Sometimes, it can be hard to feel entirely comfortable in your own home. Whether you’ve lived in a house for years and it’s starting to fall apart or you’re living in a relatively new house that feels a little too impersonal, the point is that something is probably missing.

Something is off about your house. But a renovation is always the best cure because it’s our surroundings that affect our level of comfort. Yes, we want to have a comfy bed and a comfy couch, but the aesthetic of a home is also important to us. We want a home that’s relaxing on a practical level but also on a visual level.

Of course, it’s easy to say that there’s a barrier stopping your house from feeling like your home, but getting started on breaking down that barrier can be tough. You don’t want to spend a fortune on a full-scale renovation, and that’s understandable. But you don’t have to entirely rely on a professional team to give your house a makeover.

Sometimes, the problems are more easily fixed than you might imagine, and you can take the lead. If you do need professional assistance then it’ll be minor (unless you’re building a house from scratch). Still, you might need a little bit of guidance on this renovation project. If you’re trying to make your home your own then let’s talk about some improvements you could make to your humble abode.

Make the most of your home’s available space.

If you really want your home to feel like your own then it should be an inviting space. However, clutter makes a household feel cramped. They say messy surroundings lead to a messy mind, so that might be the reason as to why you’re unhappy in your home. Sorting out your possessions should be at the top of your ‘To Do’ list.

After decluttering, reorganizing the layout of your home will help to open up the available space in your household and make the interior design more minimalistic. You could even get help from these home staging professionals to sort out the layout of your house. It’s okay to get help with elements of your home renovation if needed; you can still take the lead, but you might just need a little assistance (we’re not offended if this article didn’t provide all the help you needed).

Additionally, you should make the most of your home’s available space by storing your remaining possessions more effectively. Think about the layout of each room in your house and ways in which you could open up space. For example, you could store belongings under beds to help clear up the clutter that’s taking up your floor space; if it’s out of sight then it’s out of mind.

You could also put shelving on the walls in each room to serve as additional storage for your possessions. This might be particularly useful in the kitchen if you have messy countertops with nowhere to store your excess kitchen utensils. Not everything can be “decluttered”, after all – you probably want to keep your cutlery and crockery. It’s all about making your home look tidy so that your mind feels tidier. You’ll have a cozy and homely household in no time.

Renovate your garden.

Remember your garden? It’s that overgrown jungle sitting outside your kitchen window. Okay, you might not have neglected your outdoor space to this extent, but many homeowners fail to see the potential for this area. Your garden is still a part of your home, after all. You should transform this place into a cozy slice of paradise.

You might feel more inclined to spend time relaxing outdoors if you got some loungers, a dining table, and perhaps even a gazebo. Perhaps you could even plant some new flowers or trees so that you have some vibrant elements of nature to admire.

Add some custom design elements to your house.

Finally, you should make your home feel like your own by giving it your own personal touch. A modern contemporary design might not feel cozy or homely because it doesn’t have any of your personality and character. It doesn’t feel like “yours”. But you could change that by putting up family photographs or even handmade paintings on the wall to put your own personal stamp on your home.

The goal is to be as creative as possible. You might simply want to find quirky uses for furnishings. For example, a bookcase could be used as storage for speakers, shoes, or even some vibrant plants. Think outside the box. That’s when your home will start to feel like your own.