5 Ways To Beautify Your Community in 2022
After a trying couple of years that have shaken up how we work, how we play, and how we live, it’s as meaningful as it’s ever been to have a comfortable place to call home.
And while you could always take that literally to mean it’s time to replace your linens with higher thread counts or grab a fresh set of down pillows, it’s worth considering the community you call home, too.
We’re big fans of acts of kindness - be it paying for a stranger’s coffee or lunch, filling a bag with trash, shopping locally, or volunteering - and created our own Better Your Community IRLA Pack to encourage it.
While these acts of kindness can create a positive moment, there’s also something to be said for the longer-lasting effects of community projects.
So when you find yourself with some extra time, consider some of the following efforts to make your community a more beautiful place to come home to.
5 Easy-To-Create Projects For Your Community
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A Book For Me, A Book For You - As Little Things details in their list, creating a little local lending library can be both a delightful creative exercise and a nice way to encourage readers of all ages to share their books. What’s more, you can even share it on Little Library for a way to attract readers from all over.
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Get To Gardening - While already existing community gardens are a great asset, who’s to say you can’t expand on that idea? You don’t need an empty lot to get started. In fact, the idea of parklets is about making the spaces we have more interesting by adding green spaces. What could you make with a little fertilizer, some seeds, and a Saturday afternoon?
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The Power of Paint - Like ICMA points out, painting is a pretty clear way to beautify your community. But before you grab a brush to paint the town red, check in with some local organizations to see how you could partner up with groups like City Year who often work with schools to paint murals.
- A Community Crosswalk - Take a page from Seattle’s playbook with this great way to personalize your neighborhood. Though you’ll need to collaborate with the city and the community, the results of a colorful, cultural, history-inspired crosswalk can be spectacular.
- Transform The Ordinary - Another civic project, the Beyond the Box Mural Art Program from Glendale transforms ordinary utility boxes into community-designed pieces of art. Check in with your own city hall to see if they offer a program - or offer to start one yourself.
Though it may take a little more effort to take on one of these projects, the rewards last that much longer.
What about you? Have you tried any of the ideas above where you live?