Interiors: How I’ve Set Up My Home to Support Me This Year.

This year my word is CONNECTION. When I was thinking about this word what it means to me is first and foremost connection to others but also connection to self - body, soul and spirit. It also encapsulates so much more - connection to home and creativity. Also to nature and our planet. I want to move through the year being very mindful of how I am connecting with everything in my life.

When I thought about all of these things I realised I had created areas in my home that support a lot of this. And creating a physical moodboard really helped me see further which areas I would like to pay more attention too.

Thinking about how our home serves us is the very soul of this blog and I wholeheartedly recommend taking some time today to think about what small of big changes you can make in your home to support you.

Start with a notebook (or your Notes app will work too!) and do a simple 10 minute exercise - ask yourself what habits you would like to build or continue this year. It could be something as simple as remembering to take your supplements. Or you want to start food planning. And then alongside the habits write how your home could support you with this. Make sure it’s a doable change in your home and not one you would have if it was a bigger house etc. Make it work for you.

Here is how I’ve set or am setting up my home up to support me this year:

A place to host.

Something that is long a soul practice of mine is to host at home. I love to cook and bring people together. Therefore when I was thinking about the kind of house I wanted to buy I knew a substantial space for a large dining table was going to be key. By creating a comfortable, calming space for guests means I feel excited about hosting. Something that is a priority for Q1 this year is to finish this space - my plan is to fix the mid century chairs I got on Facebook Marketplace years ago as they have got a bit wobbly and also sand back the paint I used on them (what was I thinking?) to bring back the dark wood. Then I’m going to work out a monthly plan for each gathering and get inviting people! I feel excited when I think about people coming together in my home, ideas being bounced around, troubles shared and laughter.

Carving out a space to move.

Creating a gym has been an absolute game changer for me. I’ve been wanting to prioritise my fitness for a few years but was struggling to stick to my intentions because of time but also because I wasn’t connecting to a particular space where fitness and movement could happen regularly. But to make a conscious decision to build the habit of movement every morning at home means I’ve been able stick to my word and show up for myself every morning - whether that’s a 15 minute vinyasa flow or a 45 minutes spin. Some days I’ve got home from work and craved to get in the space and do a strength session or a calming yoga session. But having a dedicated space for this has meant it is so accessible whatever mood I’m in.

While I converted my lean to to the gym I realise not everyone has the space but if you are able to create an area within your home with all your bits you use for movement it will help you build the habit should that be something you want. Just a small stock of things like a basket with a mat and a block or a shelving unit with some weights and some resistance bands.

See my guide to home workouts if you are feeling like you need some inspiration to workout at home.

Creating space to journal or read.

When you a live alone I think a journal habit is essential for getting your thoughts out and stop you ruminating without another person there to share your thoughts with. Thoughts unspoken can become bigger than they need to be so this practice has to become regular for me. But I find I won’t do it if I don’t build it into my habits. I like to sit in my big chair (or against it in front of the fire) while my dinner is in the oven a few times a week. I make a mini ritual of it by lighting a candle and popping some calm music on.

I use the same space to read. This year, wanting to have some accountability for non fiction books, I’ve created a book club with my studio buddies and a couple of times a week I plan to carve out an hour to curl up with a cuppa and get my nose into a book. Being still is something I find very hard but creating the right space for it help enormously!

Building a space for my supplements.

Bring veggie and a tendency towards becoming B vitamins deficient I have to be quite strict with my supplements. Add to that perimenopause and soon to be adding in ADHD meds I needed a space I could be consistent with taking my meds. I struggle with clutter so having things around the kettle on the side isn’t an option for me. However, there was a blank wall opposite the kettle where I was able to build some shelves to house tea, coffee and all my nutritional supplements and powders. I love it and rarely miss my supplements because of it. Perhaps there is a place you can create for your wellbeing needs in your kitchen?

Prepping a garden for growing.

Something I identified when mood boarding is I want to start growing in the garden this year. It’s always been the plan and I actively chose a house that I would have space for this but last year I was so focused on doing the interior of the house that starting to grow food never really happened, apart from a very successful greenhouse full of tomatoes.

So I’ve set up two small raised beds and have been chucking anything in there I can - grass clippings, spent coffee grounds, compost from pots I’m not using anymore and paper scraps - in. the hope that when Spring come around the beds will be ready for a successful season ahead. While it’s something I used to love doing with my Grandad as a child I haven’t taken growing food seriously before so I’m excited to play, learn and see what it brings.

I’ll also be continuing to grow and build my huge herb garden by my back door - a joy to be able to pick my own garnish at will!

A place for pickles.

Connected to growing in the garden is a want to get creative with the food I grow and forage. When I graduated from my nutritional therapy course I was so driven to make food and play with all sorts. Something I identified in my moodboard is I really want to reconnect with this, committing more time to pickling, fermenting and generally just making meal time and prep more fun and interesting.

You all loved the conversion of my nothingness room to a pantry last year but this year I plan to really ramp it up - I’m going to paint it a very dark colour and build new shelving to support my want to make space for Kilner jars full of concoctions. Watch this space!

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