It isn’t easy, is it…making a house a home? We move every so many years; to places we desire, and oftentimes, to places we don’t. But in all of the moves, underneath the boxes, when the dust settles is a military spouse, pulling up their bootstraps and ready to get to work on making that new house a home.
It’s amazing how just 4 walls become so much more. We fill our homes with experiences and add touches to make it truly us. Whether you are in a new home, historic home, or on-base housing, there are simple ways you can make your house a home.
Here they are:
Create an entry landing strip
Blank walls can look pretty bleak, but at the same time, it offers an open canvas of opportunity. The first thing I normally do upon entering a new home is to find a landing station. This landing station is meant to center and ground me and the family when we all enter the home. It can be a montage or collection of family pictures, a small entry table for mail, and hooks for all the keys to having a home. This is a place where I might hang a small mirror to get a quick glance before heading out the door and touch up any lipstick. This might also be a place where I put a scented plug in to create an atmosphere of peace and serenity when I enter.
Find your style
This can be hard for some, as popular trends tend to change our minds so frequently. Are you a “Joanna Gaines” and in love with the farmhouse look? Do you tend to sway more towards the IKEA minimalist and modern look? Do you like pops of color or are you into a more subdued palette? It can be hard to find your style but over time, you will see a pattern in what you tend to gravitate towards. And just because you have a style in one room, certainly doesn’t mean you have to stick with it for all your rooms. You can have a farmhouse kitchen and a modern living room. It might be a designer faux pas but I say, if it brings you joy, then go right on ahead and do what makes you happy.
Create a retreat room
We all need that space that creates a tranquil atmosphere for us to retreat to. For some, it is the master bathroom and creating an escape with candles and sipping a nice chilled wine. For others, it might be creating a reading nook next to a window that overlooks a beautiful flower tree. Whatever it is, make it your own. Find all your favorite colors, fabrics, and scents. For me, it was redecorating our kid’s playroom. As they are getting older, they are doing more playtime in their rooms and hubby and I wanted a space back for us. So we worked on transforming the space to have a leather futon for reading, a small antique desk for remote work, and a table to house our record player and records. We did keep the tv and organized bins in there to keep it a movie room for the kids so they still have space in there. A room doesn’t have to be just one thing. It can be whatever works for you at that stage of life.
Add memories
This is what creating a home is all about. Pictures add a personal touch, yes, but it’s about what is created inside the home that makes it special. Find what brings your family joy and bring it in. Do you host a family game night? What about a movie night and adding in a concession stand and costume party? MilHousing Network has been hosting movie nights on their Facebook page, inviting people to post pictures, doing costume contests, and running prizes and it has been an absolute blast! Sometimes it’s great to get involved in a group for these events to add in more fun! Definitely check them out.
Making a house a home happens fast in the military lifestyle. It can be a whirlwind, but it can be so fun to start over with each new move, trying a new style or furniture. You don’t have to break the bank either trying new styles. Check out your “buy nothing” sites near your base or in the town or any other community pages and sites to find furniture you can test out or refinish.
Here’s to making your current home and future homes a place of family fun!
As a military family, you need a real estate company that understands your unique needs. At MilHousing Network we connect military families with pre-screened military real estate experts all over the country. We’re built by military spouses to help military spouses and military families PCS better. Every home sold within our network directly supports the military spouse community by creating employment opportunities for our fellow spouses. Join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/thingsPCS/ or visit https://www.milhousingnetwork.com
Sonia Garza is a proud Green Beret wife, mother to two, founder and editor of Spouse Connexion, an online publication for military spouses, and is a content writer for MilHousing Network. She resides in JBLM, WA. You can reach her at soniargarza@gmail.com.
