Adding Life Back In

I’m a big fan of the local library. It’s become a bit of a family rhythm for us—we walk in together, then split off, each of us scanning aisles and shelves for something to bring home. Books, audiobooks, DVDs… everyone ends up with their own little stack. It just feels so analog and maybe the epitome of slow, steady rhythms.

Last month, I borrowed and listened to Joyful, and it felt especially timely with the collection I was about to release. What I appreciated most about this book is that this concept doesn’t mean you need big life shift or some new system to follow. It was something more tangible than that.

It kept coming back to one simple idea: our surroundings impact our moods.

The book talks about color, light, shape, and playfulness—not in an over-the-top or with rules, but in a way that actually feels doable. Like choosing colors you’re drawn to instead of defaulting to neutral or what’s trending. Letting things feel a little unexpected and more like the people living in the home.

And when I look around, I see how easy it is for things to start feeling the same. Homes feel like a copy-and-paste and the lighting strains more than it inspires creating spaces that function but lack life.

The irony is that before this book I was feeling this pull to do it different. After my trip to England, I came back inspired to plant more flowers to add more color. I wanted more whimsy woven into everyday life. This book put language—and even science—behind that feeling. Our surroundings really do matter.

That’s part of why I love thrifting. I am able to curate items for my home and even gifts that inspire more joy and add more personality in our home.

What Joyful reminded me is that whimsy isn’t extra. It’s not fluff. It’s part of what makes a life feel full.

And that doesn’t mean bringing more into your home. It just means being more intentional with what you do let in.

For me, that looks like color and pattern in small ways. Squirrel decor because of a family inside joke. Books I thrifted in England about flowers and gardens—little pieces that tie my love of travel into my everyday. Things that make our home feel like us.

It also made me think beyond physical space.

Where have I made things too rigid?
Where could there room for more spontaneity?
Where am I choosing rush versus slow down?

That’s where this connects so naturally to The Analog Collection.

This collection is about bringing more life back into our days. More of that subtle whimsy—so we don’t feel like we need to escape our lives just to enjoy them.

It really shows up in simple ways. A handwritten note on a card. A notepad that clears your mind but still feels good to use. Small things you actually reach for that make your day feel a little more grounded, a little more thoughtful.

Not more clutter—just better presence but with more beauty and care.

Especially when life feels heavy or uncertain. I don’t know what’s coming next in a big-picture way, but I do know this: I want our home to feel steady. I want it to be a place where peace and kindness are normal. Where you can exhale a bit.

Because what we see and interact with all day matters. It either drains us or supports us. It either blends in or quietly lifts the day.

I think “slowing down” can sometimes get translated into removing everything—muting the colors, simplifying until nothing stands out.

But this felt like a different way to look at it.

Here are a few areas in our home that feel like us. Games sitting out on the TV stand, ready to be played. Easy-to-grab books in the dining room so we linger a little longer at dinner. A bird feeder right outside the window. A squirrel pen holder for my husband—because he once said he could never find a pen in an artist’s home, so now he has his own spot. Kids’ art framed and taped up wherever it fits.

These may break a few design rules, but it brings our family more joy, more connection, and makes our home feel like ours. And at the end of the day, that’s all I care about.

A few ways I’ve been thinking about adding life back in

It doesn’t require a full reset. It’s more about small, intentional shifts in what you surround yourself with and reach for every day.

Start noticing color again.
Not what’s trending—what you’re actually drawn to. Even a small shift, like a notebook, a mug, or a piece of art, can change how a space feels. I recently painted a picture frame green and added fabric to the mat.

Bring in things with meaning, not just function.
A thrifted book, a small object tied to a memory, something with a story behind it. These are the pieces that quietly make a space feel like yours like my squirrel decor.

Let one corner feel a little lighter or more playful.
It doesn’t need to be everywhere. Just one shelf, one desk, one small area that feels more like joy than utility.

Write things down instead of holding them all in your head.
There’s something grounding about paper—it clears space mentally in a way digital doesn’t always do. Like this pad I love and use.

Choose small moments of presence.
Send a handwritten note in the mail. A few minutes of slowing down in a day that normally moves fast. It strengthens relationships and brings joy to the person receiving it.

with joy,

Aneta, GWJ founder and designer