Your home is one of the most important places in your life. It's where you find refuge, rest, work, connect with family, workout and sometimes homeschool. Your home needs to feel calm and peaceful to keep your cortisol levels low. Coming into a chaotic house just breeds more stress and anxiety.
Here are my 10 tips on keeping your home feeling calm
Neutral Colors- Have you ever noticed how calming hotels are when you stay in them? Next time pay attention to the colors. They are neutral and basic. Neutral doesn't equal boring it equals calm. Stick to shades of white throughout your home in the wall color and decor. Use pops of color in throws, flowers etc… This will give you a sense of zen when entering your sanctuary.
Noise- Keep the TV's off and turn on the music. My personal preference is Classical or Bosa Nova flowing throughout the house on my many Sonos speakers. It feels so good to work, cook and walk into a home with calm background music. At bedtime I turn on my white noise on the home speakers.
Smell- Aroma can be a powerful memory reminder. Pick a scent that brings you a happy memory or sense of calm I have candles throughout my home (some just for ambiance that aren't scented). Once of my personal favorite scents that bring about calmness is my signature Hazelwood Tick Tock Candle in Oakmoss.
Lighting- Let all the natural lighting into your home you can and make sure you aren't using light bulbs that cast a blue white light. This can feel sterile and harsh. I had dimmers added to almost all the light switches in my house. This makes a huge difference when setting a calm mood the alternative would be adding more lamps and using less overhead light.
Flowers- Nothing makes me happier than walking into my house and seeing flowers in the kitchen, living room and bedside table. This doesn't have to be anything elaborate. I make a quick run into Trader Joes and snag anything that speaks to me. Their white roses (m favorite) seem to last me almost 2 weeks if I change the water every other day. Try adding a few green plants such as snake plants, succulents or aloe vera that are easy to take care of. Having something from nature inside your home keeps your senses grounded.
A place For Everything- Organization is the largest factor in having a calming environment. Organizing is about convenience not where you think things should go. It's about making life easy for you while having a place to put things. Keeping items tucked away, behind doors and in bins will ensure less stress on a day to day basis.
Outdoor Space- Whether you have a large backyard or a small apartment balcony utilize your outdoor space. Make it cozy where you want to come out breath the fresh air, sip on a glass of wine or try some light reading. Try placing an outdoor rug, a comfy chair, a side table, string some outdoor lights and add an outdoor fountain like this one from Wayfair to create the perfect calm vibe.
Place Art, Photography and mementos from travel in your home that evoke a happy memory from a trip or cherished photo of a loved one.
I hope you find peace and calm inside your refuge called home. Outside the world can feel so chaotic at times so bringing balance and calm to our homes is so important. Please feel free to reach out to book time with our concierge to assist with decluttering, organizing and implementing these items into your life if needed.
Xx, Kara