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Your home should feel like a peaceful sanctuary or retreat from the chaotic outside world. Creating this tranquil feeling at home doesn’t have to break the bank or involve any major renovations. Here are some of our favorite ideas for making your home feel more relaxing:
Start with a Major Decluttering
Any interior designer or home organization expert will tell you that the state of your surroundings has a profound effect on your mental and emotional state. A cluttered, messy home can induce feelings of anxiety and make it hard to truly relax at home. For this reason the first step toward creating a relaxing home oasis is to declutter.
Tackle one closet or drawer at a time, going from room to room. Remove anything that you no longer like or use, and create different piles for items you plan to sell for a little extra money, items you want to donate to charity, and items to throw away. Once you’ve eliminated clutter, spend some time straightening and organizing your remaining belongings. If you have packrat tendencies, you may want to enlist the help of a hyper-organized friend for this task.
Be Mindful About Your Television
There’s nothing wrong with relaxing with your favorite show at the end of a long work day, but making an effort to be mindful and intentional about your television habits can go a long way toward creating a relaxing home base. Instead of blaring the TV in the background, only turn it on when you’re actually sitting down to watch something. Avoid watching anything violent or stressful (like the national news) if you’re feeling tense or have been having trouble sleeping. If you’re used to the constant background noise of TV, try playing soothing music at a low volume instead.
Paint Your Walls Soothing Colors
Bright colors are fun, but when most of your walls are bright your home can feel more stimulating than relaxing. Soothing colors like pale blues and greens or neutrals like gray or cream can help make your entire home feel more calm. You can still get your color fix in the form of bright throw pillows and other accessories, without the overwhelming effect bright wall colors can have.
Upgrade Your Bed and Bath Linens
When you think about the most relaxing hotel or spa you’ve ever been to, they most likely had lots of crisp, soft white sheets, fluffy down comforters, and stacks of lush towels in the bathroom. Throwing out linens that have gotten raggedy over the years and replacing them with new high quality linens can transform the feeling of your home into that of a luxe spa. If you’re on a budget (and who isn’t these days?) you can usually find quality bed and bath linens for cheap during annual sales at department stores or at stores like HomeGoods.
Buy a White Noise Machine
If you live in an area with a lot of street noise or are generally a light sleeper, a white noise machine can do wonders. White noise blocks out irritating sounds and helps you relax into a deep sleep.
Dim the Lights
It’s hard to feel relaxed at home if you have harsh overhead lighting. A simple upgrade like adding dimmer switches can make a huge difference. For a more high tech approach, try adding smart lights which can create any color combination and ambience you want- including ones designed for relaxation!
Add Some Nightly Rituals to Your Life
A nice way to make your home feel more relaxing, get better sleep, and wake up in a great mood is to end your day with relaxing nightly rituals. What this looks like for you is an individual choice, but unplugging from technology a half hour or so before you go to bed and spending time meditating, doing a gentle yoga video, or simply sitting quietly with a cup of tea and reflecting on your day can truly make a dramatic difference in how relaxed you feel. You may find that you start to look forward to these nightly rituals, associating your home with the sense of peace they give you.
No matter how hectic and busy your life is, by following these tips you can gain a sense of calm relaxation whenever you are home.[:]
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