Thursday Tips: Creating a SenseSational Home Part 4



I'm linking this post to Tuesday's Tips. Come back next week for part 5.

Creating a home that appeals to the five senses really is not that hard. It doesn't really even need to cost money. It just takes a bit of creativity and willingness to make some simple changes. I know that there are areas that I can change in my home.

Sometimes it can be a bit tricky because my hubby and I don't necessarily have the same taste or the same thoughts on how much "stuff" should be in our home. At the moment I kind of feel like our home is "bare" and "boring", but I do the best I can (we've been in this home for about 1 1/2 years and I don't really have extra money to purchase things to decorate).

This week's Tip for Creating a SenseSational Home is Sound! Sound is such a key to peace in our homes and to whether or not people enjoy being there. Have you ever been in a home where the volume level was so high and shrill you couldn't hear yourself think? Now, there's a difference between loud/obnoxious, and loud/fun. When I have a home filled with teenagers from our youth group it's loud/fun! I have been in homes where it was loud/obnoxious with yelling, screaming, chaos and I wanted to run for the hills. 

On average there is always noise in my home. Usually it's all of us talking, music playing, blenders whirring, school CD-Roms playing, even some bickering, wrestling, and when dad comes home sometimes some "loud" goofing around. In times when everyone is gone but me, I tend to turn everything off and just enjoy the quiet of my house.

What are some ways we create a SenseSational Home through Sound: Keep in mind it will be different for every home, and what each household can handle.

1. Pay attention to the sounds coming from your home. Do they reinforce your goal? Does it sound like a haven? Sounds of laughter, talking, nice music sound like a haven (even if it's loud). Yelling, arguing, obnoxious, foul music does not sound like a haven.

2. Have some soft (or favorite) music playing for when your husband comes home from work, your kids from school, or for you when you enter your home after being gone. 

3. Make your home a place where "I love you" are words heard all day long.

4. Pay attention to the irritating noises and get them fixed if possible. It could be squeaky doors, leaky faucets, whatever that noise is that makes you cringe.

5. Turn off the TV during eating times, put some music on that encourages you to linger and talk as a family. We are often guilty of eating while watching something, honestly it is all what you make it. We do not ignore one another while eating and watching, we are engaged with each other the whole time. 

6. Answer your phone and front door with warmth. This is the first impression people get of the peace that is in your home. Teach children to answer the phone properly. I have gotten many compliments over the years on how polite my girls are when they answer our phone or other peoples phones

7. When you have company pay attention to noise levels. Do the guests have to raise their voices to be heard? Are little ones banging on piano keys, on toys, making it impossible to converse in normal tones. It's okay for our little ones to learn when to play quietly and when NOT to bang on piano keys, or other things..if its interrupting conversation. Again, you and your guests may not mind, but someone might so be aware of that.


Some things that I do personally:

1. I don't allow the TV to be going and music to be playing in the same room. Either one gets turned off or headphones go on. This would be the same for hearing it too loud upstairs or down. 

2. Yelling! If it's one thing that can start to grate on my nerves it's yelling for someone over and over and over. I tell the girls...if someone doesn't answer you after two times go find them. 

3. The music we listen to isn't laced with foul words or negativity. Neither are the things we watch on TV.

4. When we're doing school, the TV is off (for me) and we may play music, but not loudly.

5. I love the sound of rain, of frogs, of birds chirping so when possible I open the windows even just for a little bit to let those sounds filter in.


I would love to hear what you do? I know Sandy at Reluctant Entertainer often has her children play their instruments for company. How soothing is that! I'd love to hear her daughter play her Violin or her sons play the piano.

Head over to Coffee with Me and share your tips at Thursday Tips.


With Joy UNquenchable,


Comments

  1. What an inspiring post! Thanks so much for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love this series you're doing! I don't have sound very often. Sometimes we'll play music softly and it can be nice. But if the kids are playing I can't handle two types of "noise" at once!

    Thanks for linking up!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I've been loving this series. Right now my home is so overcluttered and I'm working on making it a haven of rest. That can be hard to do since we homeschool and we're here all.the.time. ;) But this summer I'm going to get rid of TONS!!!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

I'm so glad you stopped by. Thank you for leaving me a note. I look forward to making new friends on this blogging journey!

Popular Posts