Moving into a new home is a feat in and of itself. You pack everything you own up into layers of boxes, only to have to unpack them when you arrive in your new place. Then, you set to cleaning your new corners and getting familiar with new sounds - the creaking of old floors, the rumbling of your refrigerator forming ice, and the way the wind whistles through drafty doors.

It’s one of those weird experiences in life that feels like a major milestone, and anticlimactic at the same time. You’ve been so excited to turn the key in the lock, to step over the threshold and claim this place as yours. And then, you realize, it really doesn’t feel like home yet.

But, how could it? You’ve just stepped through the door, and all of your unique visions and hopes for this home have not yet been realized. You haven’t made memories yet, or gotten used to your new home’s quirks. The bones are all there, but it’s up to you to make this house your home.

What makes a home “homey”?

Hominess is difficult to define, but you know it when you see it. A house that feels homey has a certain vibration in the air, one that makes you feel calm as soon as you enter it. It feels lived in, loved, warm, and accessible. It looks well kept and full of character. It reflects the person who is living in it seamlessly, taking on their unique style and fusing it with its own history.

Okay, we can wax poetic on hominess all day long, but what actually makes a home homey?

In our experience, the longer you’ve lived in a home the homier it feels. You know what that random light switch in the hallway controls, you know to skip the second to last step to keep from making noise, you’ve found a secret spot in the kitchen where you can hide your chocolate stash. All of this muscle memory, these interesting factoids make your house feel like yours and yours alone.

And then, there are the things that you bring to the house. Homes feel homey when they are filled with things that you love, with the people that you love, in the ways that make the most sense for your life. Though pictures on Instagram of clean, crisp kitchens and perfectly styled living rooms can be dreamy, we’re talking real life comfort here. We’re talking about the place that you walk into that calms your nerves, that gives you the space you need to decompress after a long day. That’s what hominess is: a sense of safety, of peace, of perfect belonging.

Tips for Creating a Homier Home

It all sounds good, but how do you create this for yourself? If you’re struggling to find that feeling of “home” in your house, whether you moved in last week or last year, we have a few tips for making this place your personal getaway.

Where to start

What makes you feel calm?

It’s likely that everyone who reads this post pictured a different home as they were reading the paragraph above. We all have different tastes, different preferences when it comes to interior design. To make your home truly feel homey, we suggest you ask yourself, “What makes me feel calm? What environment do I feel most at peace in?”

These two questions will set you on the right path toward creating a home that feels like a safe space, a place where you can relax and be entirely you. For some, this can be a room filled with half-finished books, stacked in corners and topped with plants. For others, a cushy couch and original art is all they need to feel like they’re in their element. By digging a little deeper into what it is exactly that makes you feel at peace, you’ll be off to a great start for creating a homey home.

Choosing the right paint color

Color can have a marked effect on your mood, and the overall feel of your home. Though you may have moved into a place that has already been painted (or you’ve been putting it off since you moved in), switching out the color scheme of your walls could be a great way to freshen up a room, or add a bit of “you”. For some people, warm tones like cream or terracotta could add life to a space, while others crave the calming coolness of grays and deep blues. Paint color can have a large impact on the feeling of your home - for little effort and few dollars.

Finding “your place” within your home

If you haven’t created a sanctuary for yourself just yet, a place that’s carved out just for your personal time, where you can sit unbothered and feel at peace, that could be the missing piece to the puzzle in your home. Whether you are at home in a reading nook filled with to-be-read novels, in your version of a “man cave” stocked with rustic accents, or if you simply feel most nested in your bedroom with a fluffy duvet and thick velvet curtains, creating a space that is 100% for you in your home can help it feel more “homey”.

Creating memories

Finally, a house doesn’t become a home until memories are created there. One of our favorite concepts that is floating around the interiors world right now is “Don’t wait”. Don’t wait for your house to be completely perfect before you start creating memories. Don’t wait until you’ve remodeled your kitchen, finished your painting project, or purchased the right piece of artwork before you start inviting friends and family over. Don’t wait to start making this house your home, just because it doesn’t match your “Interior Goals” Pinterest board. The time is now, and we bet that you’ll feel a drastic difference in your comfort and confidence within your home once you’ve made memories in it with your loved ones.

Getting even homier

If you’ve done all of the above and you’re looking for a way to push your house over the edge into “homey” territory, there are a few other tips to consider.

Cozy fabrics

Nothing says home like piles of comforting blankets. Layer soft throws in your living room for quick access and a cozy aesthetic, or keep a pair of moccasins on hand for colder nights. Adding rugs to otherwise sparse rooms can add a bit of warmth, both underfoot and visually. When you are comfortable, and your house doesn’t feel like a museum where nothing can be touched, you feel at home.

Comforting scents

There’s something strange about moving into a new house and noticing its unfamiliar smell. If you’re moving into a house that had one previous owner, or has been around for 100 years, you’ll notice that it has a distinctive scent - good or bad. To make your house really feel “homey”, start using room sprays or lighting candles with scents that make you feel calm and comfortable. The flickering light of the flame will add another cozy element to your home as well. If you really want to clear out the old and welcome in the new, think about lighting a bundle of sage and walking through your home, letting the fragrant smoke drift up into corners as you chant a clearing mantra.

Personal touches

Purchasing an entire room full of furniture from one brand can look cohesive, but it will never be able to reflect your personal style, the life you’ve lived, or the stories that you have to tell. Adding personal touches to your house will make it feel more like a home. We recommend getting away from a big box store, and turning to an antique or vintage search for unique pieces that spark your interest. Our other favorite hack for infusing personal touches into a home is to frame memories and hang them on your walls, from ticket stubs or interesting leaves from an evening walk to a paw print or the key to your first home. These small additions can add more of “you” to your house, and give it that homey feel. At a bare minimum, consider adding more personal photos into your decor - the faces of those you love will always bring you back to center.

What does it mean to make a home feel “homey”? In our mind, it’s all about the care you put into the space, the effort with which you impart pieces of you into the home. Houses are blank canvases. Though they have their own stories etched into the walls, they are endlessly open to storing yours too. Allow yourself to feel out the house and ask yourself what you feel is missing. What isn’t here that is making you feel agitated or out of place? Start in one area of your house, creating a space that is entirely you, then move outward. Slowly add in personal pieces, invite over friends and family for a game night, cook a meal with those you love, and light a candle or two. Your house will feel homey in no time.

How to Make Your Home Feel Homey

What makes a home “homey”?

Tips for Creating a Homier Home

Where to start

Getting even homier