40 Wonderful Ways to Make a Happy Home

Trista - October 5, 2019
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40 Wonderful Ways to Make a Happy Home
Photo: Credit: Pexels

Whether a person is moving into a new house or just trying to spruce up their old one, they may feel as if they’ve fallen into a comfortable slump where they’re not as happy as they used to be. Instead of trying to find other means to make oneself happy, consider starting with at home and turning it into a place that inspires happiness. Nothing is better than coming home after a long day at work and being able to relax and feel at peace.

Changing certain aspects of the home and how the family unit operates can do wonders for mental health and self-esteem. Taking the time to focus on the home and family benefits everyone in the household. From changing the arrangement of furniture of the home to making dinner as a family a priority, there are countless ways to improve a family’s mood. Keep reading to learn numerous ideas for adding more joy and fun to any home!

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1. Getting Rid of Clutter

Collecting things that are filled with good memories is a good way to keep those moments in a family forever, but there is such a thing as going overboard. Having too much clutter in the home can make it difficult just to get around, and if it gets worse, it can look like a hoarding situation. Trim down any memorable items to the ones that mean the most, so that the home can still look presentable when people come over to visit.

There’s no reason to keep things that the family doesn’t need. Take pictures of valuable items and store them in a scrapbook before selling them or taking them to a thrift store for donation. This way, there will always be a memory of the item without taking up too much space.

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2. Putting Those Memories on Display

For those memories that will be kept, put them on display. Add photos to frames and put them on side tables or hang them on the walls. Having these items out for everyone to see gets conversations going and can help to enrich the memories of those moments so that they feel even more precious. This will also make the home feel more comfortable and like it really belongs to the family.

Put beloved photographs and trinkets in shadow boxes. Display diplomas and school tassels in frames on the walls. Get a frame with several slots to put children’s artwork front and center on the living room wall.

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3. Bedroom = Relaxation

One of the best places to focus a lot of attention is in the bedroom. It’s the place where we go to wind down and sleep for the night. So that’s why it should be a den of utter relaxation.

Get thick blinds that block out light, and keep all electronic devices out of the bedroom at least two or three hours before going to sleep. Wear earplugs and a sleeping mask to fall into a deep, restful sleep. The fewer distractions there are, the more sleep a person can get at night and that means a healthier, happier daytime.

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4. Taking Time to Breathe

In order to maintain good emotional health, it’s important to take some time to focus on oneself. There may be a long list of chores to get through during the day, but if everything piles up, life will become more stressful.

And being stressed means that it’s possible to take it out on the rest of the family. Even if it’s just for ten minutes, take some time to gain composure and breathe for a while. It will benefit the entire family in the long run and make everyone happier. All members of a family must find time to spend by themselves.

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5. Making Every Morning Special

As soon as the alarm goes off in the morning, don’t start stressing about everything that must be done for the day. Focus, instead, on the best way to start the day. Take the time to make a wonderful, delicious breakfast, get a hot shower, and read the newspaper.

Just as we all need to take some time for ourselves during the day, starting off the morning on the right foot will set up everything else for success.It will lighten the overall mood for the family as well as help everyone stay relaxed. It can also make the whole household excited for what’s to come throughout the day.

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6. Renovation if Necessary

If a family is not happy with the way their home is laid out, there’s nothing wrong with making some improvements. A renovation here or there, or making a few modifications, will make everyone much happier with their home. Some specific patterns and colors have been shown to improve mood, so consider these when making changes.

Speak with an interior designer to see what types of paint colors, fabric swatches, carpeting, and tile work best for the style of the home. Even adding on a room or two to the home can open up the space, giving the entire family a large space to interact in.

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7. Don’t Overextend the Budget

It may feel like a blessing to decorate a home and get those renovations going, but it’s not going to make anyone happy in the long run if it puts the entire family into debt. Create a budget on how much to spend on making these changes and stick to it. Having a home that looks great is only a temporary boost in mood if the family is going to be paying off debt for the rest of their life.

Consider going the DIY route and making some easy renovations without hiring a contractor. Things like painting, adding in new furniture, and rearranging a few rooms won’t cost much but can add a whole new freshness to a home.

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8. Enjoying the Family’s Company

Asking someone if they love their family seems like a stupid question. Little do people realize that they can sometimes fall out of love with the people that they live with. Arguments happen or rules are broken.

Instead of focusing on the negative, working on spending time together that everyone can enjoy. Make meals together, play some fun board games, or spend time out in the yard. The love that a family can get from their home depends on how much effort they put in. Check in with every member of the family from time to time to see how they would like to connect with their loved ones at home.

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9. Have Meaningful Conversations

Even when a person is not actively doing something, just having a conversation can be enough to keep the peace in the home. Share any concerns, activities done throughout the day, or plans for the future to get the ball rolling. Clearing the air will open a path to better conversations in the future and foster trust for a happier home environment.

This can also encourage children to become more comfortable with confiding in their parents. It’s important for children to feel like they have a great support system at home. It can mean a lot to a child to have a camaraderie with their parents.

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10. Don’t Take Everything So Seriously

That isn’t to say that everything should be laughed off as a joke, but take the time to remember that no one’s perfect and that everyone makes mistakes. Take the time to laugh at the things that don’t really matter to relieve the tension. Get together with the family and do fun things that will have everyone rolling on the floor in laughter.

Laughing is one of the best ways to live a happier, healthier life. Telling jokes and watching funny TV programs add fun and brevity into everyone’s daily life. Find some ways to make the family laugh and smile each and every day.

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11. Prioritize the Needs of the Family

Whatever a person does in their daily life, they should always prioritize the needs of their family first. They may want to spend time with their friends 24/7, but that’s only avoiding any problems there may be at home. Facing any issues at home head-on is better than pretending as if the problems do not exist.

Try to sit down and hash things out with family members before they become more serious. Even if there are disagreements, they should be foremost in everyone’s mind when making any important decisions. Take the old saying “never go to bed angry” to heart.

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12. Don’t Leave Chores for Later

Take care of chores as soon as possible so that there won’t be a backlog of chores to do later. Get the family to help to make everything go faster. Working together to make the home a cleaner and happier place results in a better family life.

There may be some push back, especially from the children, for having to do chores on a weekend, but getting everyone involved can be a gateway to having those important conversations. it’s also a great way to spend time together as a family and achieve a goal. Create a chore chart to assign tasks to each member of the family.

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13. Let the Five Senses Roam

We use all five of our senses every day of our lives, even unconsciously. So being in the home is going to engage those senses; why not make them happy in the process? Consider new and different ways of giving the five senses experiences that are unique and creative.

Use some essential oils to give the home a pleasant smell or play soft, calming music while relaxing on the couch or in the bath. Keep everything in order for visual appeal, like clothes in the closet or books on a bookshelf. Choose fabrics that are pleasant to the touch, making them comfortable to wear.

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14. Adding More Positivity to the Home

Refrain from using negative language throughout the day. It can be very easy to issue blame, but that doesn’t do a great job of establishing relationships. When using harsh words, it can bring the whole family’s vibe down. It can lead to arguments which may wind up, causing additional stress on the family.

Use more positive language to get any point across without adding the burden of blame. Focus on the mistake and not the person who made it. It will definitely make the home feel happier. It also teaches children how to have healthy conversations with each other and their loved ones.

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15. Don’t Keep Unattainable Expectations

Have a clear structure in mind as to what needs to get done around the home but have tolerance, patience, and compassion at the same time. Holding on rigidly to these expectations will make it miserable for everyone else if they can’t meet them. Provide help if someone is struggling, or suggest a new goal to be met that’s easier to accomplish.

Putting pressure on oneself and their family will lead to burnouts and high stress. Emotions will flare, and arguments may occur. Having low expectations isn’t a good thing, but having them so high that they are unattainable will lead to an unhappy family.

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16. Lighting Can Make a Difference

Along with choosing the colors in the home, it’s also important to have good lighting to work with. Optimize natural light as much as possible in order to boost the overall mood in the home. Having large windows helps immensely to bring beautiful natural light into the home.

This can be difficult during wintertime when there’s less sunlight. Try to avoid fluorescent lights as much as possible, as these have been shown to increase depression and anxiety. Getting better, brighter lighting will definitely improve the mood in any home. There are also lamps that mimic natural light if the home does not get too much sunlight throughout the year.

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17. Putting More Thought Into Meals

Being mindful about cooking can have a great impact on the rest of the household. It can be easy to just throw something into the microwave to get dinner fast and ready for everyone to eat, but that’s the easy way out.

Take the moment of preparing a meal to become rooted in the present. Ask for some help and get a conversation going with the rest of the family. Teach the other members of the household how to put a meal together. Getting everyone involved and putting effort into the meal that they’re making will make them feel more accomplished and demonstrate to everyone else that they care about everyone’s health and well-being.

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18. Creating Positive Spaces

Outside of creating a relaxing bedroom, create a positive space that anyone can use to get over their bad moods. Add some instruments, put some art supplies on a table, put a big comfy chair in the corner with some books, or just have a great sound system playing some soft music.

No matter how much a person wants to dress this area up, giving everyone a space where they can let out some steam will work wonders on minimizing the negativity in the house. That way members of the household have options for calming down and focusing their negative energy elsewhere.

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19. Being True to Oneself

Everyone wants their home to feel like it belongs to them. While many people may want to trust a design expert on how to achieve a particular style or look, quite often, a homeowner wants their abode to be unique to them. Homeowners need to have input in how they want their home to look that uniquely reflects their personality.

Having a stylish home is one thing, but it should be something that’s ideal for living in, not ending up on the front cover of Architectural Digest. That kind of home only ends up looking too stark and unlivable. Giving a home a fun, fresh vibe does wonders for the happiness of a family.

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20. Giving Emotional Satisfaction the Spotlight

Studies have shown that people who surround themselves with furniture and belongings that give them emotional satisfaction are more likely to succeed in the future. As we mentioned before, focus on items that have good memories and that also appeal to the five senses. Choose objects that represent what the family wants to achieve in life so that there is a visual representation of something to strive towards every day.

Put away objects that one may feel obligated to display or don’t bring any joy to succeed. Try to imagine what would make the entire family the happiest and secure emotionally. Talk with the household to see what brings them joy and what they would prefer to keep out of view.

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21. Gardening

For those that enjoy spending time outdoors, starting a garden can be a wonderful treat. This way the entire family can be together and create a beautiful oasis in the front yard and backyard. Also, they can plant fruits and vegetables to be eaten later by the whole family.

Having a garden to focus on and keep alive teaches children responsibilities. They’ll have to water the plants every day as well as feed them vital nutrients. Additionally, they will have to mow the lawn and pull weeds in order to keep plants healthy and vibrant. Starting a garden is a great task for the whole family!

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22. Gratitude Journal

In just a few words each day, a person can find tranquility. Get a journal and use it to write down thoughts and aspirations. If something is weighing on the mind, a journal is a great way to express those feelings.

It’s possible to start a gratitude journal with just one line per day. Getting one thought out, however large or small, at the end of the day can give a person the chance to free up their minds a little bit. By doing this, they can feel lighter and like their brain isn’t so preoccupied with too many thoughts.

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23. Get Into It

It’s a fact of life: we all have tasks on our agendas that aren’t fun. No one loves to do the dishes or take out the garbage, but they are necessary for a thriving household. Find ways to get the whole family excited about contributing.

Play fun music and dance while cleaning the house or awards prizes for completing chores. Get excited about accomplishing tasks that benefit the entire family. Have a goal in mind and when the goal is reached, award the household with a big prize like an exciting day at an amusement park or a new swing set.

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24. Have Intent

Each morning when it’s time to wake up, have positive thoughts. Be grateful for waking up to another day and think about what the most important things in the world are to the household. Have a goal of intent in mind to accomplish throughout the day.

Aim to be productive or enjoy small moments. Have a goal of saying something positive to each member of the family or doing one selfless deed. It can be a big or small intention, but whatever is the goal for the day, accomplish it with positivity and a bright smile. This can lead to a happier attitude in the long run.

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25. Do Small Favors

A great way to brighten up the mood in any household is to help someone out and expect nothing in return. That means not even needing to hear someone say thanks after doing them a favor. This practice can help foster a nice, healthy relationship with the rest of the family.

Keeping score creates tension often ends with members of the family trying to outdo each other. This constant state of competition will lead to a negative vibe around the house as well as a lot of fighting among the family. Doing something simple like taking out the trash or walking the dog without making a big deal of it can do wonders.

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26. Call Someone

Taking a few minutes to connect with a loved one on the phone can make a big difference. This can help brighten up a relative’s mood and cheer them up if they’ve been feeling down. It also will bring more positivity into the family’s household.

Humans thrive on socializing, even if we don’t feel like it. Talking to another person helps to foster connections and boost our self-esteem. This can also help the family learn more about their loved ones and maybe even get to spend more time with them. Remember: texting and emailing is not the same as making a phone call!

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27. Spend on Experiences

Instead of spending money on little things that end up not being useful, save money for something awesome! Save up for a new video game system that the whole family can play together. Put away money for a quick weekend getaway to a museum or amusement park that the whole family will love.

This way every member of the household will be able to spend time with one another, improving their relationships. It’s also a great opportunity to throw a backyard barbecue or pizza party and invite friends and neighbors into the home. Spending money on memorable experiences is worthwhile for the entire family.

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28. Connect with a Higher Power

Whether or not someone is religious, they can find a connection to something spiritual. It’s beneficial to take a few minutes every day to meditate and reflect on the universe that surrounds us. For those that practice a religion, they can become in tune with their higher power.

In addition to reflection, a person connecting with a higher power can write in a journal, take a walk in a beautiful natural setting, or even create a relaxing sanctuary at home. Enjoying a hot bath, reading a calming book, and lighting a few fragrant candles can help elevate the mood in the household.

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29. Color and Mood

Research has shown that colors can absolutely affect our moods. Indian philosophy deals with seven chakras that are in tune within our bodies. Each chakra is represented by a different color. The Root Chakra is red, the Sacral Chakra is orange, the Solar Plexus Chakra is yellow, the Heart Chakra is green, the Throat Chakra is blue, the Third Eye Chakra is indigo, and the Crown Chakra is violet.

When it comes to color therapy, green is seen as being the safest, most calming color, Orange and red can cause a lot of excitement and irritation. For those with anxiety, blue can help them calm down. But those with depression would not find comfort in anything blue.

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30. Affection

It’s important to note that love comes from much more than just words. Affection is given through touch as much as it’s given through words and intent. By using touch, we can share our love with those who matter to us most.

Giving children a hug, holding hands with a spouse, and cuddling with the person who means the most are all ways to spread love through affection. This goes a long way in connecting with others and cultivating strong relationships within a person’s entire family. Just a small amount of touch and affection can brighten up a person’s entire day.

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31. Positive Words

Each morning, think of three things to be grateful for. These things could be about the family, a job, or even a hobby. Write them down and display them in the home so every member of the household can see them.

By doing this, the whole family will be able to find positivity throughout the day. They will find that their brains will be trained for gratitude and thankfulness in and out of the home. A simple task like writing down what makes a person thankful can lead to an increase in happiness and joy for an entire family.

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32. Dinner Time Can Be Fun

It’s essential to gather the whole family together and enjoy a delicious meal at the end of the day. By doing this, everyone gets a chance to connect and share what events transpired in their lives that day. Conversations should be peaceful and engaging.

Try to speak in a calm, low tone of voice and keep the atmosphere friendly and relaxed. Everyone should be happy together as they eat dinner. Aiming to be positive, especially when the whole family is together at the same time, can help the entire household be more positive and have a happy life.

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33. Greet Everyone Warmly

Nothing is better after a long, hard day at work or school than coming home to a happy environment. Greet a partner or child warmly with a big smile. This will make them eager to get back and see their family.

Having this as a tradition in the home is a great way to boost the mood in the family. It teaches children to greet others in their lives kindly and find joy in doing so. Simply saying hello to someone and giving them a sweet, warm smile can make a big difference. Greet loved ones at the front door each day to make them feel appreciated.

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34. Find Peace

A home should be peaceful and relaxing for the entire family. It’s important to resolve conflict maturely and peacefully. Avoid shouting at a spouse or child and try not to have serious arguments in front of the children.

If children see their parents fighting, it makes them more prone to following in their footsteps. They will think it’s normal behavior and subsequently display that conduct outside the home. This can cause serious issues for children and their families. The best way to make a family feel comfortable is to keep the house peaceful and harmonious.

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35. Become Financially Secure

Experts have always maintained the importance of becoming financially stable before starting a family. Children need to have access to basic needs, including food, water, and shelter. It’s not fair for kids to have to worry about when they will get their next meal or have to take on any adult responsibilities.

Children should be able to enjoy their childhood fully and not be involved in taking care of tasks that their parents need to accomplish. It’s the responsibility of parents to provide adequate living conditions for their family. Remember that having a lot of money isn’t a requirement for providing a warm, loving home for an entire family.

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36. Sharing Stories

Allowing children to share what is going on in their lives is so important. When they get home from school, ask them how their day was. Listen to what they have to say and engage with them in conversation.

By taking time for family and listening intently, it lets children know that their parents care about them. They learn that they can confide in their parents when something is on their mind. Even sitting with a child for just a few minutes after school and talking to them about what they learned that day or what games they played on the playground could make a significant impact.

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37. List Happy Memories

Get together with family and go over all of the great things that happened to them. By listing all of the happy memories they have experienced, it makes them more likely to reflect on what they are grateful for. It also helps get them to open up to the rest of the family and share their feelings.

Encourage family members to talk about the best parts of their day with each other. The dinner table is a great place to discuss the day’s events. Remember the highlights of the family’s day and aim to recreate their favorite activities in the future.

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38. Don’t Fight

It may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s essential to keep in mind that it’s not good to fight with a spouse in front of the children. Children thrive in homes with happy, calm environments. When children see their parents always arguing and battling each other out in the open, it teaches them that this behavior is acceptable.

Fighting in front of children will have them adopting the same behaviors. Don’t allow children to scream and shout at their parents. If children in the household are argumentative and rude, sit them down and calmly admonish them. It’s best if they learn how to deal with conflict maturely instead of blowing up in anger.

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39. Don’t Spend Too Much Time at Work

While being dedicated to a job is essential, it shouldn’t take too much time away from the family. Those that spend too many hours at the office and not at home will see their personal relationships begin to suffer. Children will feel like their parents care more about their career and making money than they do about them.

Workaholics need to find a balance between their home life and career. Leave all work duties at the office. Don’t bring home paperwork or other tasks to finish after hours. This will cause burnout and leave a person unhappy and exhausted.

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40. Give Transition Time

When a spouse or child comes home, they need some time to transition from work or school. It allows them to unwind and prepare to spend time with their family. After greeting them at the door, let them take a few minutes to be alone and breathe.

Giving children a brief period to relax before diving into homework or extracurricular activities is beneficial. It can help them focus better during and after school. Giving parents a chance to relax before greeting their children will help them prepare for a lively evening with the whole family. All members of a family should take a few moments to gather themselves each day to live happier lives.

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