interior solutions
“‘IDENTITY’ - LIVING IN SURROUNDINGS
THAT YOU FEEL REFLECT YOU AS A PERSON AND REFLECT YOUR STORY.”
FIVE EMOTIONAL STATES Te report highlights five major emotional factors that play into creating a happy home. Te first is ‘pride’ - having a home which you’re happy to call your own, and might actively enjoy showing to other people. “Pride is the end goal,” says Wiking. “It’s what you want people to feel once they’ve finished creating the home of their dreams.” Secondly, there’s ‘comfort’, having a home in which you feel able to relax and decompress. “In these turbulent times, we like to have a place to let our guard down, and feel energised to take on the world once more,” says Wiking. Tird is ‘control’ - a sense of self- determination over your living arrangements - and fourth is the hopefully self-evident ‘safety’. Te fiſth and final aspect is ‘identity’ - living in surroundings that you feel reflect you as a person and reflect your story.
DOMESTIC MYTH BUSTING Tese qualities cropped up time and again, but perhaps more surprising are the ones that didn’t. First on the myth- busting block: Tat size matters. “Big homes don’t equal big happiness,” says Wiking. “It’s a common misconception but it doesn’t matter how big your house is on paper. It’s how your home feels.” Wiking suggests rearranging furniture, regularly de-cluttering, and employing savvy storage. Finely-furnished flat beats messy mansion every time. Perhaps surprisingly, renters were as satisfied as owners. “A lot of people think you need to own your home in order to be happy,” says Wiking, “and that’s just not the case. So long as you have a landlord that allows you to do some of the things you want to do.” In other words, it’s what you do with your home that makes the difference - what steps you take to make it your own - rather than what’s already there.
WHAT CAN YOU DO? Well, first of all you can wait. “We become happier with our homes as we age,” says Wiking, “particularly at 50 or above. At that time, people tend to be more settled in, more competent, and more aware of their own priorities.” Assuming you’d like more immediate results, there are a few things that seem to work for everyone. “Green is always good,” says Wiking, “whether it’s balconies, gardens or pot plants in your living room, greenery has a positive impact. Social homes tend to be happier homes - invite people over and make your home a hub.” In the end, though, the happiest homes are those that have been personalised, and the survey found that householders that had pursued home improvements were markedly happier with the results. “Te overall conclusion is to make time for change, and build up the courage to do something with your home, whatever that may be,” says Wiking. “Prioritising your home - that’s the best thing people can do.”
“IT DOESN’T MATTER HOW BIG
YOUR HOUSE IS ON PAPER. IT’S MORE HOW YOUR HOME FEELS.”
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