If your house could make New Year’s resolutions, what would they be?

There is no energy like New Years’ energy. The possibilities of everything wonderful that could happen in a fresh new year is almost intoxicating!

When it comes to making New Year Resolutions, people tend to gravitate towards personal goals like making improvements to their health or learning a new hobby. Secondly most people think about setting professional goals like things they want to accomplish in business or finally taking the time to figure out Instagram reels.

But what about specific resolutions when it comes to our homes? If our homes are the best places to be, then they are worth being included on the list of Resolutions.

Here are some New Years Resolutions for your Home that you can adopt this year.

1. Welcome people in for a visit (at least) once a season.  

Hospitality is more than aesthetics. It’s the ability to welcome someone in your home and make them feel comfortable. Send out invitations to that dinner party you’ve been planning in your mind. Invite that new friend over for a cup of coffee. Extend your home to the people you care about and fill up your space with true connection that builds over time.

 2. Stop and appreciate the functional beauty of your home once a month.

Make it a priority to pause and appreciate the functions of your home, even if you aren’t living in your dream home just yet. When you purposefully recognize the gifts that your home bring to you, you will feel more grateful. Appreciate every meal you’ve prepped on your kitchen counters. Feel gratitude for every conversation you’ve had in your living room. Be grateful for children’s footsteps running down the stairs.

 The more grateful I am, the more beauty I see” - Mary Davis

3. Set the Table and eat off real plates (at least) once a week.

Where family dinners seem to be a thing of the past, revive this tradition in your home! Spread out a beautiful table cloth or table runner, get out the good plates, fill up real glasses (not just tumblers) with your beverage of choice, pull out the cloth napkins, and set the table. You might be surprised at how much you enjoy the ritual of setting the table and enjoying a delicious meal.

 

Check out at these brand new American Made dishes that just launched in the Merc.

 4. Turn on the lamps and light a candle every night.

In the Country House  episode of Home Town, Erin commented that when houses were built 100 years ago, they didn’t have overhead lighting. The light sources were windows and lamps. And lamps are so much cozier than overhead recessed lights and especially fluorescent lights. Make it a nightly ritual to turn on the lamps and light a candle in the room you’re in to instantly elevate the cozy in your home.

 

Most people see resolutions as cut and dry outcomes or things to check off a list, but what if we planned our resolutions in a way where the goal was centered around how we wanted to feel?

Each of the items on this list are ideas of things to do, yes, but they go deeper than just checking items off a list - it’s about cultivating the feeling of being at home in your home.

And getting to experience the warm and comforting feeling of home in your every day life sounds like an exciting resolution to put at the top of your list!

Happy New Year from your friends at the Laurel Mercantile, Scotsman General Store, and Scent Library. We are so hopeful for all the things to come in 2023 and are excited to support you as you continue making home your favorite place in the whole world.