How to make a house feel like a home. My ballerina on Tour Method.

This might sound funny. Believe me when I say that it feels pretty weird. You wake up during the night in a hotel, and you don’t know where the bathroom is. Only then you realize that you’ve been on the road on tour for a long time.

The feeling of being disoriented in the place you are staying is one of the most unsettling feelings I have ever experienced.

On a side, I am grateful  for the incredible places I have visited thanks to my job as a dancer, on the other I have been on the search  to find stability and a sense of home for a long time.

 
Photo by Iacopo di Luigi

Packing what is Familiar - Creating Home Everywhere I Go with Personal Touches

The need to feel that you belong somewhere is important, especially when your roots are pretty much "on wheels".

As a ballerina I used to pack my suitcase with items that were familiar, establishing routines that gave me peace of mind and rituals that could ground me even if everything around me was incredibly volatile.

With time, one of my strengths became how to create-home everywhere I went, wherever I was. Even for a short period of time.

When I look at my home now, I see there is a lot of me and Iacopo in it. I never thought I had a style. But every time someone comes and visits, they fall in love with what I have created.

Even if for me it’s messy (I share my feelings why in this blog post here), apparently with my method, I managed to create a space that is welcoming, has got character and it’s… me.

Without noticing, I created my ballerina on tour method. Based on it, I want to share with you what I found that made a house a home.

Signature Scents for Different Spaces

Smells are the first thing I remember of a place or a person. I love getting out on my balcony in late spring mornings, when the air is still crisp and the surroundings embrace you with the intoxicating fragrance of my neighbour’s jasmine and linden trees.

I can recall the smell of dark pubs in London with their old musty carpets  and spilled beer mix, with a hint of cigarette still impregnated in the painted walls.

Or the windy main street of Island Bay in Wellington, with a mix of salt and the unmistakable spice of fried fish from the local greek fish and chips shop.

This is why it’s important for me to have comforting olfactory embraces every time I walk into my home.

My “smell of home” is Pomegranate Noir Jo Malone . It was gifted to us when we bought our flat in London and since then it’s what stability and our relationship smells like.

I like to differentiate rooms, almost as you are entering a different world.

My bedroom has an incredible scent of Green Tomato Vine scent, which has a fresh clean and very Italian fragrance.

Spraying rugs and wardrobe is also a must at home.

Too many times I’ve been in old hotel rooms where the carpet was as old as the Buckingham Palace, and it gave me that -you cannot even imagine how many people have walked on it, and what they’ve done- feel.

I started traveling with a disinfectant that I can spray on my clothes and on rugs. In this case I can always be sure that I feel fresh and the rugs are somewhat cleaner.

At home I use Lavaverde products, a local and sustainable company of detergents. This is their basic spray disinfectant, perfect for any surface, and the Aloe one that I love for my home. Lavaverde refresher spray comes in every fragrance you’ll find on their site.

Creating Cozy Corners. Candles and Ambiance

Candles live everywhere around my home, even on the balcony. There is something about candle light that is comforting.

If they are strong enough I leave them open so they give that hint of fragrance that -you don’t know where it comes from. It makes me smile when friends come over and start sniffing around like a beagle to find the source.

I do these with the “less expensive candles”. I recently come across this brand thanks to my friend Denise. Last time I was visiting her she stuffed my bag with them and said: “ take them (Torc Candles), I stock up at Costco every time I go.” They are lovely, last forever and about £15 for a pack of 3. I found their official website here.

I haven’t found them in Italy yet. I’ll have to search for something as good as them. Sometimes the cost of delivery is not worth it and it’s better to find the same quality products in the country you live in.

I’ll keep you posted.

Have you ever tried lighting candles at different times of the day? They are wonderful when you give them specific times, almost like you are telling your body and soul to wake up in the morning, be productive in the afternoon or relax in the evening.

For instance, Officina Santa Maria Novella has thought of this before I did, with their Mattino, Meriggio, Notte Candles.

What a way to live and embrace the day in your cozy home.

Adding Softness and Character

You have to know that at first this Blog was meant to be called Plants and Pillows, but decided  to ditch it because it wasn't really the only things I wanted to talk about.

You get the hint tho! If there is something I never get enough of are plants and pillows. Even if my husband Iacopo keeps threatening me that if I bring one more pillow into the house I will have to sleep on the balcony… then I buy more plants to distract him!

Let’s concentrate on the softness and character of cushions and pillows.

Isn’t it fun to snuggle and be surrounded by fluffiness? Sounds are muffled and it feels like a cocoon.

When I was touring with different dance companies, every time I walked into a room, it felt anonymous and stark.

As much as hotels try to make your stay homie, I always felt it lacked a warm embrace. When you get into bed it feels cold and smells sterile.

Pillows are never comfortable, it doesn't matter how fancy they are, you haven't chosen them. There are never enough. Iacopo loves having one in between his legs, I like having an extra one to either elevate my legs or to hug. 

At home I made sure that every room had enough pillows, cushions and colors to never feel deserted. Throws also have to be handy, in winter to snuggle up, and in summer to give a new life to my couch.

My motto: "there are never enough cushions! Just like bags and shoes."

Rituals for Grounding. My Morning and Evening Practices

Whenever you are pulled from city to city, room to room, theater to theater, late night to late night, having set daily routines to start and finish the day are a must, and an important part of life, to make me feel grounded and in control of the day.

I’ve learned that having a disciplined life can give us freedom. Dedicating specific times for specific tasks are the key to be productive, enjoy free time, having house cleaned, finances under control, business organized and chilled out time that is actually worry free.

I confess, sometimes I’m not so disciplined, but aiming to hit the “task-target” is what gives me joy. 

Incorporating Exercise and Journaling. Looking after Mind and Body

I’m a morning person, I do wake up around 5, sometimes earlier, and I love having the quiet mornings to myself. I sit on the balcony during hot summer days, writing my journal ( with pen and paper) and drinking my coffee.

No technology, no neighbors talking, no cars in the background, just me, the birds and my cat Murphy enjoying the quiet. Well the other morning there was a cuckoo somewhere on the roof, it was definitely not quiet, rather fascinating.

I found journaling one of the most liberating ways to dump everything that is on my mind, find clarity and peace.

Then it’s yoga or workout time, I have to get my body moving, blood flowing, pores sweating. I usually do it from home as I haven’t found instructors here in Verona that start their classes daily early enough, nor do they have that oomph I need to push boundaries. So my gym is my lounge.

Followed by shower, get ready routine for a successful day (I wrote down my full morning and evening beauty ritual in this blog post here), write blogs, and get to business related work, depending on what there is to do that week. Working from home now requires extra discipline and set times. Iacopo and I love working but we have to set boundaries if we don’t want to burnout.

If you are also a small business owner like me and you are curious to dive deeper into my daily strategies to overcome overwhelm this here is the blog post right for you. And in this one here I share my work-life balance techniques for online entrepreneurs that work from home.

Winding down in the evening is a must as well. Calming the mind and body with breathing exercises, no social media, and no blue lights is the perfect combination for a great night of beauty sleep.
Feeling weightless overall is the feeling I aim for everyday. I even created a program that combines personal well being, creativity and healthy lifestyle. This is where you can find out more about Weighless and start implementing healthy habits in your life, lose weight and feel like the best version of you in just 8 weeks.

The Power of Outfits. How Clothes and Confidence are connected. 

This is not part of the house, but I want to put it out there. Also mind you that I’m in the process of changing my whole wardrobe from anything that doesn’t reflect who I am now. I’ll keep you posted on the process of decluttering my wardrobe, which has already been cleared out quite a lot in the last few years, and on the new outfits I’ll get. I’m going through the Dearly Bethany Master the Art of personal Style course and I still have a lot to discover. It’s a slow process, especially when I’m trying to discover what looks good on me and what not based on the woman I have become.

I only wanted to share how clothes, in our daily routine, have a super important role in our life.

As much as a good tidy environment, a set of outfits can make your day either a failure or a success. Especially when working from home it’s important to keep a routine that will set you up for success.
There is no day that goes by that I don’t “dress up for a workout” I would never do it in my pjs, or wear a tracksuit to work at the desk even if it’s in my lounge. In other words you’ll never see me in a raggedy t-shirt and pants.

Every outfit, even if comfortable, serves a purpose in my day.  That purpose is to make me feel great, elegant and invincible.

My Pjs have the duty to make me feel cozy and relaxed. I love soft natural fabrics that let the skin breathe. But they’ll never be worn after 8 am, even on a Sunday. 

Assigning Functions to Each Room

Did you know that Iacopo and I don’t talk about work in the bedroom?

As a restful sanctuary, anything that can bring bad vibes or active discussions, even if good, in that room it's not allowed.

Just like clothes, every area has a purpose and a specific function.

Even our small lounge has a work area and a chill out area. Even if it’s work in progress to make it become more welcoming, the two have to stay separated.

We even have a playroom, (don’t laugh, I know what you are thinking) that transforms into a guest room as it can easily be shut off for more privacy.

The playroom is for reading, watching movies, writing journal during winter playing saxophone, play playstation, listening to music and even doing yoga.

That’s right I don’t work here, as I don’t want to associate any work related stress in the room that can give me peace. It’s easier than you think.

Making the areas of this apartment “special places”, is what can give you that feeling of home whenever I need to switch off and relax.

The topics of discussion you’ll have in those rooms will also be a very important factor of the vibe we bring in.

My home is in constant change, I move furniture around on a monthly basis. It’s almost like I have to test where energy flows better with different layouts. Our energy changes, and so has to the place we live.

Cleaning and Tidying as Rituals for a Peaceful Home

Cleaning and tidying is a ritual that makes me feel in charge, focused and ready to achieve the best version of myself. If you need any ideas on how to keep your home clean with everyday easy tasks, in my decluttering guide I talk about my easy weekly cleaning routine.

By keeping areas as their own separate sanctuaries, with their own purpose and clean, every time I enter my home I feel like I’m greeted with the same love I have given to it.

Have you got a special place in your home or anything you do to make it feel extra special? Let me know in a comment below. 

Love, 
Alessia 

Photos copyright ©Iacopo Di Luigi & Alessia Lugoboni