5 minute read time
Did you play house when you were little? I had all the things: the cookware set with the stovetop printed on the bottom of the box, the tea sets, the doll beds. My pretend house even had little dish towels repurposed from clothing my older sisters had outgrown. I loved playing house. In fact, when it came time to clean my room, I would escape into a magical wonderland world where my little attic bedroom was my own apartment. I would rearrange my doll furniture, “wash” my dishes before storing them back in the box, and fold the “laundry” (aka the tiny doll clothes and dish towels.)
As a teenager and young adult, my house keeping style resembled more cacophony than symphony, but over time, I learned how to keep and manage my home. And it all comes down to the life-changing habit of playing house.
Try something new…
I think everyone grows tired of the same old, same old. There is a lot of fun to be had when we rethink and reorganize our spaces. One of the least expensive ways to refresh a space is by playing with furniture arrangement. Sometimes simply rearranging the furniture will give you a whole new perspective of the rest of your home. Be sure to consider traffic patterns and sight lines, but beyond blocked entry ways, it’s a quick and FREE way to try something new.
Another quick way to try something new when playing house, is to simply restyle your shelves or surfaces. Every time I start to feel like things are growing stagnant in our apartment, I clear the decor. I consider the feeling I want our home to have – whether it’s a seasonal change or just a simple refresh – and I place like colored items together. When restyling the room I find it’s easier to keep color balance when items are grouped by color.
Play with decor…
When playing house, it’s fun to also move items from one room to another. Switch things up a bit. One of the things that makes this possible is to pick a color palette for your home. In the 1990’s, home decor style was to decorate a room by theme; coffee theme kitchens, rooster themed kitchens, floral bedrooms, themed bathrooms… it was all the rage. Things have changed over the years, as they do with most styles.
In order to make your home more cohesive and have the ability to change things up from time to time, having a stable color story is a great way to do it. You don’t have to have an all neutral home (of course, I believe neutrals are stunning and will save money in the long run) but it’s your home and you should decorate it the way that makes you feel happy. However, when your home has a cohesive color story, moving items from one room to another to change the look is easier, and less expensive than having to buy new decor.
Finally, having a designated space to store home decor items away is a good idea as well. Whether this is a basement, a closet, or a storage shelf in the garage, having a place where you can store items away short term or for an entire season, will help you to refresh your home decor without having to go shopping!
Find your inspiration…
There are days when I wake up feeling like it’s going to be a ‘playing house’ kind of day. I know I want to restyle shelves, refresh bathroom decor, or create a new entry display. I just know it – I feel it in my bones.
But there are also times when I have that feeling, but don’t exactly know what I want to do. And that’s when it’s a good idea to reach for trusted inspiration. My go-to inspiration is always my beloved books. (I’ll link my favorites for you below.). Secondly, I go to my favorite magazines and catalogs. I love a good perusal through the RH catalog or the Arhaus catalog. But beyond that, I look online to see what my favorite stores are doing for the season; places like Crate & Barrel, West Elm, and Pottery Barn are fantastic resources for inspiration.
You can also find inspiration from past occurrences of playing house. So don’t forget to look through your photos of the way you had things styled in previous months. You might find something you loved and have forgotten. And then, recreate that look again!
Give yourself the freedom to play…
I think the best advice is to give yourself the freedom to play. Playing house isn’t a waste of time, in fact it can be very therapeutic and serve as a creative outlet. I personally believe it can be a life-changing habit. It will also save you money by rethinking what you already have – shopping your own home, if you will. Playing house activates a creativity, helps you see your home with fresh eyes, and can change the perception you have about your own space.
Playing house can also leave you with a great feeling of satisfaction, and you may even be surprised to find you love your home just the way it is – no shopping or spending necessary!
