Easy Tips for Transforming Your Home Into a Stress-Free Sanctuary
How many times have you gone on vacation and thought to yourself “I wish I could just stay here forever”? If you’re anything like the rest of humanity, I’m willing to bet it’s nearly every time. Isn’t that why we need a few days to unwind from our vacations in the first place?
But what if I told you that there are simple ways to turn the place you call home into the place you call your sanctuary? And the best part is, it isn’t infinitely expensive. I’m not telling you to add a pool with palm trees in the backyard; in fact, this doesn’t require renovations at all.
All you need is a little ingenuity, a few well-placed decorative pieces, and voila you’ve got a sanctuary in the place you already spend most of your time. Well, excluding your workplace. Here are seven surprisingly easy ways to make your house, your sanctuary.
Soft lighting: Natural Lighting
Have you ever been to a beach resort and been overwhelmed by the natural beauty of it? The palm trees, the beach, the sunlight sparkling off of the water… It’s all so overwhelming. And yeah, it’s true that all of those visuals are aesthetically pleasing, but there is one aspect that we tend to overlook. The natural beauty of the sun.
Since the earliest days of humanity, the sun has been a source of wonder and awe. It keeps us warm; it provides us with much-needed vitamin D. It’s even been shown to boost our morale when exposed to it.
So why not let some of that natural beauty into your home, rather than having those drapes closed. Let that sunlight in and brighten up the living room. Chances are it’ll have you feeling more relaxed in no time.
Mirrors
One of my favorite decorative pieces is a nice full-sized mirror to put up on the wall. Especially above the couch, something about its chic, modern design just screams elegance to me.
Mirrors do a few different things; first, they bounce that natural light you’re finally letting inside and brightens the place up even more. Another wonderful benefit of a mirror is that it adds dimension to the room, making it appear to be larger than it actually is. Free square footage… I’ll take it!
Soft lighting: Scents
Who doesn’t love walking into the house when somebody is cooking a beautifully aromatic meal? Unfortunately, we can’t all have that every day. But what we can have is a house clear of unpleasant odors, instead filled with aromas that have you breathing with glee the moment we walk through the front door.
Since there are so many options, this is easily done too. Candles, wax melts, fragrance sprays, plug-ins, oils, sage, and many other things are popular options for making your home smell great. My favorite scents are the natural ones. I like to stop off and get some flowers when money permits. But if that doesn’t work for you, there are plenty of naturally scented sprays out there that will give your home a fresh and light smell. Most of all, keep bad scents out. No amount of fragrance can mask foul odors.
Lighting
With one or more of these brilliant Echo Neon Lamps, you can illuminate any space or gathering spot. Echo Led Neon Lamp provides a quick burst of color and illumination for exhibition tables, high shelves, dark nooks, and other places. For a distinctive and lasting impression, you can simply rest it against the wall or lay it on any surface.
Different from natural lighting, this is the kind that I like to use at night or maybe during the sunset (to add to the ambiance a bit). There are a few ways to do this, but they all have in common: the lighting is soft. Our day is winding down, and it’s time to let our brains wind down with it.
Neon lights can be a great addition to your home, as well. For me, the go-to is Neon Mama, as they offer soft lighting that doesn’t consume much energy. Best of all, they are great accent pieces and perfect for my bar. There are plenty of options, which can help you find something that fits your personality. You can even customize neon signs to look however you please.
My Spot Not Yours
If you’re living with somebody else, then chances are you’re feeling invaded from time to time. It doesn’t mean that you don’t love the people you live with. Just that you need some time to yourself.
Carve off a place in the house that is just yours, a place where you can find your zen whenever you need some you-time. But beware, don’t fill this place with a bunch of stuff to keep you occupied. There will be no zen there.
Instead purchase some low-key decorative pieces, a comfy chair, and maybe a table-top waterfall to help you relax while you read a book. Remember this is your place to stay unplugged that means no video games.
Clutter-Free
When I was younger, I used to hate being in the house with all of my brothers and sisters. But I never knew why; I mean we had enough space, so that wasn’t the issue. Then I moved out on my own and quickly realized the problem. We had too much crap.
Its well documented that our brains respond better to clear and open areas. (I think I remember reading it had something to do with evolution, and clearings were less dangerous so that we could let our guard down a bit.)
Try and keep the house clutter-free, get rid of stuff you don’t need and adopt a minimalist mentality. You can even make some money by selling off the things you don’t use or need anymore. Who couldn’t use a few extra buck right?
Cleanliness is More than a Virtue
I don’t know of one person that enjoys going home to a clean house. Sure, some people may tolerate it, but even the people on the show ‘Hoarders’ acknowledge that coming home to that level of mess is causing stress.
I’m not saying you can’t have the occasional dish in the sink, but I am saying that last Tuesday’s dinner shouldn’t still be waiting to be washed. Keep the place tidy, and you’ll always come home knowing you don’t have a mess waiting for you when you get there.
Soft lighting: that is the essence of a sanctuary!
These are some of the simple actions I take on a daily basis, and I’ve got to say, it makes a huge difference in my everyday life. Walking into a tidy, well-light home, with a welcoming aroma is my favorite moment of the day. And I’m sure it will be for you too.
Do have any advice that wasn’t covered in here?
Lara Douglas is a young woman who loves interior designing and home decor. She is passionate about new trends and fashion-forward home décor ideas. She regularly posts at Neon Signs Depot.
