Dwell On This: Debrand Your Home

What distinguishes a 5-star experience from a perfectly acceptable place to stay? Beyond the obvious—an Instagram-worthy view, a sumptuous bed with high-thread-count sheets, and an indulgent turndown service—it’s the absence of conspicuous advertising and branded items that provides a break from magazines, brochures, and other blaring marketing materials.

If you want your place of sanctuary to seem one step closer to an Aman resort—one can dream, right?—it’s time to debrand your home.

Studies have found that the average person is exposed to anywhere between 6,000 to 10,000 advertisements—not over the span of a lifetime, but every single day. Even if those numbers are an exaggeration, most of us would concede we’d be happier if our eyes weren’t constantly bombarded with advertising. Here’s how to create a moment of Zen at home: 

• Peel labels off of everyday items you already know well and use often: shampoos, conditioners, lotions, hand soaps, dish soap, et cetera (but always keep medicine packaging/instructions intact). 
• Transfer bagged or boxed goods into larger glass or ceramic containers. 
• Choose matching storage containers for items intended to be left out in the open. 
• Stack magazines and catalogs into single piles. 
• And definitely reuse or refill your favorite packaging if you’re particularly smitten with a design (we see you, Aesop Resurrection devotees).

It can feel like an arduous task at first, but over time you’ll notice debranding around the home delivers the same calming satisfaction associated with decluttering and organizing any space, offering you a much deserved staycation.

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Illustration by Sophia Yeshi

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Take Off Your Kitchen Cabinet Doors

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