There are a number of different angles in how this topic can be approached and perhaps real estate agents have the upper hand in how to use both obvious and non-obvious methods. Their objective is the sale of a home and to make all prospective buyers feel comfortable, inspired and help them imagine living happily in that space.

Often, an entire house will be staged for sale, but the immaculate presentation and high-end furnishings are rarely realistic for everyday living with most people.  My objective is to suggest just a few affordable additions to give your home a more inviting appeal to your friends and guests.  This will be a departure from the more subtle recommendations I make as a Feng Shui consultant. Often, people struggle with friendships and there could be an energetic reason why.  But this article will explore the more mundane ways to nurture friendship through environment.

Ask yourself first if anything exists in or around your home which might be a turn off to your friends and other guests.  Is there anything going on which could make a guest or friend reluctant or not excited to return to your home? It might be hard to self-assess, but give it a shot. For example, I have had a few clients whose clutter was so substantial that there wasn’t even a place for me to sit down.  Now, that is an extreme case, but ask yourself if there is anything about your home which has stressed you out or has been an embarrassment. And what do you need to do in order to resolve that?

Do you have a pet who makes your guests feel uncomfortable, for one reason or another? Should that pet be confined to another room while guests are over?  This reminds me of a very strange situation many years ago when I went to a therapist who saw clients at her home.  She had a pet bird in her home office who she perceived as a “therapy bird.”  The bird was anything but that for me.  This large bird would squawk loudly and dive-bomb toward me. I didn’t want him to perch on my shoulder or the top of my head!  Even though she was a good therapist, I stopped seeing her because of her “cage-free” bird.

Beyond extreme cases, there are small touches you can add to your home which will make it more inviting and your guests will want to return.  Starting with the entrance, it is always nice and welcoming to have a place to store one’s coat or purse.  If you don’t have an entry closet, you could get a coat rack to position by the door or a mountable rack on the wall.  This solves the hesitation that a guest may have in where they can place their belongings.  If you are a “shoes-off” household, then you can provide slippers for your guests to wear.

In a living room, it is very inviting to have a few coffee table books or magazines that your guests can flip through if they are waiting for any reason.  I have one friend who uses the bathroom frequently and excuses herself for 10-15 minutes at a time.  Instead of pulling out my cell phone, it would be nice to have something unique to read or look at while waiting for her to return to the room. This is a more inviting option and a change from our reflexive nature to check email or social media.  It goes without saying that having comfortable seating is another bonus.

As much as I enjoy looking at an immaculate kitchen, I actually feel more comfortable in a home where the kitchen is an obvious hub for nurturing and sustenance. I love hanging out in a kitchen where there are bowls of fruit out on the counter and other food items. Beautiful vessels for olive oil and vinegar are the opposite of an “eyesore.”  When there is food readily available, it just looks like the homeowner is more hospitable.  Having some of your friends’ favorite beverages on hand is also a winner.

When I enter a guest bathroom, it always feels welcoming to see paper hand towels and liquid soap. I would rather not share a bar of soap, and the single use paper towel feels more hygienic and intentional, compared to wiping my hands on a cloth towel, used by others.  It’s not that I am a germ-a-phobe. It just lets me know that my host has thought about what my preferences might be.

Just like stores that play relaxing music and pump different fragrances into the air, you can make your home more inviting by having pleasant background sounds and good smells.  Even though we add décor to our homes mostly for our own enjoyment, artwork and other décor can be inviting and inspiring to guests as well.

If you have any outdoor living space, provide shade and comfortable seating for a nice alternative space to hang out. This can be therapeutic on many levels, as some of us just need a “change of scenery” to get revived and refreshed. What could be better than offering that experience for your guests.

 

Author: Kartar Diamond

Company: Feng Shui Solutions ®

From the Tao of Organizing Blog Series