How does your house make you feel when you are home? Life is stressful; coming home should be an instant relief. If you are avoiding certain rooms in your home because you feel uncomfortable in them, it is time for a change.

Where to begin?

Begin by getting rid of all the things you no longer need, love or want. Put your home on a diet. Don’t wait till spring; start editing your stuff now. This will allow you to enjoy the things you do love and make your home feel lighter. Bonus: You’ll feel lighter, too!

Start by creating piles: Donate, sell, trash. Then take action and follow through. If you have any suggestions on where to donate, send them to me to share in an upcoming column.

Rearrange furniture and accessories to create a cozy space you and your loved ones will enjoy. Many times we are so overloaded with clutter we can’t get that cozy feeling. Reconnect with your home to bring back that loving feeling.

It is best to start with one room at a time. Take a photo of the room to remove you from all attachments to the space and really see it with clarity. This gives you a better sense of any design issues. We get so used to seeing rooms the way they are that it is difficult to be objective.

Problems to look for:

• Too much clutter
• Too much furniture or not enough
• Poor furniture placement
• Lack of purpose or function
• Poorly placed wall art
• Color issues
• Looks dated
• Scale and proportion issues

Decorating problems that do not feel right:

• Scale and proportion issues
• Can’t function in room for its purpose
• Uncomfortable
• Poor traffic flow
• Feels crowded or empty
• Balance: too much furniture on one side of room
• Competing or lacking focal points

Inspiration

If you are unsure how you want the space to look and feel, start a style file or a design board on Pinterest or Houzz. Save images of furniture, accessories and color that appeal to you. Flip through shelter magazines and catalogs too.

These saved finds will be your source of inspiration. Look for the common thread, whether it’s a color, style or look. Try to work with what you have for now. When you are ready to shop, you will have direction and make better choices. Instead of needing all new items, you may need just a few to refresh a space.

Remember to shop in your own home. You may have something in one room that could work in another. There may be treasure buried in your own house.

You are getting closer to falling back in love with your home.