What a liberation, and how good the change feels. Speaking clearly of a feeling that arises when those heart-wrenching days have passed, when cardboard boxes become our new friends (and rivals), and when in the blink of an eye every space and place is new before our eyes. Everything is beautiful and evokes a smile, on the lips or simply in the heart, making you feel fulfilled and happy.
Then I think of those who say they don't like change... Surely they enjoy this one :)

One of the principles of Feng Shui states that "everything changes," meaning that if we change our home, we also change ourselves. A Chinese proverb says that if we resist change, we are causing stagnation. Resisting a fundamental change means that the space will not be functional for that person. As our priorities and tastes change, the home must change with them.
(To know more about the philosophy of Feng Shui, see our post about it!)

Packing & unpacking: The longest hours

Packing 

Coordinating the "creative mind" with the hands, so that this duo can find the best way to organise objects, fitting everything like a puzzle, considering weight (our backs appreciate this help) and order (#kitchen #bedroom #bathroom #camping...) is not an easy task. In fact, many people don't organise to that extent initially, although they surely do so when unpacking. However, I would say that packing boxes or bags by categories is the most useful for the final moment of setting up the house, maximizing time, physical energy, and mental energy after moving days.

 
Unpacking

Pim, pam, pum… We arrive home and it's time to distribute each object to the place we believe is right for them. Later on, we'll move some things around, but for now, we need to establish a preliminary order before shifting the pieces and trying out options that will transform every corner of the house into a favourite one, that is, comfortable and attractive spaces that invite us to be in them.

Setting up spaces

Well, clearly, since the spaces where the objects were previously placed are different, we'll have two types of spaces in our new home. There will be places that will look perfect from the start, as you had imagined them in your mind. But you will also find corners of this new house that will lack a touch, needing to be brought to life. This is where we'll focus.

"I often compare interior design to music: not everyone has an ear, but many people can learn to read sheet music. The same goes for decoration." Frida Ramstedt. Author of "Feel at Home (Zenith)," a book that, since its release, has been translated into six languages, and has even become something of a domestic decoration bible.

The Decor 

It might seem absurd, but it happens. Although it's known that each person is unique, it's surprising how often the same furniture or object is found in different homes. Trends in all areas greatly influence people, and the inspirational photographs we find in magazines are truly dreamlike for most mortals. Despite the reality being very different, very few people live in very spacious houses or in such minimalist apartments.

Today, after everything that has been this 2020-2021 pandemic, many people have realized that there were things that didn't work in their homes. The positive aspect of this is that the appreciation for these factors has been enhanced, especially with well-being being in vogue. According to interior designer Totoya Súnico and Ferran Morgui (Morgui&Súnico Studio), psychological and emotional well-being is greatly conditioned by the environment and visual comfort.

And although the feeling of well-being is very subjective, there are universal rules that help to project lasting, beautiful, and functional homes.

A common well-being

Reflection, admiration, and inspiration.

According to Kelley Carter, Interior Designer and Stylist, every home should have the highest number of the following elements to make it comfortable, interesting, and welcoming, thus facilitating the well-being of each person:

• Inviter: Something that captures interest and arouses curiosity, like an eye-catching detail that makes you want to enter and take a closer look.
  
  
• Cozyfier: Something that invites you to stay in the space, like a soft blanket or a comfortable armchair to relax in.
  
  
• Eye Lifter: A detail that makes you look up (for example, a lamp or a large floor plant that forces you to look at it from top to bottom, as well as the entire space, framing all the other objects in the place).
  
  
• Wow Object: Something that stands out above the rest. It could be architectural, like a large window, or a spectacular piece of furniture.
  
  
• Weird Thing: Something that makes the gaze stop abruptly and leaves the observer speechless, before asking, "Where did you get this from?" It could be a work of art, something bought at a flea market, or an object created by hand.
  
  

• Personalizer: As the word suggests, something that makes a house or apartment a home. It could be family photos, inherited belongings, memories of all kinds. Personal items that reveal who lives under that roof.

• Natural Elements: Objects that bring a sense of life and possibly some color: plants, flowers, natural materials, and/or objects with organic shapes.

• Signs of Life: Things that indicate someone is living inside, such as slippers, glasses, or a morning coffee cup next to the favorite armchair.