5 Ways to Make Your Home Feel Like a Hotel
If I could dole out only one piece of home organizing/decorating advice, it would be this: if you want your home to feel more spacious and clutter free, imagine it as your favorite hotel room. As someone who feels more at ease in a minimalist space, a hotel aesthetic is naturally something I gravitate towards. However, if you prefer your home to look and feel homey and lived in, I’m not suggesting you toss every tchotchke in the trash. I’m only suggesting that if you’re uneasy or unsettled in your environment, use the hotel room as a beacon for CHIC, clutter free living. Here are some lessons to learn from le hotel room:
1. Keep your nightstand clutter free. Know that cozy feeling you get when hopping into bed on vacation? Yes yes, you’re on vacation so of course you feel relaxed, but the fact that there are no distractions clamoring for your attention before bed helps. Who needs that stack of books yelling at you, reminding you to read them all at once? Limit the books to one to two and give your mind a rest. I also love that hotels keep a little notepad and pen in the nightstand drawer for jotting down little bed thoughts and ideas. It’s a great idea to keep a notepad by your bed to get thoughts onto paper, especially if you’re a restless sleeper with a racing mind. I also love that hotels keep a little phone with a room service button, but sadly that one doesn’t transfer over as well.
2. Use a tray to store wash cloths and cotton pads by your bathroom sink. Chic hotel rooms have a little bathroom tray by the sink for bits and bobs like cotton rounds, wash cloths and shoe mitts (does anyone actually use those shoe mitts and if so, let me know!). Anyway, there’s nothing like reaching for a plush, neatly folded wash cloth by your sink, knowing there are tons more underneath. This lacquered tray exemplifies that aesthetic, plus it’s large enough to accommodate a canister for your cotton rounds.
3. Keep the bedroom bed-centric. Ever notice how a hotel room is really just mostly BED? If you get a better night’s sleep in a hotel room, it might be *partially* due to this fact (and also due to the fact that you’re on vacation). Keep the exercise gear out of your bedroom––the Peloton doesn’t have to live on top of your mattress. If you absolutely must keep the yoga mat here, consider placing it in a floor basket. I’m also of the opinion that hampers can really put a damper on your attempts at relaxation. Keep them concealed in your closet or bathroom.
4. Decorate your space with flowers. Buying yourself (or your home) flowers is one of the most underrated ways to make your space feel instantly more vibrant. True, not all hotel rooms come with a massive bouquet of flowers, but beautiful hotel lobbies do. Lilies, roses, petunias, whatever perks you up. Just make sure to toss your flowers as soon as they start to dry out..dead flowers equal bad Feng Shui! (You can extend their life by replacing the water often and trimming the stems when you can.)
5. Roll up your extra towels. How comforting and satisfying is the sight of a stack of neatly rolled up towels? Provided you have a towel rack with a towel bar on it, you can roll those towels up to the ceiling (first watch my tutorial on how to roll towels). If you don’t have a towel rack, don’t worry, neither do I. You can always roll up your towels and place them in the linen closet, cabinet or shelf to maximize space. The effect is less SPA but it’s still comforting to know that you don’t have to do laundry for a while because you have so many ROLLED UP TOWELS waiting in the wings.
6. BONUS: Place chocolate on your pillow. I don’t really do this for myself (I eat enough chocolate throughout the day as it is), but it’s an adorably charming thing to do for a guest. Leave a little chocolate square on your guest’s pillow and they’ll give you a five star rating.