I talk about the “Living Home List” often on Real Homes Review. It’s something I started to help me make decisions quickly, with no regrets, when we move with very little warning or preparation time.

Every home I see I’m analysing it for features that need to be on my Living Home List. It’s a list for your home, it needs to be extremely personalised and it doesn’t have to contain strictly ‘necessary’ things.

For example it’s important for me to have a separate laundry room with bench space and a sink. This wasn’t always a priority but after having a baby the stacked washer/dryer cupboards simply became too noisy and claustrophobic for the amount of washing I had.

That’s the ‘living’ part of the list. As your needs evolve, even if you’re not looking to move anytime soon, anything you think of you add to the list. 

Unless you’re planning to live with your parents forever you need a Living Home List.

Our environment plays a pivotal part in our mental health and general happiness whether we want to acknowledge it or not. A Living Home List summarises the things that bring you most joy in your day to day life so when you’re creating/searching for your home you don’t get distracted by things that you think will benefit your life but actually don’t.

I’ve moved over 27 times in 27 years and so I know a thing or 2 about creating a living space you love in a small amount of time and in unfamiliar places.

Get Started

Step 1: Don’t place any pressure on yourself, items can be added and deleted easily.

Step 2: Write down a couple of things you love about your current or a previous home. Then add a few things you wish you could change or improve.

Step 3: Continue to do this anytime you notice a great feature in someone else’s house or something about your home that drives you crazy. It can be something small, something that seems silly to even note, but trust me, when you’re looking around next you’ll want to remember!

Unless you’re building your own custom home, even with the list, it’s unlikely a rental or temporary place will have everything you want or need. However, with some digging you should be able to find something with at least a few of your preferred list items. 

Real Homes Review is a compilation of things I love and hate about a place based on my experiences. After living in over 27 properties across a spectrum of simple to superb I believe that it’s not so much what you need in a home but what you need to avoid that can make or break your outlook on life.