Your boss calls you into her office and asks you to revise a project you thought was a masterpiece. On your evening commute, you get a flat tire. All you want to do is sink into your couch cushions and relax—but does your home welcome you back to a cozy retreat? Or a study in chaos?
You can create a peaceful home haven with organization and persistence, by following the nine tips up for offer below. If your house currently looks like a disaster area, you’ll have your work cut out for you, but with patience, you can regain your Zen and breathe more freely each time you step inside.
Clear away clutter
Clutter affects the human mind. When you have too many items occupying your visual field, your brain struggles to focus on one or two. That’s why, even though you want to collapse on your couch after a long day, you can’t fully relax if you see toys or other items scattered everywhere.
Additionally, the same cortexes that light up when we feel pain activate when we throw away a personal possession, since the brain gets attached to even minor sentimental objects.
As you declutter, ask yourself what joy you really get from each item. If you can’t decide whether something should stay or go, put it in a drawer or closet for a year. If you haven’t used it in that period of time, recycle or donate it.
Put plants in every room
NASA once did a study to evaluate the power of plants in regard to keeping the atmosphere healthy on Mars. They discovered that plants remove toxins like benzene from indoor air. Plus, ferns and bamboo bring beauty to any decor scheme.
Place a houseplant or two in every room of your home. If you don’t have a green thumb, varieties like snake and rubber plants grow well with little tending. You’ll add beauty and reap the психическое здоровье benefits of caring for living things.
Make an organization calendar
If you have several closets and cabinets that need a clean-out, you may want to throw up your hands before you start. It can seem overwhelming! Make your chores manageable by creating an organization calendar.
Select one or two projects for each of the upcoming weekends. With cooler temperatures on the way for most of us, now is the perfect time to start your housecleaning—by the time the robins start chirping again in spring, all you’ll need to do is vacuum, dust and be done.
Invest in carts and containers
Do you use your dining room table as a mail holder? Instead, invest in a countertop container where you deposit keys and other items as you enter your home. Similarly, a coat rack with a drawer will make a convenient place for shoes and hats.
If you have a home office, organize your files once per year by sorting your paperwork into three piles. One pile goes in a box on your desk to deal with during the coming week. The second, you file, and the third, you shred.
Harness the power of music
Did you ever walk into a spiritual bookstore and immediately dig the vibe? Chances are, the background music helped to create that peaceful mood. To generate a similar vibe at home, invest in a docking station for your phone. You can place wireless speakers anywhere when you want to relax to the sounds of Enya.
Choose quieter appliances
Does your dishwasher make you turn the TV up to level 40 every time it runs? That background noise can grate on your nerves. And if you have items like generators and air conditioners outside, squeaky sounds from these appliances can irritate your neighbors, too.
As per building codes in many areas, you must place items like generators at least five feet from doorways or other openings. You can invest in sound covers to dull the din. When selecting indoor appliances, opt for the quietest-running versions. Shop first thing in the morning, before the crowd hits, so you can hear how items sound in the showroom.
Create no-electronics zones
The blue light from digital screens suppresses the production of melatonin, a hormone that’s critical for restful sleep. Make your bedrooms device-free zones by unplugging at least 30 minutes before bed and leaving cell phones and tablets in the kitchen or living area.
It’s hard to connect with the family over meals, when everyone buries their face in a screen. Aim to eat at least one meal a day together and make it a work-free social occasion—you can chew or you can talk, but you can’t text.
Practice one-in, one-out living
George Carlin once quipped that a house is simply a place to keep your stuff—while you go out and get more stuff. If you’re always in consumption mode, before you know it, you end up with quite a collection. Where do you put it all?
Before heading to the store for a new dress, select one outfit to donate to the local thrift shop. Instead of caving in and buying those cute decorations at the dollar store, consider what you could repurpose at home to set the same mood.
Bed down in luxury
Make your bedroom a retreat within a retreat. Hang blinds and curtains to cut outside light and layer your bed in comfy pillows. Invest in high-quality sheets that make you feel like you’re sinking into a cloud at the end of the day. Create a cozy bedtime ritual—for instance, take a bath or relax with a good book.
A retreat from the outside world
Whenever you enter your home, regardless of what’s gone on in the outside world that day, it should welcome you with open arms. If it doesn’t provide you with that level of comfort (yet!), just follow these simple tips above to create your own peaceful haven in our often-chaotic world!
"СВЯЗАННОЕ ЧТЕНИЕ" MINDFULNESS IN THE CITY: 10 ways to find peace amid the hustle and bustle»
