“I like the bookshelves, mom,” my daughter said as she walked out of the room. 

The day before I had taken every book off the shelf and reorganized. I cleaned, purged, and sorted. I moved the books and shuffled around the decor. 

The last time I truly organized the bookshelves was three years ago when we first moved into our home. Since then the shelves have been imaginary places during playtimes and crammed with new books in random spots. Things have gotten shifted around and piles of books were falling over. Organizing them was overdue. 

As I put items back on the shelves, I was mindful of where our favorites went. There’s a small stack of writing books for me, books that either inspired me to write or formed me into a better writer. There’s a memoir that is very special to my husband. There’s full stacks of our favorite authors. 

Creating meaningful spaces in our homes matter.  It might not look like organized bookshelves for you. It should be unique to you as your home is to your family. Whether your household is only you or a multi-generational family, creating meaningful spaces for us to live our lives matter. Our homes are places where we start and end our days. And, for some of us, where we spend most of our days. 

What matters in your home? Before we put meaningful items in our homes, we need to realize what matters to us. 

About a year ago, the joy of cooking was stirred back into my heart. I desired again to taste new flavors and learn new cooking methods I haven’t tried before. A few things happened in my life last year to bring this joy back to the surface. One of them was stumbling upon Borough Market while we were traveling in London. Borough Market is a bustling, historic, outdoor market with food and grocery vendors. I loved everything about it! The sights, smells, and sounds. This place was intoxicating for me. I had the most delicious feta cheese of my life (don’t worry, it was imported from Greece), a heaping serving of fresh cooked mussels, a rare berry jam that is only jarred once a year, fresh baked bread (for the jam of course!), and a slice of my favorite cheese right off the wheel. 

Since we came home from London, I’ve sprinkled the kitchen with some Borough Market finds. It reminds me of the sights and the smells of the London market I’ve come to love. Seeing the Borough Market Cookbook on the shelf reminds me how I love being curious about food and flavor. 

When I pass by the bookshelves in my living room and I see that stack of writing books, I’m reminding myself that my writing matters. When my eyes stop on the Borough Market Cookbook, I remember that cooking brings me joy. I’m reminding myself of how God wired me. I’m speaking life over the things that bring life to me. Our homes and what we put in them matter. 

Bringing meaning into your home should be as unique to you as your home is to your family. Here are some of my favorite ways I’ve brought meaning into my home. 

1) Frame Something

Maybe it’s a photo of your family doing their favorite activity, a quote or scripture verse, or a visual of something that brings you happiness. For me, I have some photos of my family at the beach framed (one of my favorite places) and I have some watercolor prints framed from the cookbook Salt Fat Acid Heat.

2) Move Things Around

Have you ever noticed when that sock is left in the middle of the floor for three days in a row, you start to ignore it? It’s the same with everything you see. Our surroundings become the white noise that we stop seeing after awhile. One of my favorite tricks is moving things around every few months, so the items that are meaningful can catch my eye in a different way. 

3) Go Beyond Decorating

Think about the atmosphere of your home. What does it sound like? What does it smell like? What about the lighting? For me, I love natural light flooding in, so I make sure to open all the blinds when I’m home during the day. I’ve even put my desk in the location with the best natural light.  

As you discover what brings you joy, find ways to bring meaning into your home in intentional ways. Remind yourself about how God wired you. Speak life into the things that bring you life. Curate your home intentionally for yourself and your family. Go beyond making your home just beautiful or only functional, but also make your home meaningful.