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The world today can be a stressful place. From fast pace industries to overstimulation by technology, people are constantly engaged in the world around them. While technological progress is incredible, we are beginning to see an increase in mental health issues amongst first world populations.
As our surroundings pick up speed, it’s important to pause and recalibrate every once in a while. People need a break from the chaos to rest, relax, and find some peace. Where better to find your haven than in your home?
Although many people seek comfort in their home, there are often underlying tensions that trigger anxiety and stress. Whether it’s an untidy house or a lack of cosiness in your bedroom, beginning and ending each day in an uncomfortable environment is not healthy.
Luckily, there are many effective ways of creating a positive and peaceful home. With this in mind, here are five tips to get you started.
1. Declutter
Clutter can have a very negative effect on your physical and mental health. It can increase the cortisol (stress hormone) levels in your body, leading to various health problems. Visual clutter is distracting, and it demands your attention. This inhibits productivity and creates an unsettling feeling.
A peaceful home should be free of clutter. While your house is bound to have traits of being lived in, hoarding or piling every surface high with unnecessary junk is too far. Go through each room and carefully decide what you need and what you can get rid of. This will contribute significantly to creating a peaceful environment which will make a huge positive impact on your mental, emotional and physical wellbeing.
2. Bring nature inside
By adding plants or flowers to the interior of your home, you are enhancing the natural atmosphere. Plants are mother nature’s lungs, breathing fresh air and adding visual beauty wherever they are present. Find a spot in each room to place fresh flowers or a potted plant. Householdbeautiful.com put together a list of seven plants that help reduce stress.
In the downstairs of my home I have succulents on the window ledges of the lounge and kitchen, a big cheese plant high up on my kitchen shelves, succulents on the shelves and even in the bathroom! They create such lovely atmosphere and are just wonderful to look at.
Although some may not like these, I have used faux flowers such as Ivy and cherry blossom to decorate my bookshelf, shelving and even bathroom mirror with some fairy lights intertwined. They are a beautiful way of popping in some colour and nature to a room with no sunlight and are simple to keep since no watering or sun is needed! When it gets dark my favourite thing to do is turn on the fairy lights and see the warm glow they create. It’s perfect in the bathroom as I bathe after a long day and embrace my perfect evening routine. Soooo relaxing.
3. Embrace beautiful aromas
The sense of smell is a powerful one and is often overlooked when it comes to the creation of a peaceful mood. Aromatherapy is highly effective in developing a calm and peaceful atmosphere subtly. Due to having Autism, I find my senses can become overloaded so I always look to one sense to help me feel grounded; One main one being my sense of smell. This is why I will always light a candle each evening in my bedroom, on the bookshelf on the stairway, in the lounge and in the bathroom. The smell of beautiful scents really can help with my mindset and the overall atmosphere of the home.
Check out Cocoluxemelts.co.uk for a variety of beautifully fragrant wax melts. These are the perfect option to create a soothing scent to destress and create calm in a room.
4. Technology shutdown
We already talked about removing visual clutter from your home. Now it’s time to tackle digital clutter. Social media platforms, e-mail inboxes, news channels, and other digital devices create endless amounts of digital clutter and distraction. This makes it difficult to disengage and truly relax.
Enforce a technology shutdown rule an hour before bedtime. Take this time to read, meditate, relax, and unwind. This will help improve the quality of your sleep, better preparing you for the following day. I have set a ‘do not disturb’ mode on my phone for 8pm so that my phone does not notify me with a noise, helping me to get some down time and start to switch off for the day. It’s very helpful and really does help me get into a routine of digital rest and down time.
5. Calm through lighting
Lighting is perhaps the most effective way of setting a visual mood. Through different shades, brightness levels, and light positioning, you can create a number of vibes. Ensure that you can set a peaceful tone at any point throughout the day.
Invest in lamps, embrace natural light, and find a way to brighten up the darkest corners of your home. I find that buying warm coloured bulbs can help create a lovely atmosphere in your home. I use vintage warm bulbs for my lamps and lights and it is insane how much difference they can make to a room.
Thank you for reading. Let me know if any of these ways have helped you! Feel free to share with me any other tips you have.
Stay wonderful!
Louna x
Photo by Elina Sazonova from Pexels.
Lucy
•2 years ago
Having a good declutter is something I love doing once in a while, especially my clothes and social media! It’s definitely good for your mental health and wellbeing x
Lucy | http://www.lucymary.co.uk
Alison
•2 years ago
These are all such great ideas! I do find that when I’m stressed, my space gets a lot more cluttered. It’s so interesting how much our space can reflect our mood and how it can impact it. I recently started having plants in my space and love it!