You know how a lot of people, maybe even you, set new year resolutions, intentions and even find a word for the year? Well if you had a word or theme for your home as well?
Mari Kondo, the famous Japanese decluttering expert featured on Netflix and author of best selling book The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up, deems “Spark Joy” as criteria for choosing what to keep in one’s home. In this video, she demonstrates how to know and recognise a feeling in your body for “spark joy”. But what if you applied the same logic using “YOUR WORD THIS YEAR”?
If you are looking at renovating or decluttering, before you go knocking down walls or decrying your budget, there is talk of a “vision” of how you want your home to look. However, there is another thing to consider besides the look – the feeling or atmosphere of your home.
With a clear label for the “feel” you want to experience at home, you would:
*…..know exactly the “north star” you are aiming for
*….feel far less overwhelmed as you now have the foundation of a plan
*….know how to get in touch with this feeling regardless if your house clean or renovated
*….feel way more motivated as now you have a big of a decision matrix.
Here is an example of a list of home projects and decisions for 2023 and my two words, Fresh and Dance. As you can see, fresh hits the spot for anything “new” or “change” but “dance” doesn’t…
| FRESH | DANCE | |
| SAVE DEPOSIT TO BUY NEW PLACE | X | |
| DECLUTTER | X | |
| MOVE TO ANOTHER RENTAL LOCALLY | X | |
| PAINT OUTDOOR TABLE | X | X FOR TEAL OR WHITE |
| RE-VARNISH KIDS MUD KITCHEN | X | X |
| RE-PAINT KIDS PICNIC TABLE | X | X FOR TEAL OR WHITE COLOUR |
| NEW CURTAINS | X | MAYBE IF LINEN |
| REMOVE JUNK UNDERNEATH HOUSE | X | X |
| FLOORBOARDS | X | X IF LIGHT COLOURED |
| GIVE AWAY IRON CART | X MORE SPACE |
Another year will pass regardless if you anything about being dissatisfied with your living environment. How many hours a week do you spend tidying your house, feeling overwhelmed and frustrated and resentful and even in anger at those you live with? Isn’t it worth spending some time on a plan?.
So, look at table below and chose 1 word, or if you must 2 for your house “WORD OF THE YEAR”.
| COASTAL | NATURAL | EARTH FRIENDLY |
| HOPE | SMILE | FRESH |
| FAITH | DANCE | EXCITING |
| LOVE | BOUNCE | JOYOUS |
| CHERISH | MOVEMENT | REJUVENATE |
| COMFORT | WHOLEFOOD | APPRECIATE |
| PROFIT | EATING TOGETHER | ACHIEVE |
| HOST | OUTDOORS | WHITE |
Congratulations, you’ve gotten a House Focus Feel for the year. Ideally, your spouse or others you live with would also do this exercise and be part of a discussion on the ambience desired in the home. It could be a fun chat after dinner tonight.
How does your word or phrase help prioritise or demote the importance of any planned changes? And does the word or phrase clarify what to focus on or at least a general direction to put energy into?