Do you have a spot (or spots) that just makes you happy? Is there some place that you can go that will always lift your spirit or make you smile?
If so, bravo! You know the joy it brings.
If not, maybe now is the time to create one. Let’s talk about creating a spot that you can count on to bring you joy.
When making the spot, there are just a couple of things to keep in mind.
- It doesn’t have to be big or grand or expansive. Sure, it can be a whole room or garden or she-shed, but it can also be a plant stand, a bookshelf or a corner. This is definitely a quality over quantity thing.
- It doesn’t have to be expensive, HGTV-worthy or palatable to anyone else (although you should probably be respectful of anyone else who is sharing the same space). Use what makes you happy.
- It doesn’t have to make sense to anyone except you. My sewing/yarn table (intro pix) is too big, so to access the yarn, I have to get a ladder and climb on the table. Don’t care. Looking at this sight always brings me joy.
- It can be a useful spot or it can be simply aesthetically pleasing. There are no rules here.
The key is simply to create spaces around you that just make you smile when you look at them.
So, how do you get started? Easy. Focus on something that makes you happy. Is it artwork? Cooking? Your family? Once you decide, figure out how that thing can become the basis of your spot.
For instance, wine makes me happy. No, not the kind of happy that comes from enjoying too much (although that could be true too, I suppose). The ritual of wine makes me happy. I enjoy learning about wine, trying new wines, sipping it with friends and family, and using it as a way to forge bonds with people.
After I got my first table-top wine rack, I realized that I really wanted a spot for all things wine. I looked at tons of wine bar examples on Pinterest, and I spent a lot of time thinking through what I wanted. My taste originally went to expensive and work-intensive, but I wasn’t inclined toward either of those. So I decided to work with the things I had around the house. This is the result.
I had everything except one of the wall racks and the canvas picture of wine. Everything else was found around the house. As you can see, I added my teapot collection, because I love the ritual of drinking tea every morning, as well, so it seemed to fit.
But your spot doesn’t have to be this big or practical. It can be just for fun or because you like the look of something. For years, I have dreamt of having a craftsman style house. Since you rarely find that architecture in the country (which is where I prefer to live), I have had to settle for adding elements of the style. Enter the five-panel door. I LOVE the look of them. When I found one years ago at an antique shop for a reasonable amount, I had to have it. The problem is that the door sat in our garage for five years. I just couldn’t figure out what to do with it. I loved it, but I just couldn’t place it.
Until I could. I cleaned, sanded, and painted the door and then took it up to my bedroom. I had a space that was too small for furniture, too awkward for wall art, and yet in desperate need of something to fill the large space exaggerated by the high ceilings. I leaned the door against the wall and it worked! Then I remembered vintage handkerchiefs that had been parked in a chest for decades. I pulled those out. It was time to use them or let them go. Finally, a sweet friend had given me framed lyrics from an Ed Sheeran song. On the wall they went, and my happiness corner was complete. I still find myself just stopping and staring at times. The whole ensemble makes me smile.
So, are your creative juices flowing yet? Are you starting to picture your own happy spot? Do you just need to add plants to your craft room? Have prints made from favorite pictures so you can display them? Could you create a container garden on your deck or patio? It doesn’t have to be complicated. It just needs to be for you.
I would love to see your happy spots–the ones already existing or the ones you are beginning to create. Start now. Seriously. Stop reading and start dreaming. Your happy spot is just one decision away!