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Decorating for a Stress-Free Home
Decorating Tips for a Stress-Free Home
by Laurie Larson
If you have ever felt a deep calm looking at well-appointed homes online or in magazines, you already know that a well-organized home is a stress-free one. Anything that reduces stress is something we should seek for our lives.
Redecorating an entire home may seem like a daunting task, but anything worth doing needs a plan. Here are some ways you can take it step-by-step and come out the other end with a cozy home that makes you feel good.
Bring in some greenery
Plants produce oxygen and remove carbon dioxide. They also suck toxins out of the air. Toxins can make us cranky, especially in the form of an unpleasant smell that keeps us awake or allergens that trigger allergies. These types of plants will purify the air and make your help feel fresh and alive.
Choose some beautiful images for your walls
Your decor is personal to what makes you happy. As Marie Kondo would ask, “Does it bring you joy?” If the answer is no, you’re choosing the wrong decor. Find pieces that inspire you and bring a smile to your face. Maybe it reminds you of a childhood memory or a dream you have for your future.
What are your favorite images? What scenes bring you peace? Beaches. Desserts. Impressionist paintings. Collages of family members. Give it a little thought and bring some of that into your home. Anything that immediately brings you joy, fills you with the endorphins that can cut stress.
Make your bedroom a sleep cocoon
Start where all the magic happens. Yes, good sleep is magical. Thankfully for you, the closet interior designer, the bedding and mattress you choose can enhance your sleep. Bedding, i.e. your sheets, blankets, pillows, duvet, etc., can be more than just a way to outfit the room in your favorite color scheme. Factors like sheet thread count, pillow firmness and blanket weight can make you feel more relaxed as you slip into bed.
If you wake up sore or cranky because your mattress rejected you, new bedding alone won’t help. You probably need a new mattress, one better suited to your body. Dig into the reviews to find what will work best for you. Different sleepers have different needs. If you, like most people, sleep on your side, look at versions that cradle hips, shoulders and knees with enough support underneath to keep your spine aligned. It’s a difficult mix to achieve but mattress construction is quite advanced these days. There’s something for your body and budget.
Repaint, but choose the right colors
We know that color affects our mood. Red ramps up the stress. Gentler pale greens and whites and beiges can decrease it. If you’re ready to roll up your sleeves for a little painting, don’t settle. Take some time to figure out which color palette will keep your room feel calm and peaceful.
Style Caster recommends others, especially on the lighter side of the intensity scale. Colors like lavender, pale grays and cool blues that echo the sky, pale pink on the dusty side.
Organize common areas for harmonious living
Science keeps telling us that disorganization creates stress. Your brain works too hard sorting things that may not be that important, like your children’s sneakers on the floor. That load of unfolded towels distracts you from tasks you should be working on, like curing cancer. Clutter tells your brain, “Hey, you’re not done yet!” You can’t relax.
Attack common areas like the laundry room and kitchen. Make the rest of the family help. You didn’t get into this mess alone and you’re not clawing your way out alone either. By the way, asking for help and delegating tasks will also reduce your workload and your stress. Bonus!
Prevention magazine offers great advice to declutter each room in your home. To get you started, you can add hanging rods and bins to separate clothes in the laundry room, sort through your pantry and first toss all outdated canned goods. If you craft a plan to declutter your house to remove stress, you are halfway there. Congratulate yourself on the plan, then go get it done.
With these styling tips in mind, you’ll be able to eliminate stress from your home one room at a time.
Author’s bio: Laurie Larson is a freelance writer. She writes on home, health, and happy lifestyle topics.
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