3 Steps to Make Your Home Your Sanctuary

These three easy steps to make your home your sanctuary will set you on a path to living a less stressful life.

As you implement these steps, you will find there is joy in having less.

And to live a clutter-free lifestyle is possible.

I looked up what the word ‘sanctuary’ means in the dictionary.

It means a place of refuge and safety.

A place of protection.

That meaning struck me.

A sanctuary is what our home is.

It’s a place of safety.

My husband and I went to an Airbnb recently.

Upon entering, there was a calm feeling.

Everything had a place and a purpose.

Whatever we needed to make our stay comfortable was provided.

That letdown feeling came over us.

All we wanted to do was melt into the beautiful bed and rest.

There was no clutter.

Upon arrival, a bouquet of fresh flowers was thoughtfully placed by the bed.

For those brief moments, we were able to experience a clutter-free life.

And it felt good.

We opened the kitchen drawers and cupboards to find utensils and pans we needed to make lunch and dinner.

And when we washed everything, it was quick to put everything back like before.

The difference between a breezy, welcoming vacation home rental and our home was there was no clutter.

That put fire in our hearts.

And to get there, we had to declutter.

It was these three steps that helped us get to our goal.

And I want to share them with you.

Is it a lot of work?

Initially, it is.

But when you’re done, you will be on your way to a less stressful life.

So, let’s get started!

What you will need:

• A large black garbage bag
• Box (donate)
• Cleaner and Cloth

Now, the work begins.

Step #1 – Pull everything out.

Whether it’s your closet, dresser drawers, vanity, nightstands, or under the bed.

Pick one area at a time, like your closet, and pull everything out first.

Take each piece of clothing, for example, and ask yourself:

• Have I used this in the last year? If not, donate it (put it in a box) or throw it away (put it in a garbage bag).
• Do I love it? If so, keep it.

Continue this throughout your bedroom.

Pull open each drawer and remove everything.

Holding each item, ask yourself the same questions.

Do I give away, throw away, or keep?

If you haven’t worn something for a year or more, it’s time to part with it.

Repeat this step for your bathroom, living room, kitchen, office, laundry room, and pantry.

Step #2: Only have what you need.

After decluttering a nightstand, for example, only add back what you need.

Some ideas:

• Clock
• Phone charging station
• Lamp
• Bowl for jewelry
• Water carafe

Anything else doesn’t belong.

This is so hard to keep only what you need on a nightstand.

Kids’ toys, keys, books, and other unwanted things can find their way on top of a nightstand.

I know this all too well.

But starting out with a blueprint will help to keep the vision of what stays and what needs to be put away.

I will share more on how to keep things decluttered below.

A suggestion to keep a nightstand looking decluttered is having drawers.

Hiding your book(s), Bible, sleeping aid, and whatever else is needed for a good night’s sleep tucked inside a drawer helps to keep things organized.

I love this idea.

This is also a great idea for other areas of the home.

Having a place to put things creates a decluttered home.

Like a basket to put blankets in.

Or a wooden trunk to store family heirlooms or things that are important.

Another way to create a sanctuary is to have coordinating bedding.

This is something that can instantly change the look of a bedroom.

Soft, cozy sheets that match.

Throw pillows that go with a bed set—link to a cotton bed set here.

A nice feather-down comforter folded at the end of a bed for when it gets super cold at night.

Or if it’s summer, as it is now as I write, a nice thin bed scarf at the end of the bed is a wonderful addition to make a bedroom feel cozy.

Getting a ‘Bed in a bag’ can instantly transform your bedroom.

A ‘bed in a bag’ comes with everything you need. The photo above is a link.

It includes sheets, pillowcases, shams, and a comforter.

The photo below is a link.

I love this because the sheets, comforter, and shams match.

With so many colors, patterns, and materials to choose from and at an affordable price tag, this makes for a smart idea to give a bedroom a new look.

Aesthetics matter.

Our senses need to have beautiful things to look at.

My husband, who doesn’t care about decor, agrees that when I put together a beautiful room, it makes him feel good.

It makes it all worth it to know he loves it, too.

Another place to tackle is the bathroom.

To give your home a vacation feel, take a serious look at what you have.

Are the towels grungy?

If so, throw away the stained and worn-out towels and replace them with lush, soft new ones.

Once we did this, our bath experience was wonderful!

Are your bathroom drawers filled with unused products?

I don’t know about you, but I feel guilty throwing away stuff like this.

Over time, I learned there is no guilt because having everything cleared away gives me peace of mind.

Those products aren’t going to get used anyway.

Whether I do it now or later, they will need to be addressed.

So, throwing away the products you don’t use is OK.

It feels so good!

You can add some nice, scented soaps and candles to your bathroom.

I filled an apothecary jar with scented Epsom salt.

Using an old teacup to scoop it out is unique but very useful.

Once you’re done with the bathroom, you are getting closer to making your home your sanctuary.

Now, let’s go into the kitchen.

Repeat step one and declutter.

Now, think about what it will take to make an evening meal.

Do we really need 3 air fryers, 5 skillets, 20 plates, etc, for example?

Get rid of the things you haven’t used in your kitchen for a year or more.

As for dishes and utensils needed for guests, I like to put these in another cabinet to make my kitchen feel less cluttered.

If you haven’t used that Instant Pot or the waffle maker in the cupboard collecting dust, you may have to part with them.

It’s so hard to get rid of things.

Especially when you spend good money on appliances.

I’ve kept things out of guilt because what if I need them?

But as I accepted there is no guilt in getting rid of things I don’t use anymore, it made it easier.

Going to Goodwill and dropping things off is so quick.

The items you don’t use will go to someone who will.

That makes it easier to part with things to think of it that way.

Selling on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and OfferUp can help with recouping the cost.

It has been sobering as I’ve decluttered to make wiser choices when purchasing in the future.

Step #3: Clean once a week.

Now that you have this amazing decluttered home, to maintain it, you will need to clean it once a week.

Not including the daily upkeep of the kitchen and bathroom.

I’m referring to simple weekly chores. The list is below.

It’s human nature to make a mess.

It amazes me how quickly things can get awry after one day.

Don’t you agree?

But the basic cleaning only takes a few minutes.

Here is a list of what to clean each week:

• Sweep and vacuum the floor.
• Dust cobwebs from the ceilings.
• Dust tops of cabinets and blinds
• Scrub the toilet, bathtub, and shower.
• Clean mirrors and lightly wipe down wall art and shelves.
• Wash sheets.
• Wipe down counters and nightstands.
• Do a load or two of laundry (of course, this can vary per household. Especially if you have children; it could be a load every day.)

These are simple things that will add that vacation feel to your home and make your home your sanctuary.

Here is a link to FlyLady to learn an easy way to keep up with daily and weekly chores.

The kitchen and bathrooms can be maintained daily.

Once a week, if you clean the mirrors, floors, shower/tub, and wash linens, rugs, and towels, it is possible to keep up with it each day by wiping down the counters, sinks, toilet, and doing the dishes.

It has been a wonderful way to live as my husband and I keep at it and create our sanctuary.

Completing these steps can take several days for each room.

Sometimes, several weekends.

But only do a little at a time.

It doesn’t have to be done all at once.

That has helped me not to feel overwhelmed.

Plug away at it for several hours, and you will be on your way to making a vacation home you will never want to leave.

I hope you enjoyed these easy steps to make your home your sanctuary.

Here is a YouTube video sharing my summer home tour.

For more home decorating inspirations, go here.

And more housekeeping tips here.

Thanks for coming by Victorian Lane Farms.