I’m not a loner. I like being around other people. I LOVE being around other people that are interested in what I have to say. I’m that person at work that volunteers to present. I enjoy networking and it’s not something I consider a chore. So, when I started home I wanted to go right back to the workplace. God had other things in mind for me, because I couldn’t go back. My son’s medical needs prevented me from leaving him with your run of the mill child care center.

At first it was nice to be home! No traffic, no fighting for parking, and I was very tired from carrying my son for 9 months. It only took a few months for that to change, and it became really bad just about the time it started to get too cold to enjoy being outside. On top of it, our son wasn’t doing well health wise. It felt like a really bad idea to subject a underweight child to cold weather, no matter how many layers I put him in. Add people that weren’t supportive visiting, and the house began to feel like a cage.

By Spring, I finally started the process of settling in to my new life. It was slow at first, but since summer I’ve actually been pretty cozy (partly because I can LEAVE)! I wanted to share what I did, incase someone out there is in the same situation. It took me quite a while to solve the problem myself and I don’t want anyone else to go through the same pain unnecessarily.

1. Candles or other scents – I love candles, so that’s my go to. There’s other things that will absolutely work. A scent in the spirit of how you want to feel goes a long way to improve your outlook on life and your mood. Wish you were on vacation? Beach candles! Like baking but don’t have time? There are scents of cookies, vanilla, and more! There are even scents of citris and similar that make your house smell cleaner than it actually is.

2. Keep laundry and trash collected – I realized slowly that if my son’s vomit covered clothing and the rags I used to clean it up with were in the laundry bin, it was miserable to be in that room. It didn’t matter what room, how clean it was, or how well decorated it was. Now, I make sure I collect all the laundry from the bins every day. If we have a vomit, I run it straight to the laundry room. That and taking the trash out regularly makes a huge difference in how clean your home FEELS, not just looks.

3.  Hang pictures or art – When we moved in to our house we were way too busy to hang things on the walls. Recently I took the time to pick out pictures and a framing set, and my husband took the time to hang them. It’s made a world of difference in how cozy our home feels. If your walls are bare in any of your rooms, I highly recommend making it your next critical project to fill the space with something, or someone, you love.

4. Keep your child’s toys corralled – Let me caveat this with, my son isn’t mobile yet so it’s easier to do. I know this is easier said than done with a mobile child. It helps to have adult rooms in the house. Most of our house is overtaken by his toys and other items, but I have my own little corner that’s not. You need a place to go where you’re not surrounded by kid things when you’re trying to relax.

5. Play music or other sounds – There are so many apps out there that make every sound you could want. I personally prefer classical music, but you can listen to anything you want. You can listen to trains, weather, animals, water, and a lot more. It makes the house less quiet, which I find comforting.

I hope this helps you! It’s helped me tremendously.