear, there’s adequate lighting in each area and your most favourite and treasured items are one display.
Feeling overwhelmed, scattered and unsure? Chances are your home is in disarray and chaos also. Sounds deep right? Well, interior design and the decoration of one’s home, is 90% psychology in my opinion (the other 10% is the technical elements and that pesky, timeline and budget stuff!)
If you’re feeling the latter at the moment, please don’t worry. We’re all there some days, me included. Some days the washing basket is on the dining table and overflowing, the kitchen bench is scattered with paperwork and there’s a trail of odd shoes and socks from the front door. I get it, I 100% do.
You know there’s a better way of living (or so you hear!) A life where you open the front door and walk into a space which just makes you smile and FEEL good. It’s a reflection of you and your loved ones. Not something straight out of a magazine or a carbon copy of the house up the street. It’s you, entirely you.
Though getting there at this point feels elusive.
My job is to help you create that feeling, here’s 3 tips to get you started:
Start with the end in mind - like anything, it’s no use starting out trying to create a home you’ve always wanted if you’re not sure what that even feels like. Get clear on where you’re headed.
How do you want to FEEL in the space? This should be your first question to yourself, rather than, ‘how do I want it to look?’ You could create the most “designed” space there ever was, however, if it feels like a museum or that you’ve walked into someone else’s home, what’s the point?! Total waste of time and money.
Form follows function - once you’ve established where you’re headed and how you want your home to feel, it’s time to get real on the functional requirements you *actually* need. It’s all very well to dream up a minimalist space with open shelving and white linen lounges, but if the reality is you have 3 young children and a dog than you’re in for a rude shock - get realistic on what you need in order to start living that calm and organised life. Storage? More seating at the dining table? Durable fabric on the sofa?
Need some more advice or help on your specific situation? Get in touch!
We can talk through what’s working, what’s not and some tips on how you can move one step closer to living that more conscious and considered life you’ve been wanting.
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