I’m pretty certain almost every adult secretly loves visiting their parents house as there’s always ‘something’ which is so comforting, and my Mom’s place is no exception. No matter how much she changes things up, her home is always inviting and comfortable. Every season she’ll make minor changes to her home décor keeping things fresh and new yet comfortable and personable.

Now it might seem like a lot of work to personalize your home, but consider what you already have. Many of us hold onto items that we have a connection with. These meaningful items often evoke a sense of warmth and comfort, and rather than storing these items away in boxes, build them into your home décor. Out there in the open, perhaps they’ll remind you of a treasured family summer near the lighthouse or an extra special weekend. My mom, for instance, takes the approach of updating her home with items which evoke childhood memories of her parents, friends and old neighbourhood all throughout the year.

Seasonal decorating can be fun and a fairly inexpensive way to change your space up. And if you live in a smaller home it can make things a little less boring. This is also a good way to change the mood of your space and can be done subtly which means you don’t need a lot of storage or money to do so. It can be as simple as changing up a few toss pillows and old family photos.

When the time comes and you’ve moved out of your parent’s house, lived through your 20’s and are ready to settle into ‘your’ home, start with your parents for inspiration and build the home you'll fill with comfort and good memories.

Michael Connolly