HAVE YOU HABITUATED?
Maybe you’ve bought a new home and felt that initial thrill everytime you walk though the door, only for it to fade over time.
I took some time off over the Christmas break—actually, most of January. Between ferrying my daughter to and from the Australian Open for her ballgirl duties and heading to the beach, I had a real break from my everyday life.
Then February arrived. School started back, and the usual routine resumed—early morning wake-ups, school drop-offs, walks, work, making dinner. Repeat. Sound familiar? But something felt off. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but I was feeling a bit… flat.
Curious, I started looking into it. Was it that I’d had too much time off and struggled to get back into a routine? Or was it something deeper?
That’s when I came across the concept of habituation. According to Oxford Languages, to habituate means to “become accustomed or used to something.” My research led me to a YouTube video by Mel Robbins called How to Make Your Life Exciting Again, where she and neuroscientist Dr. Sher discussed how habits shape our experiences. Essentially, habituation can impact our happiness—we become so used to our daily lives that we stop noticing the good things around us.
Which got me thinking: how does habituation affect our happiness in our homes, where we spend so much of our time?
As an interior decorator in Melbourne, I see this all the time. People walk into a friend’s home and think their kitchen is amazing—only to have their friend say the same about theirs. Maybe you’ve bought a new home and felt that initial thrill every time you walked through the door, only for it to fade over time?
That’s habituation at work.
The Solution? Change things up. Step away for a bit or try something different.
Maybe you need a holiday to return with fresh eyes—do you really need a whole new kitchen, or would a few minor tweaks do the trick?
What about your living room? Have you arranged your furniture the same way for years? Try shifting things around—maybe your sofa doesn’t have to face the TV. A small move could open up a new view of the garden you hadn’t noticed before. As an interior stylist in Melbourne, I love helping clients see their spaces in new ways.
So, are you feeling habituated? What small change could shake things up for you?
I’m making changes, too. Instead of walking the same route every morning, I’m exploring new locations (today, it was the Tan in Melbourne). I’m also checking out different cafés to catch up on emails between meetings. And when I start getting too used to this new routine, I’ll switch things up again!
As an interior decorator, I believe change doesn’t have to be big to be effective—it just has to be different. If you’re looking for fresh ideas for your home, I’d love to help bring a new perspective to your space!
Have you habituated? To see how I can help you feel unstuck, book into for a no obligation phone call or contact me at katie@katieriddell.com.au. To receive helpful tips and inspiration direct to your email inbox, please sign-up to receive my “All Things Interiors” newsletter.
