Your home is a haven. It’s a place where you entertain, nurture friends and family, and live your daily life. Our homes are also a place where we feel comfortable and relax, but sometimes we want to enhance that environment just a bit.

There are several ways to make a house – or apartment – a home by making a few simple changes. Here are a few ideas on how to easily upgrade any room in your house.

Remove Unnecessary Clutter

Nothing adds stress to a house as clutter does. It is soothing to take a mental inventory of your home and know that every item has a purpose and is in the correct place. Sometimes that isn’t possible as we bring things home from school or collect items from birthdays and holiday celebrations.

One key to having unity in your home is to clear the clutter. A rule of thumb that works for managing a home is to have a “one in, one out” rule. Buy a new shirt? Get rid of one. Have a new favorite mug? Remove an old one from your collection.

Once a month, walk through your home and take inventory. Remove the unnecessary items you’ve gathered and either have a yard sale or donate the things to a worthy cause.

Add Some Texture

Most rooms are a blank slate – actually, a dull square with a few windows and doors. You move in and add some furniture for functionality, but it doesn’t stop there! Don’t forget to pepper your space with items that add texture, color, and depth.

Accomplishing this isn’t too tricky. Soft surfaces such as rugs, blankets, and pillows can freshen up a space, but don’t be afraid to add in other interesting textures. Architectural elements, such as geometric vases and unique light fixtures, will also add a bit of visual interest to your room.

Utilize Mirrors to Give Depth

Beautifully designed spaces almost always include mirrors. Why? Part of the reason is that they reflect and elongate the room. If you are taking the time to create a space, having a piece that does double duty visually isn’t a bad thing.

Another bonus is that mirrors serve to make small spaces appear larger. Their reflective surfaces also add depth and draw in the viewer.

Hang a mirror as the focal point to a room or have it reflect a window. Also, don’t be afraid to let the mirror itself serve as an art piece! We often think of mirrors as being rectangular or square, but using a round, oval, or geometrically shaped mirror can add even more interest to a wall.

Gallery walls are en vogue, and you can collect a few smaller mirrors and gather them together on one wall to pack a visual punch.

Don’t Be Afraid to Experiment

It’s your home, so the sky’s the limit – ok, well the roof. Essentially, it’s your space, so you make the rules. Test out a bold wall color. Showcase a collection of vintage tins. Hang that incredible art piece that only you love. And why not? Your home is a place for you to enjoy.

Another fabulous way to experiment is with candles, and to ease your mind, incorporate flameless ones that mimic the flicker of a traditional candle. The light from candles creates a soft, welcoming glow to a home.

Utilize them on mantles, in vases, to line your staircase, and even on your porch to create an unparalleled ambiance.

Add Greenery to Your Scenery

An inexpensive way to add softness and life – literally – to your space is to add plants. You can utilize a few high-quality silks to mimic live flowers, but you can also invest in a few hearty plants that require minimal care.

English ivy, spider plants, and pothos are not only easy to care for, but they will serve to improve air quality. Plus, there is an understated element of ease that greenery offers by bringing the outdoors inside.

Bonus: plants also add a ton of texture so that you can hit two of our suggested upgrades in one step!

Are you ready for upgrades?

Whether you choose to add a soft, safe glow from flameless candles or decide to pep up your space by adding plants and texture, doing something different to your home can be invigorating!

Also, don’t let a list overwhelm you. It’s ok to start small and accomplish one or two things at a time. Do whatever makes you comfortable because that is what being home is all about.