The hunt for a new house had begun. I walked into the beautiful market-ready house with a long hallway directly past the front door. Lining the hallway was a massive collage of family photos arranged on the wall. I had never met the owner (and never will), but I learned a lot about the family from these photos. The newer photos contained the smiling faces of children posed with parents and grandparents. Further down the hall, there were older photos of generations past, evidence of a cherished historical family tree.

Something was alluring about this house simply because of the photos. It wasn’t just a house. It had been a home, filled with memories and people. It had a different feel than the staged homes with generic art on the walls and perfectly placed, perfectly matching furniture with no sign of actual human habitation.

Like this home, we can transform our house, apartment, or room into a sanctuary of love using photos. Decorating with photos takes little talent and only a small amount of effort. Yet, the psychological effects are wonderful for everyone in the home.

1. Photos provide security for children.

Family photos on the wall and around the home remind children that their home is a place of belonging and love. It validates their sense of security surrounded by photos of the family interacting together. Dr. David Krauss, licensed psychologist and author of “Photo Therapy and Mental Health,” says that “placing a family photo (somewhere) in the home where the child can see it every day without having to turn on a device or click around on a computer to find it really hits home this sense of reassurance and comfort.”

2. Photos remind children they are beautiful, meaningful, and valuable.

What you hang on your wall and put on your coffee table talks about you. We display items in our home that either have beauty, meaning, or value to us. We don’t purposefully put up art or photos we dislike that we have to look at every day. When we hang family photos, we are saying that we value our family, our children, and our togetherness.

3. Photos make a house a home.

If you’re feeling like your living area is a little sterile, photos on the wall or the furniture is a great way to make your house a home. It doesn’t matter if it’s a house, an apartment, a room you rent … just a few photos make the space your own. Pay attention to your heart as you place the photos around and see if it doesn’t bring a spark of joy. Hanging photos is an easy and cost-effective way to beautify your home.

Decorating with photos is cost-efficient.

4. Decorating with photos is cost-effective.

Walmart and Amazon have low cost print options for all sizes of photos, as well as affordable frames. There are also discounts throughout the year on online photo print company websites with options for canvas printing. Frames can also be found at thrift stores or for discounted rates at Hobby Lobby.

5. Photos remind us to pray for loved ones.

Each of us could use more reminders to keep our loved ones in our prayers. A face smiling down from the wall is a call to pray for that person. It keeps the spiritual connection alive with the loved ones in our lives.

6. Photos remind us of our family legacy.

Photos from generations past remind us of the family legacy—where we come from and what we are continuing. They provide a visual of the historical storyline that children have entered by being a part of the family. This can be achieved by a family legacy wall dedicated to historical family photos.

The simple act of displaying family photos presents us with wonderful opportunities. Legacy is remembered. Value is established. Prayers are lifted. Love is displayed. A house is made a home.

6 Reasons to Decorate with Family Photos