# kazuriwest.com ## Posts - [How to Brighten Up Your Home in the Winter](https://kazuriwest.com/how-to-brighten-up-your-home-in-the-winter/): If you have a home that is not south-facing and you also suffer from feeling gloomy, look around. Is your furniture too dark? I’ve recently faced this with the dense fog that hasn’t cleared for three weeks. My space gets terrible daylight, and I resort to bright lights to keep my mood up. Even when it’s sunny, it’s still dark. I’ve researched cost-effective ways to lift the energy in my home and also lighten up my perspective. How to Brighten Up Your Space on Gloomy Days It’s nice to have dark days, as I’m a writer and it makes me […] - [The Yard Sale Habit](https://kazuriwest.com/the-yard-sale-habit/): This one may seem controversial, but I understand both sides. So, before you get upset, hear me out. Having a yard sale is ecological and environmental. Having too many yard sales is the opposite – we have to meet in the middle. Why People Have Yard Sales If someone is moving, they’ll want to sell some items they no longer need. If they’re downsizing, these items are sold because they don’t fit. Speaking of, after reading this, check out my post called, Should You Downsize Your Home? to learn how to work around moving and decluttering. Still, most things in […] - [How to Prepare Your Home for Sick Days](https://kazuriwest.com/how-to-prepare-your-home-for-sick-days/): The whole reason why I wrote a blog on maintaining your home and not binge cleaning on the weekends is because it helps in this situation. When you’re sick, and your home is messy too, it sucks. Look, most of us rest out of defeat, not by choice. And sickness is what I refer to as the result of doing too much – the Universe told me plenty of times to chill, but I refused and pushed through, only for it to slap me in the face with a cold or flu. “You didn’t want to rest the first few […] - [Never Do Chores on the Weekends Again](https://kazuriwest.com/neve-do-chores-on-the-weekends-again/): I’m not going to pretend I love cleaning, but I kinda do! Not the actual effort of cleaning, but that feeling afterward is unlike no other. Sadly, we have to do it. Not all, but most of us. We might as well find something we enjoy with it. Here’s what I’ve figured out after way too many hours lost to inefficient cleaning routines: some tasks give you a massive return on your time investment, while others are basically just busy work that makes you feel productive – like, seriously, clean your moldings once per season if you must. Stop doing […] - [Redefining a Clean Home](https://kazuriwest.com/redefining-a-clean-home/): Have you ever walked into a home – not for an event, but a random visit to someone’s house – and found it spotless, well scented, and beyond immaculate? It could be the most modest home, but somehow the cleanliness of it made you automatically know it’d pass the white-glove test. Have you ever walked into a home – not for an event, but a random visit to someone’s house – and found it spotless, well scented, and beyond immaculate? It could be the most modest home, but somehow the cleanliness of it made you automatically know it’d pass the […] - [Reduce Stress with this Single Chore](https://kazuriwest.com/reduce-stress-with-this-single-chore/): There are times when I get overwhelmed with my home environment. This causes all kinds of stress, and a domino effect occurs. You can tell the signs by noticing if: If I can give you one recommendation to combat this overwhelm quickly, it’s this: Just straighten. The Art of Straightening Your Home Just putting things away where they need to go can clear away the clutter. That clutter is what overwhelms your mind. Sure, dishes and laundry can cause a bit of chaos inside you, but removing visible stuff on countertops, tables, dressers, vanities, and whatever shelving you’ve got is […] - [Two Forces That Make You Clean House](https://kazuriwest.com/two-forces-that-make-you-clean-house/): If even after all that you’ve read from me so far hasn’t driven you enough to get your home tidied up, then this one should do it. There are times when we need to force the inner maid in us to get up off the couch and get dusting. I don’t recommend these two forces if you’re already great at maintenance. I do encourage you to try these out when you feel overwhelmed by everything that needs to be done around your house. Think, what is one of the best motivators to get stuff done? Procrastination. I don’t mean procrastinating […] - [Should You Downsize Your Home](https://kazuriwest.com/should-you-downsize-your-home/): We usually think of seniors when we think of downsizing. Many retired people or empty nesters prefer smaller spaces when others move out. I would be the same way. In fact, I still think my home now is too big – it’s just me and my husband and our four cats. We got this house because it’s not too far from my mother and brother, or my in-laws. It’s located near my nieces’ school, too, which comes in handy when I am needed for pick-ups and drop-offs. Still, we hardly get visitors to warrant this larger space worth it. Our […] - [The Simple Life Hack for Any Homemaker with Guests](https://kazuriwest.com/the-simple-life-hack-for-any-homemaker-with-guests/): About 15 years ago I was obsessed with etiquette as a homemaker. I did have a full-time job, but I loved being a new wife and a new homeowner. It was a hobby of mine to invite guests over and to entertain. But it got expensive. Throughout my obsession, I read books on little hacks to be the perfect host(ess) on any budget. One trick I still practice today will be a game changer for you: Keep frozen appetizers in your freezer, always. Right? Simple. You probably already do this. From my experience, we invited people over so often that […] - [The Gnome Who Moves Your Stuff Around](https://kazuriwest.com/the-gnome-who-moves-your-stuff-around/): Everyone has a gnome running around their house but have never seen one. They’re mischievous. They’re tricksters. They’re thieves yet always return items some time in the far future. They favor taking your hair ties, pens, keys, one sock out of the pair, garden tools, bills, grocery lists, and nail clippers. One moment you see your item, the next it vanishes only to turn up in a random place months later. The child in us wants to pretend this is caused by a tiny invisible gnome – or elf – but the adult in us knows a human is behind […] - [Home Design Your Way](https://kazuriwest.com/home-design-your-way/): Your home is your art space. And art is subjective, yet many homes tend to have the same motif. Where are the homes that follow their own charm and show off the resident’s artistic flare? I don’t know about you, but when I go into those homes, I really feel the warmth. I can’t tell you how many times I talked to peers about decorating my home only for most of them to reply with, “that’s not trending though.” Who cares? Why does interior design have to be trendy for me to own it? Look, I’ve had hand-me-down furniture and […] ## Pages - [Blog](https://kazuriwest.com/blog/) - [Home](https://kazuriwest.com/): The Future of Homemaking Your Way Art is Subjective and So is Your Sacred Space I don’t know about you, but the way I was taught to clean a home has gone out the window. For the past couple of decades, I relied on deep cleaning and making sure I passed the white glove test from my extended family members. And I have also evolved and learned how to do it all faster and better. Are you tired of being the perfect homemaker? Future Homemakers Are Simple Let’s start with the fact that there is no gender assignment here. You […] - [Contact](https://kazuriwest.com/contact/) - [About](https://kazuriwest.com/about/): About My Homemaking Blog When I was in school, my sister and I spent every Saturday morning doing chores. We’d trade off each week on the major ones, and had our daily chores to upkeep, too. For instance, one week I’d clean the bathrooms while she vacuumed and washed the floors. The following week we’d trade off. I later learned my mother was raised this way with her two sisters. Only one of my aunts would bargain to trade off chores so she could go out with friends. They would also trade who did what each week – my mom […] [comment]: # (Generated by Hostinger Tools Plugin)