A Home
Making a House
A Home
"Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God;" (D&C 88:119)
(These are ideas to help you brainstorm how to make your home more loving, happy, beautiful, and uplifting. Pick one or two and see if they work for you. Of course, different ideas may work better at different stages of life. If you have several wiggly, young children, the occasional cookie scent may be more possible than lots of breakable decorations. If you have hayfever, skip the candles or potpourri. Don't feel guilty, just do what you can to make your home a loving, pleasant place to be. Enjoy!)
Think of the temple--The House of God. How is it decorated? How is it landscaped? How do people speak there? What helps you be able to feel love, peace, safety, and the Holy Ghost there? How can you make your home more like the temple? Your home can be dedicated to the Lord, too. Ask your husband, home teachers or bishop about this. (Keep in mind that certain things about the temple are not realistic in homes. You will cook, do dishes, talk on the telephone, do homework, pay bills, have children run around, etc. Some purposes of the home are different than those of the temple. However, both places should be places where learning takes place and people feel peace, love, safety, and the Spirit)
Play soft, beautiful and inviting music in your home. Tapes of previously released classical music are $3-5 at music stores. Or listen to the radio on a soft sounding station. Record your own soft music or play Church music--Primary tapes, Hymns, Young Women music or other songs.
Welcome people to your home with a beautiful and inviting scent. It could be cookies or fresh bread, perfume, a scented candle burning, potpourri, simmering water with orange peel in it, etc.
Keep your home inviting by keeping it clean and non-cluttered.
Have flower arrangements, soap bowls, statuettes, pictures of beautiful things or places and family, or plants throughout your home.
Pictures from old calendars could provide inexpensive but pretty pictures.
Children's artwork could be hung around the house--especially in their rooms.
Make a door decoration--a wreath, a wooden cutout, an embroidery, that welcomes people to your home.
Make or buy an inexpensive slip cover for your couch if it is looking a little old or if it is not an appealing color to you.
Change your light bulbs the next time they burn out to softer, warmer glowing bulbs.
Learn to speak with a gentle, loving tone of voice. Make it a goal never to yell.
While your home should be orderly, allow space and time for people to live in it. Couches and tables should be places where people like to visit. Living rooms and family rooms should not be so fancy or ordered that people fear going in there because they do not want to mess it up.
If you have a back yard, have a place to sit and little nooks to visit.
Make books or uplifting magazines available.
