After all the crazies of Christmas, New Year and the whole festive season, you’re probably looking for ways to wind down and enjoy some peace and calm. You’re certainly not alone! January is often a time when people take advantage of their emptier social calendars to have alone time and hunker down at home.
One way to make this time even more comfortable is by investing time into making your home a pod of calm and serenity. There are many ways in which to do this, starting with certain design choices that bring this feeling of calm and declutter your space to reduce stress.
Six ways to bring serenity and calm to your home
Declutter
The first step to reducing stress in your home is by decluttering. Mess is proven to increase stress, especially if it keeps cropping up despite you tidying up every day. If you know that you’re someone who can’t help but put stuff everywhere, dedicate 10 minutes every day to tidying up little bits around the house.
If you’re looking for a more permanent solution that will keep clutter at bay for a long time, you might need to go on a purge and throw out the things that aren’t bringing you any use anymore. If you’re having difficulty deciding what to throw out, consider what you have used frequently in the past months. If it has no sentimental value, it might be time to throw it out.
Utilise storage
Storage is your best friend when it comes to decluttering your home. By having places where you can stow things away from the busiest areas like the hallway and kitchen, they won’t cause mess in the main areas of the house.
Understairs storage is particularly useful here. Perfect if you want to keep the mess away from your hallway, it’s the perfect space to stow away big winter coats, boots and umbrellas when they’re not in use.
Other great storage solutions include floating shelves which keep books and small objects off table surfaces and other busy areas. Think about utilising your loft too (if you have one) or investing in quality furniture that can keep things out of the way.
Create your own calm corner
Maybe it’s a tall order to keep the whole house neat and orderly, especially if there are kids or there are many of you living there. If this is the case, you can always create yourself a calm corner where you can escape the craziness of the rest of the house.
Ensure that it’s always tidy when you leave it, or it won’t prove very welcoming when you need it most. Then, make it cosy with soft lighting, comfortable furniture and plenty of fuzzy blankets and squishy pillows.
Soft lighting
You should aim to create a mix of soft and bright lighting in every room. Do this in all rooms including the bedroom and bathroom. The bright light in the bathroom is perfect if you’re taking a relaxing bath, as the soft light is much more pleasant. Consider also using natural light in your home where possible. Open curtains and blinds during the day to allow in as much light as possible. Natural light has been proven to reduce stress and improve mood. You could also add candles and dimmer switches to adjust the intensity of the light and choose warm-toned light bulbs to create a more serene environment.
Scented candles
In addition to soft lighting scented candles are a great way to create serenity in your home. Just like the soft lighting, you should aim to place these in all rooms around the house. Scented candles have been proven to add a calming and relaxing effect on the mind and body. You can get candles in a variety of scents from calming lavender to citrus. So, you can select the perfect scent for your acquired mood.
Adding fresh flowers and plants
Flowers will add a dash of colour and freshness to your home. Green plants can make a house feel calm and peaceful. This can have a great impact on your mental health. Studies have also reportedly shown that having plants in your home can reduce stress, and anxiety and enhance air quality. You should choose low-maintenance plants that thrive indoors such as peace lilies and succulents. Spread plants around all the rooms including the bedroom, bathroom and kitchen to add an extra calming effect. Just don’t overcrowd with too many plants.
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