In my own life, I’ve realized that as I grow as an individual, my personal space grows and changes with me. Victorian designer William Morris once said that you should “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” It takes constant work to purge the outdated parts of yourself and make space for who you are becoming. Let’s explore five areas where you can get started.
Nature
The Shire from The Lord of the Rings series is one of my favorite fictional landscapes of all time. The hobbits live off the land, whether harvesting from sun-dappled orchards or gathering produce at the market or celebrating with friends at the pub. In the Shire, there’s a seamless interweaving of life and work and rest.
J.R.R. Tolkien wrote that “It is no bad thing to celebrate a simple life.” Our homes, too, should reflect the old-fashioned loveliness of living close to nature. The more time you spend in nature, the more fulfilled and present you will feel. Tend a garden, get a houseplant, or spruce up your home with a bouquet of fresh flowers. Get outdoors whenever you can and soak up the sunshine. Creating a home that’s steeped in nature will refresh your soul.
Solitude
Your home is your personal sanctuary. Outside of work and time with family/friends, your home is the backdrop to discovering yourself. Think of the minutes of stillness while you’re brewing a cup of tea, or the pleasant clutter of baking and taking up the entire kitchen countertop with a dusting of flour, or the stillness of reading to fill your mind with inspiring new ideas. In moments like these, there’s no expectation to be anything but yourself.
Remember: in a world as rushed and breathless as ours, it’s a beautiful thing to make a home where time is gentle and life is simple.
Fellowship
Part of the ministry of a home is to serve as a space where people feel welcomed and restored: honest conversation, laughter around the dinner table, encouragement and support at the end of a long day, sharing stories, cultivating memories. Fellowship is made, not found.
The Coronavirus Pandemic taught me that as useful as technology is, it’s no substitute for authentic conversation. You need time with the people you love, with people who love you. No one is an island. Be sure to make time to celebrate life with friends and family: schedule phone calls, card games, or walks in the fresh summer air.
Puttering
We appreciate our home by caring for it. One of my favorite feelings in the world is puttering around in my room on a Saturday afternoon. I tend plants, fold laundry, sweep the hardwood floor, dust surfaces, arrange flowers, light a candle, and fling open windows to let in the light.
It doesn’t take much—maybe some dusting, sweeping, tidying, the usual—but the feeling of lighting a candle in a clean space will work wonders. A clean home is a fresh start in life.
Art & Creativity
Part of the comfort of home is being surrounded by art that cheers and inspires you. This can express itself in countless ways. Start by crafting a personal music collection to fit your many moods. Pick out your favorite mugs and make sure to have a stock of tea/coffee/hot chocolate on hand. Notice what colors, patterns, flowers, scents, and furniture you gravitate towards. From the books on your shelf to the pictures in frames—everything in your home is self-expression.
“Ah! There’s nothing like staying home for real comfort!”
—Jane Austen
Creating a home requires intentionality. The good news is that the more purposeful you are about cultivating your home—designing your space to reflects your personality, steeping it in prayer and gratitude, filling it with beautiful things—the more your home will bless others.
How can you cultivate your home so that being there refreshes and inspires you?
<3 Olivia Grace
