Our home should be our retreat. A place we can walk into after a long day of work or stress and relax and rest. But sometimes our homes don't offer a retreat-like environment. Our homes can feel disorganized and chaotic and leave little room for getting re-energized. But, it doesn't have to stay that way.
Here are five simple tips for creating a peaceful home that will leave you feeling rested and relaxed the minute you walk in.
Organize and De-Clutter
Clutter and disorganization can make you feel stressed. Stacks of paper, toys everywhere, dishes in the sink, etc. These are all things that you don't want to see when you first get home. Avoid letting your home get to the point of being cluttered. Before you leave for the morning or throughout your day, be sure to pick up and organize as you go. Wash and put away dishes right after meals and sort and organize your mail and papers as they come in. Don't let things pile up; instead, create designated places for everything and put things away quickly. Your home will feel more peaceful when things feel in order and are organized.
Choose Soothing Colors
Color has a huge influence over your mood so it's extremely important to choose colors for your home that will allow you to feel at peace. Going with neutral colors throughout your home for the majority of your furnishings and wall colors is a great way to create a relaxing environment. Soothing grays, tans, creams or blues are colors that evoke rest and peace. This doesn't mean you shouldn't bring additional color into your home. Incorporating pops of color with your accessories is a great way to bring in your own personality. But, by keeping the base of the room neutral, it allows the eye to be relaxed and creates a peaceful mood in a space.
Less is More
It's not always best to fill every square inch of a space or over-accessorize your furnishings. In a lot of instances, less is more. Not only is less more visually appealing, it also can create a more restful and relaxed environment. Too many things in one space can be overstimulating. Your eye doesn't know where to look and can never feel at rest. Edit the accessories you have in a space and limit your main furnishings to only the things you love and the space needs.
Utilize Appropriate Lighting
Lighting is a huge factor in setting the mood of a room and enhancing an overall space. A dimly lit room will do nothing for the design elements in a space or your mood. Make sure you appropriately light a space, shining a spotlight on areas of a room you want to highlight and providing ample light for reading and lounging. Whether it's adding a lamp, installing dimmers or utilizing as much outside natural light, it's important that a space be lit appropriately to create a peaceful environment.
Put Away Electronics
While this isn't related to the look and feel of your home, electronics can play a big part in your stress level and affect your mood. Set a rule to put electronics away when you get home or limit use to only a few minutes. Emails, social media and the need to feel constantly 'in touch' with the world can be counterproductive to creating a peaceful environment. Allow yourself space and room to relax without the use of electronic devices.
