Pets at home: How to create their sanctuary without sacrificing your comfort

by Ann Hayward 04/08/2024

For many pet owners, giving your pets everything they need and want is among the top desires at home. However, pets can come with several items and nuances that may seem a little encroaching from time to time. Don’t worry, they don’t have to be.

Here is a quick guide to creating a perfect sanctuary for your pets at home without compromising your comfort space.

Give them a space

Pets love having areas they can call their own. These places are often considered safe spaces, or places they can go where they’re guaranteed not to be bothered until they’re ready. However, some items, such as large pet crates, may seem like too much to deal with regularly.

Make a pet nook for their crates, pet supplies, pet food and other items they enjoy by leveraging the top surface of their crates to make tables or other surface tops. Simply add an opaque, flat surface to the top and secure the corners. Be sure your pet isn’t in the space while this is happening, as safety concerns may arise.

For those simply looking to increase their storage space with their pets, try a small cabinet or cubbies with removable cubes to keep their pet supplies in a manageable area without cluttering your normal living space.

Choose pet-friendly materials

One of the biggest complaints many pet owners have is the amount of cleanup they have to do with their furry companions around. Some may even deny their pets use of the furniture to help reduce the amount of hair that accumulates on it. However, there is an easier way.

While cleaning up after pets is a reality of pet ownership, you can make it a little easier on yourself by implementing fibers and materials that don’t allow the pet hair to weave through them.

Try faux leather, high thread count cotton, microsuede or any other material that boasts high and tight thread counts. These materials leave such small space, if any, between weaves that most animal hair won’t bind to them.

Create calm

Creating a calming environment with rich colors found in nature, soft sounds and excellent, but pet-safe, aromatics is a great way to create a sanctuary for both you and your pets. Just like humans, having a quiet and calm setting is a great way to reduce pet stress, which reduces their hyperactivity.

For those with cats, try keeping more cat-friendly houseplants that may also purify the air and add a beautiful splash of color to your home’s living space. For those with dogs, try keeping cooling mats, cots or other types of temperature-controlled bedding available for them to relax in.

Having pets at home often means making compromises to your space. However, your pets can have a sanctuary that doesn’t require you to make too many adjustments to your everyday environment. Try these simple tips first and discover how you and your furry friends can have exactly what you both want.

About the Author

Ann Hayward

Born in Philadelphia and raised in the suburbs, Ann Hayward got her Pennsylvania real estate license at age 18 even before going to college. This second-generation real estate professional followed in the footsteps of her father and two uncles, inheriting their passion for the business. Licensed in DC, Maryland and Virginia, Ann is accomplished in her career, with numerous designations including SFR, SRES, PSA, WHC, and multiunit Housing Development Finance Professional (HDFP) from the National Development Council. She specializes in Prince Georges and Montgomery Counties, Northern Virginia and Washington, DC, all jurisdictions where Ann has lived and knows very well. In addition to her professional expertise, she owns and manages personal investment property, understands and has been involved in the renovation/remodeling process, and has great resources which she shares with clients. When you hire Ann to represent you, she will make your buying or selling experience an enjoyable, rewarding one. Her compassion, sensitivity to her clients’ needs, eye for detail, and ability to see the big picture when guiding you through a purchase or sale are unique assets that will ensure your success. A diverse and relevant background also gives Ann a distinct edge. For 30 years, she worked in fast-paced, high-pressure television and theatrical production, attaining the highest achievement – DGA membership as a Director, and as an award-winning staff and freelance writer. Her keen audio visual skills and design sense benefit sellers in marketing their properties, and are invaluable in helping buyers see the potential of space. A true renaissance woman, Ann was also an income tax professional and office manager for H&R Block, so she thoroughly understands the tax and financial implications of acquiring and selling real estate. Her superior organizational skills are further evidenced as owner of a downsizing/professional organizing business, Managed For You, which allows her to connect with everyone from millennials to boomers and seniors, whether for small space planning or assisting with major decluttering and transitioning. Ann holds an AB in American History from Simmons College, Boston, plus attended Robert Wagner Graduate School of Public Administration where she was a candidate for Doctorate. She additionally studied Film Direction at the American Film Institute in LA, and was a Stanford University post-graduate Professional Journalism Fellow. Personally, Ann is an avid if not very good golfer, and the co-founder of a nonprofit 501c3 organization offering educational guidance, tutoring and counseling for youngsters from elementary school through college admission. She sits on the board of trustees of a nonprofit educational film production corporation as well. (202) 494-6252 [email protected]