а room of one's own

Jackee Holder examines how the home we live in can inspire us to enjoy a more calm, fulfilling and beautiful life

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Growing up, I loved rearranging my bedroom. I'd shift my bed, drag my wardrobe across the room, rearrange all the objects on the mantelpiece and suddenly, I felt like I'd given myself a fresh start. Back then I knew nothing about environmental psychology or feng shui. But my body knew what my head didn't.

Our homes should be places we long to return to, but lately, I've been struggling with that feeling. The home I once loved doesn't feel as cared for as it should. So, I took to my journal, knowing it would help me uncover what was really going on beneath the surface.

On so many levels our homes are a mirror of us. So I put aside some time to think about what I really look for and like in a home. Our past homes hold clues about what makes us feel at ease. Some may stand out for their design and others for the way they supported a chapter of life. By mapping them, patterns emerge, what we love, what we don't, and what we need in a home today.

Ready to join me in an exercise to find out more? I hope so. Take a moment to list every home you've lived in. You could also include hotels or other people's homes that have inspired you. Name the features that stood out most from each space. What made certain homes more appealing? What features still inspire you today?

I reflected on the homes that have influenced me. Our family home in suburban South London is much larger on the inside than the outside. The top floor duplex apartment of a converted Victorian mansion house where I raised my daughter was surrounded by majestic trees. Then there was the house on the hill with the epic views along the London skyline. The one I loved most was the semi-secluded urban townhouse on a quiet plot off a busy thoroughfare. Each space carried its own vibration. Some felt expansive and full of light, while others felt grounding and cosy. What I began to notice were the recurring elements that lit me up and made me feel at home.