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We've been social distancing for nearly two months. 

Spending a shitload of time at home is our new reality. With this new reality comes new demands on our homes; they're now makeshift offices and classrooms, in addition to our refuge from the invisible threat outside.

It's easy to focus on the negative.

I'm trying to look on the bright side: this is an unprecedented opportunity to spend time at home --- a chance to do all those things around the house I'd fantasized about doing, if I only had the time.

Being confined to your home is the best incentive to turn it into a true refuge.

I get that dispensing decor tips during a pandemic may seem frivolous, if not downright offensive --- we all have bigger problems than making that tub of disinfecting wipes look good in the entryway.

But, working on our home is my happy place and it keeps me feeling connected to who I was before everything changed. Concerning myself with frivolous things makes me feel like myself again.

In today's post, I'll share my best, albeit trifling, tips for pandemic home decor.

Home Decor Tips In the Age of COVID-19

1. Set Up An Entryway Decontamination Station

Keep disinfecting wipes and hand sanitizer at the ready for when you get home from your essential job or that risky Costco run.

Consider transferring the wipes and sanitizer into glass containers, or just peel off the labels, to make them less conspicuous.

 Glass Soap / Sanitizer Dispenser ($24.50, Amazon.com).

 Glass Jar With Label ($21.39, Amazon.com).

2. Declutter High Traffic Surfaces

The less you have on counters and other flat surfaces, the easier it'll be to wipe them down with disinfectant.

Pandemic or not, clutter-free counters are kinda my thing. 

3. Reconfigure Your Living Space

With working from home being the new norm, why not rejig your common areas to suit your WFH/homeschool needs?

This may include more storage for books and school supplies around the kitchen table. We've designated a nearby basket for

Owen's workbooks and my WFH essentials: laptop and phone chargers.

Large Rope Storage Baskets ($33.99, Amazon.com).

4. Carve Out A FaceTime/Zoom Spot

Make sure there's comfy seating and flattering lighting. Bonus if it faces away from clutter-prone areas.

5. Make Room For Exercise At Home

You don't have to invest in a home gym or a Peloton bike, but with Orangetheory off-limits and extended time outdoors frowned upon, home workouts are a must if you want to keep the COVID 15 at bay.

I use a few workout apps --- Alo, Sweat and 8fit are my faves ---that I cast from my phone to our living room TV. I just push the coffee table out of the way and we're good to go. I've been storing hand weights and kettlebells within reach, but out of sight, beneath the couch.

AmazonBasics Kettlebell Weight ($26.49, Amazon.com).

6. Support Small Decor Shops That Deliver

If you want your favorite small shops to be around when the dust settles, they're going to need your support. Many local shops have online storefronts that either ship or provide contactless drop off.

Some of my faves include Urban Gardener Toronto, which offers local plant delivery, and Teak Toronto, offering vintage/MCM treasures delivered to your door.

This gorgeous vintage side table was delivered to our doorstep by Teak Toronto. It's provided a much needed spot for much needed coffee and wine.

7.  Take Advantage of Mass Decluttering

With everyone stuck at home for weeks on end, there's been some hardcore decluttering going on. Take advantage of someone else's trash and check your local Facebook Marketplace for treasures available for contactless porch pick up. Conversely, post the fruits of your declutterathon.

8. Bring the Outside In

The stay-at-home mandate means we aren't getting outdoors nearly as much as we'd like. Nothing like expanding your plant fam to bring the outdoors in.

Most of these guys are from Urban Gardener Toronto.

9. Attack Your Home Maintenance To-Do List

Address all the little things it used to feel like there wasn't enough time to do: paint over dings in the wall, switch out dead lightbulbs, clean your baseboards, or organize your spice drawer alphabetically.

10. Figure Out Your Decor Style

Most people go through life without really figuring out what their decor style is.

Knowing your style, or what you're going for, will help you make good decor decisions and avert buyer's remorse.

Scrolling through decor accounts on Instagram is a good place to start. You'll soon find what resonates with you; it may be a combination of styles. This probably seemed like something you didn't have the time to do -- until now! If you want to invest a little more into the process, I highly recommend 'Styled' by Emily Henderson's Home Style Quiz.

Styled By Emily Henderson - ($18.49, Amazon.com). 

11. Get Every Room Just Right

Take the time to evaluate whether you're happy, really happy, with each room in your home. If not, see if there's something you can do about it.

Feel like something's off in a room but can't quite put your finger on it?

Hot tip: take a photo of the room and examine it. It's often easier to tell what's wrong when you're looking at a photo of your space compared to when you're immersed in it. It's easier to appreciate that that throw pillow doesn't look right on the couch or that vase is too big for that table when looking through a slightly more objective lens (of an actual lens).

If you want to figure this out before a purchase, use the Pic Collage app to overlay a photo of the item in question into your room.

12. DIY Decor

Ever wanted to try your hand at macrame or sketching a still life?Now's as good a time as any. If it turns out well, you can display it somewhere. If not, bury it deep in a drawer and chalk it up to quarantine self-exploration.

That's all for this week. I'll check back in with you guys sometime soon. Keep on keeping at home!

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