Around here, we believe that loving your home is possible, when you fill it with intention. Sometimes it is tricky to get to this place though. It takes time, focus and often, a helping hand. (And of course, we would love to be that helping hand).

Creating a home you love isn’t about perfection or Pinterest-worthy spaces (although we love being inspired by those images). It’s about intentional systems, breathing room, and highlighting your story in ways that allow your home to be a sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of the world.

Let’s dig into 14 Tips to LOVE Your Home:

1. Start With Your “Why” Space

Identify the space that sets the tone for the home, think about the room where life happens most. It might be your living room, bedroom, or kitchen.

Ask yourself: How do I want to feel here? Then remove anything that doesn’t support that feeling (we are looking at that pile of returns that lives on the chair in your bedroom or maybe the school papers that are collecting crumbs on your kitchen island). Clarity creates comfort.

2. Declutter With Intention, Not Emotion

Decluttering doesn’t mean getting rid of everything, it means keeping what actively supports your life right now. Guilt, obligation, and “someday” items are the biggest sources of hidden clutter.

Letting go is an act of self-respect and a gift to your future self.

3. Design a Calm Corner

Create at least one space in your home that’s intentionally slow. A reading chair, bedroom corner, or quiet nook.

Keep it simple: soft lighting, one or two meaningful items, and zero visual clutter.

4. Clear Surfaces = Clear Mind

Flat surfaces are not storage zones. Clear kitchen counters, nightstands, and coffee tables to reduce visual noise and help your nervous system relax. This single change often makes the biggest impact for clients.

5. Build Systems That Work for Your Real Life

Functional bins, baskets, drawers, and labels aren’t about aesthetics. They’re about reducing decision fatigue (but we promise that systems can be easy on the eyes too). Our goal is to meet clients where they are at when we come up with systems for their home.

Pro tip: If it’s hard to put away, it won’t stay organized.

6. Let Natural Light Do the Heavy Lifting

Lighter visual weight, fewer window obstructions, and intentional furniture placement. Light-filled spaces naturally feel calmer and more open, yes, even in Midwest winters.

7. Choose Fewer, Better Pieces

Minimalism isn’t about empty rooms; it’s about meaningful ones. Prioritize quality over quantity so your home feels curated, not crowded. Personally, I find myself designing rooms in my home with maximalist vibes achieved by bold paint, patterned wallpaper and lots of texture, but not a lot of extra clutter.

8. Curate, Don’t Decorate

Instead of filling shelves, edit them (we are here to help…it’s actually our specialty). Display a few pieces that tell your story - family photos, heirlooms, or local Indy artwork and give them space to breathe (chances are they have been tucked away hibernating in the back of a closet).

9. Rotate, Don’t Accumulate

Seasonal decor doesn’t require buying more (especially from the dollar section of your favorite retailer). A little imagination can go a long way in finding creative new uses for items you have. Consider how a favorite heirloom could be brought out from storage and turned into an unexpected piece of decor, like these vintage teacups of my grandmother’s used as measuring cups in the pantry.

10. Create Non-Negotiable Clutter-Free Zones

There are so many spaces in a home where clutter is unavoidable, which is why it is so important to designate a few areas where clutter simply doesn’t live - dining tables, bedside tables and my personal favorite…YOUR side of the closet.

11. Make Organization Family-Friendly

A functional home works for everyone who lives in it. Systems that are intuitive for kids and adults alike mean easy access, clear categories, and simple routines. One major lesson we’ve learned over the last nine years is that you have to create systems that work for the most disorganized person in the home so that everyone can share the responsibility of maintaining them.

When everyone can participate, organization sticks.

12. Let Go With Purpose

Decluttering feels better when you know your items are helping someone else. We live by our philosophy of Donate + Do Good.

13. Give Everyday Items a Home

Keys, chargers, bags, and shoes cause daily stress when they don’t have a designated place. A simple drop zone near your entry or kitchen creates smoother mornings and calmer evenings.

14. End the Day With a Gentle Reset

Organization isn’t about big overhauls; it’s about small daily habits. A five-minute reset before bed keeps clutter from piling up and helps you sleep (and wake) to peace.

Small actions, repeated consistently, change everything.

The Baer Minimalist helps busy families create ORGANIZED + STYLIZED spaces throughout Indianapolis. To keep up to date with all of the tips, tricks and inspiration doled out, subscribe to our newsletter, The Minimal-List, here.

Roses Are Red, Clutter Is Not: 14 Tips to Love Your Home