Life

13 Ways To Make Your Home Less Stressful

by Raven Ishak

If you're anything like me, your home is not the perfect, peaceful sanctuary you had once imagined. It can be hard to keep your house tidy and clean when you're constantly on the go, but there are ways to de-stress your home even when you're never around. After all, your home should be the place you go to to feel relaxed after a busy day at work; you shouldn't feel more stressed the minute you get home after a long day.

According to MindBodyGreen, a stressed home can be filled with noise, clutter, and can lack comfortability. The way you organize (or don't organize) your house can be a reflection of how stressed you are about things going on in your everyday life. That's why it's vital to keep your home in a peaceful state so you don't bring that extra anxiety with you wherever you go. This is especially important if you work from home and are constantly trying to find ways to stay productive. But if the thought of spending a lot of money to revamp your house to make it more peaceful seems to be stressful in and of itself, don't think of it as something that has to be expensive. There are plenty of ways to bring life to your home without having to spend a lot of cash. Want to know how to destress your home for a more peaceful and relaxing life? Check out these nine hacks below.

1. Organize Your Home

One of the first things you want to do to make your home more peaceful is by simply organizing and cleaning up your mess. "Clutter is the number one stresser in most homes. Having too much 'stuff' around on the outside tends to create a lot of noise on the inside, and can leave us feeling frayed and scatterbrained. The most important part of destressing your home is [by] decluttering it. Organize on the cheap by turning wooden crates into wall storage for a more organized space," says Chief Editor at Hometalk's Tikva Morrow in an interview with Bustle over email.

2. Simplify Your Color Scheme

Patterns are a great way to add some personality to your home, but sometimes it can get a little crazy if you mix and match too many textures and patterns at once."If [you're] using patterns, use patterns with similar colors, staying with one or two," says One Kings Lane stylist, Alyssa Lewis.

3. Bring In More Light

Get all the vitamin D you can by allowing natural sunlight to enter into your house, as dark spaces can make someone feel sleepy or gloomy. "Natural sunlight creates an almost immediate sense of calm in any space. Use white, gauzy curtains or even window film to preserve your privacy while keeping the light," says Morrow.

4. Use Floor Lamps & Table Lamps

When you're home at night, try to refrain from using ceiling lights that can cause hash lighting. It can make your house feel more lively and vibrant instead of serene and relaxing. "[Floor and table lamps can] create a calm low light without the harsh overhead light," Lewis says.

5. Add Air Freshers Or Candles

Keep your home feeling like a spa by using light scented fragrances. Try to use scents that will naturally calm you like lavender or vanilla. "Make an air freshener with your favorite essential oils to create a rejuvenating aroma for your home," says Morrow.

6. Decorate With Positive Art

"Hang relaxing and empowering wall decor. Whether it's peaceful art, an interesting wall hang, or an empowering phrase or word, decorate your walls with pieces that will make your heart happy when you see them," says Morrow. By covering your walls with positive affirmations, you're allowing your mind to take a step back as you quickly glance at the art.

7. Use Soft Fabrics

Touchable soft fabrics are the way to go when it comes to keeping your home feeling calm. "Decorate with fabrics such as cashmeres, velvets, soft linens," says Lewis. Using this fabrics can help you unwind and sleep better when you're staying home for the night.

8. Fill Your Home With Love

Decorate your walls with pictures of loved ones. This can fill your home with happy memories which can also put you in a calmer state of mind. "Put up pictures of family members and loved ones to strengthen and destress you throughout the day. Seeing familiar faces reminds you not to sweat the smaller things," says Morrow.

9. Bring Nature Indoors

While plants and flowers are great to look at, they're also a scientific reason why they calm you down. According to the Huffington Post, having plants inside your home can help purify the air which can help you stay relaxed. Also, in a 2008 study, Dutch researchers have found that hospital patients, that have plants inside their rooms, are reported to have lower stress levels.

10. Don't Use Electronics In The Bedroom

While you've probably heard this tip over and over again, it's really important to follow if you want a more tranquil home. "Make your bedroom a sanctuary leave the electronics out. Make sure to invest in good bed linens, use bedside table lamps, and have a good book!" says Lewis.

11. Designate A Calm Space In Your House

According to the Huffington Post, designate a certain area in your home where you do no work and just relax. Make sure to visit this area every day for at least 20 minutes to help you keep calm throughout the week.

12. Incorporate Calming Colors

Whether you can paint your walls or not, it's a good idea to involve colors that will visually help you destress. According to Shape, colors like blue, pink and green can bring peace and help soothe the energy in your home.

13. Fill Your Fridge With Healthy Foods

The only way you can really feel calm and collected is by making sure you're feeding your body with delicious, healthy foods. That means filling your fridge with the good stuff. According to Reader's Digest, eating foods like nuts, salmon, and even dark chocolate will help you stay calm. Most of these items will make your brain function more properly so you can deal with stress more easily.

While the outside world might be driving you crazy, your home should make you feel at ease. Cover it with plants and calming colors and hopefully you're stressful day will end in a peaceful way.

Images: Pexels; Pixabay(1)