From a cosy scented candle to a new fluffy throw, there are many ways wemake a house a home.
But it isn’t all about the way we furnish it: home is a feeling – and now, new research has suggested that it really is where the heart is.
In a poll of 2,000 homeowners, the majority said their place is far more than just where they hang their hats. In fact, 65% report having an ‘unbreakable’ emotional connection to it.
For 56%, where they live represents ‘irreplaceable’ memories, from where they enjoyed happy moments with their partner (37%) or watched their children grow up (36%).
The study, commissioned by The Good Care Group, found that the main reason participants feel so strongly attached to their homes is the time they’ve invested in making it ‘just right,’ whether furnishing it (44%), hanging pictures of loved ones on the walls (45%) or creating a relaxing garden space (35%).
Elsewhere, 73% said their home is where they feel the most ‘safe and secure,’ and 46% view it as their ‘sanctuary.’
It turns out our homes have a crucial impact on our mental health too, with 25% reporting that their abode gives them space to express themselves, while 23% say it gives them a place to pursue their hobbies.
However, homeownership isn’t a tangible reality for everyone – and amidst sky-high property prices and hefty deposits, it’s untenable for much of the younger generation.
But while renters do tend to be more nomadic, that doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t feel attached to their homes: in 2022, research from Wayhome found that, amongst private tenants, 45% would have bought their homes from their landlords if circumstances allowed.
So, what is the psychological reason behind this ‘unbreakable bond’ we feel for bricks and mortar? And how does homeownership inform that?
‘Homeownership has a general significance in psychological terms, because it provides us with a safe haven. Unlike renting – and even though we might have a mortgage – owning our own home has a permanence,’ BACP registered psychotherapist Susie Masterson tells Metro.co.uk.
She continues: ‘In Freudian psychology, the house is a metaphor for the self. So much dream work is about front doors, climbing endless staircases, being locked or trapped in a room.
‘The importance of owning our home, therefore, can be compared to owning ourselves, and of feeling sure of our identity.’
Elsewhere, psychotherapist Melissa Amos notes that having our own home ‘fulfils our basic human needs.’
‘Maslow’s hierarchy of needs places physiological needs at the base, and if these are not met our decisions will mainly be created from fear or survival,’ she explains.
‘As we move up the ladder, we can then begin to look at more higher serving needs like love, friendship, esteem and even self-actualisation.
‘Expression is also such a key part of our place in the world. When we feel safe to express our needs we get creative, and we start to flow.
‘Owning our own home means we can surround ourselves with things that bring us joy. From the colour of the walls, the feel of the carpet to the placing of furniture, our home becomes an extension of who we are.’
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