Then I make sure there are no dirty dishes in the sink , and everything is tidy . I straighten my desk up . I pick stray cat food kibbles off the floor . I choose something to organize — perhaps that craft drawer that is now unruly or the linen closet that needs some love .

My plants get a drink and I fill the diffusers with beautiful aromas . To me , Home As Sanctuary most definitely means beautiful art surrounds me – a mixture of my own , as well as art I purchase when I travel .

For too many years , I lived in homes that were not 100 percent me ( and therefore not joyful ).

As a child , I was raised in rural Illinois , in a two-story home that was decked out in “ country style ”: wooden butter churns , dried wildflowers , and a muted color palette .

In my early 20s , I lived in a mish mash of an apartment , as many of us probably did as we got our start at “ adulting ” in the real world : furniture from a discount store , decorations collected from family members who had stored stuff in the attic , and an undefined style or motif .

Once I got married , our Queens ( NYC ) subterranean studio apartment ( that ’ s fancy realtor speak for “ basement ”) didn ’ t have enough light , nor was there a fully functioning kitchen . The Brooklyn apartment was filled with lots of natural light , but it was too small ( a whopping “ spacious ” 750 square feet ) and located on a fifth floor walk up .

Within my home , I tolerated these types of things for far too long : discounted lamps I didn ’ t love , a misshapen sofa , bath towels that were too scratchy , and bare beige walls .

Finally , I had had enough .

My spouse , Maria , and I started a shared project just as the Pandemic hit . We found ourselves ( as you most likely did ) spending way more time at home , with an opportunity to become more deeply present to our “ everyday life ”.

We began to dream about what would make our home the perfect sanctuary for us . Our thought process was that if we were going to be spending loads of time here , we wanted it to be a nourishing space that revived all the pieces of us .

I would stand in the middle of each room , notepad in hand , and ask : What brings