Your life may be in a state of upheaval, but you house doesn’t have to be. Creating a tranquil environment at home promotes a tranquil mindset which can help reduce stress levels. Here are some ways to create a peaceful living space.
1) Get organized.
Who has piles in their house? Piles of mail? Piles of bills? Piles of laundry? Piles of books and magazines? Piles of shoes? Piles of stuff can result in piles of stress. Set up a system for keeping things organized around your house. Go through your piles and discard what you can. Create a filing system for papers and mail– perhaps, color coordinated folders for each family member. For larger items, think of creative storage options such as decorative baskets and bins. Things that are not used every day should be stored away in a closet, attic, garage or basement. Additionally, make a plan to do things differently. For example, stop folding the laundry on the dining room table where the piles of clothes may sit for days. Instead, take the laundry basket straight to the bedrooms.
2) Declutter.
Once the piles are put away, it’s time for a deep declutter. Take an inventory of your home. Go through each room and remove the items that you no longer have use for; items that are old or broken; items that you have duplicates of; or items that just don’t bring you joy anymore. Schedule a different room to tackle each week. Don’t forget to go through draws, cabinets and closets. Check under the beds too! Once you’ve collected your items, decide what to throw out, what to donate and what to sell. Decluttering your living space is a great way to create fresh new energy in your home.
3) Adjust the lighting.
Experiment with different colored light bulbs, lamp shades and dimmers. This is easy and affordable and allows you to create the type of peaceful lighting that you want, whether it’s a soft, dim mellow glow or a brighter warm vibe. Candles and flameless candles are other great options for setting a tranquil mood. And instead of overhead lighting, try turning on table lamps and standing lighting fixtures for a cozier feel.
4) Pick new colors.
Choose soothing colors and repaint your main living spaces. Blue, violet, pink and green are all considered stress reducing colors. Or if you’re feeling Zen, go with natural colors in soft tones. Shades of beige, grey, white and soft pink induce relaxation. If repainting is too much of a project, bring out these calming colors in accent pieces like area rugs, throw pillows and wall décor.
5) Play soft music.
Replace the noise in your head with relaxation music! Choose slow, quiet instrumental music. Listening to calming music can actually lower your heart rate, pulse and blood pressure as well as reduce the level of stress hormones in your body. Music has the power to ease pain, relax muscles, sharpen cognitive function, improve sleep, enhance mood and reduce anxiety.
When the rest of your world seems like a mess, it’s nice to be able to retreat to your own peaceful sanctuary.