How can you create a home that feels like “home”?
A place that you want to come back to every evening after a long day at work…
Where you truly feel safe and comfortable, and can really relax and unwind…
A place and a space that makes you feel peaceful, calm, and well.
There are a number of simple and cost-effective changes you can make to your home that will really help enhance your experience of your home as a wellness sanctuary.
- One of the biggest health enhancers is to clear out all the junk: get rid of that stuff you no longer use, and de-clutter your living space. This will automatically give you a sense of spaciousness and relief, and will immediately help you feel more peaceful within. (You could even sell some of that stuff online and make a bit of extra cash, thus increasing the wellness of your wallet, as well as your home!).
- Stay organized, nothing ruins peace, harmony, and calm than a cluttered house where you cannot find anything. This includes that pile of bills and mail that is sitting unorganized in plain sight and other piles of papers.
- Keep a clean floor. Floors that are dirty or cluttered with papers, towels, clothes and other stuff make the whole room look unkempt and disorganized.
- Have comfortable furniture; this is key in having a place where you can truly relax when you get home. Furniture that looks good is great, but you will quickly regret a purchase made for looks alone when you cannot relax in your own home.
- Remember the old adage “Cleanliness is next to Godliness”? Well, you don't necessarily have to feel holy about it, but having a clean living space is healthy for more than just the reduction in germs and harmful bacteria: it will smell good, look good and feel fresh, all of which will help you to feel good when you are in it!
- Talking of scents and smells, essential oils are a natural and health-giving way of enhancing the comfort of your home: the scent of citrus oils adds a fresh, invigorating feeling whilst lavender helps you feel calm, for example. Frankincense and myrrh are wonderful in promoting a meditative air. You can use a simple oil burner or make an air freshener with nothing more than a few drops of essential oil in a spritzer bottle filled with distilled water.
- Another way to increase your comfort level, and therefore your capacity to relax, unwind and de-stress in your home, is to add “ambience”: soft music, soft lighting, candles, and beautiful art pieces can all add to a feeling of calm and tranquility.
- Color schemes affect our mood: for example, blues and greens are calming, whilst reds, corals, and maroons make a room seem cozy and warm. Keep this in mind when redecorating.
- Can you find one area, or room, to devote to your spiritual self? A meditation cushion and a small altar with items of special meaning can turn an unused corner into a sacred space for prayer, contemplation, and connection with the Divine Source (whatever that means for you).
- Having living plants in the home will help keep the air oxygenated, and give a sense of the presence of nature. Just remember to water them!
- Use a water filter for great drinking water.
- Keeping some windows open whenever possible will help the circulation of fresh air and will keep your home from getting stuffy and from feeling oppressive and claustrophobic.
- Growing herbs in the kitchen will again bring a little bit of nature in from the outside and will help you connect to the earth in an immediate and practical way. Not to mention bringing some wholesome nutrition to your kitchen table.
- Natural light in your home, as much as possible, can enhance your mood and provide some vitamin D (although there is no substitute for getting outside every day).
- Remember to laugh, spend time with, and hug those you live with, to increase the good vibes in your home.
- If you live alone, invite family and friends over to share a meal.
Balance and harmony are key in making your home a healthy sanctuary you will come to as a beloved place to decompress.