I started taking my Christmas decorations down and wow…the house looks so depressing now! It’s funny how empty everything and dull things look to us after we put away all the holiday cheer when it seemed just fine before it went up. I would imagine that if I lived somewhere nice and warm and tropical it wouldn’t be a big deal, but living up in the north where there are still months and months of dead trees and cold weather ahead it’s important to make your home a happy place to be.
Though we all want to spend our time in a comfortable space it usually isn’t very high on our priority list, but maybe it should be! Even though you may have felt them, I bet you’ve never stopped and really thought about the repercussions a messy or uncomfortable home can have on your mental health. Everything from the lighting and air quality down to the amount of visual clutter will make an impact on how you feel.
Today it is -23C (about -30F) and I have been sick for the past few days so I have definitely been needing my cozy space. Being a single mom and full time student has me on a tight budget sometimes but that doesn’t mean I can’t make my home mentally healthy! Giving yourself a mental safe space doesn’t have to take a lot of money or a lot of space. Here’s all you need to make it happen…
Find Your Space
Don’t get overwhelmed. All you need is one room. If you want to do the rest after that, awesome! But start off with one room that you can use as a refuge when the world gets to be a little too much. And DON’T choose to make that room your office. Don’t do it. This needs to be a relaxing place where you can turn your brain off for a while. Go for your living room or bedroom. Somewhere that you can close the door on the outside world.
Clear The Clutter
Visual clutter is super stressful. Your brain is constantly having to process what’s around you and it reminds you of tasks that you need to get done. While that’s not necessarily a bad thing most of the time, it isn’t what you need when you’re trying to relax. Even when you’re not trying to escape it tends to be extremely overwhelming. A clutter free space leads to a clutter free mind.
Start by cleaning your space. Get rid of anything that you don’t want or need anymore (as Marie Kondo says, “anything that no longer serves you or brings you happiness”). Wipe down surfaces, vacuum, sweep, wash and sanitize. I recommend using eco friendly cleaning products, but I don’t like to be preachy so to each their own. But if you choose to go that route I suggest buying some reusable bamboo cloth wipes, cleaning vinegar and baking soda. There are also some great “green” products, but do your research. Just because it says green it doesn’t mean it really is.
The rest is all about organization (one of my absolute favourite things!!). Hide the leftover and necessary clutter in drawers and boxes. Lots of cords? Gather them up and hide them in a neutral coloured box. Lots of books? Cover them with a plain colored craft paper. Extra pillows and blankets can go into a storage ottoman. If you’re not sure what to do with everything, categorize it all and put it in a labelled box.
Let There Be Light
Have you ever wondered why the beautiful rooms you see online look so much better than yours? Chances are that it’s the lighting.
Lighting needs to be layered. Different levels, different types. Natural light from a window is so important to me. Not only is the daylight that comes in free, but sunlight also provides us with vitamin D which helps reduce seasonal depression symptoms. If your chosen room doesn’t have much natural light that’s ok. Some genius decided to start selling lights specifically for relieving seasonal depression! Even if you don’t feel any symptoms of seasonal depression, if you live in an area where daylight is limited for one reason or another then I highly recommend getting yourself one and treating yourself to a daily session.
In addition to the window light and the main ceiling light in your room, you’ll need task lighting. Placing a floor lamp, table lamp or reading lamp beside your favourite spot to snuggle up is a must. You may also need shelving lights if you think you might need to peruse your book collection or to light up something meaningful like a piece of art.
And finally, some ambience light. I love ambience lighting! This can be wall sconces, some fun pendant lights, fairy lights, candles, anything that adds a little something to those dark corners and warms the space. Warm is a key word there. Lighting Witt a blue tinge can be pretty, but a warm hue will add to that cozy feeling. I highly recommend a fireplace, real or electric. But if you’re on a budget a great alternative is creating a faux fire using electric candles in a display. Pretty and safe!
Live It Up
Plants are often overlooked when it comes to home decor, but they may make the biggest impact of all. It isn’t natural for us to live where we are the only life. We need plants and animals around us. We need nature! Not only do they add visual interest and a reminder of the outdoors, but plants also improve air quality.
As much as I love plants and nature, I’m a bit of a black thumb. Luckily there are many plants that are extremely easy to care for. Snake plant is a great example. I have quite a few hardy plants in my home, but I’ve also added a bunch of high quality faux plants when I was going for a certain look but just couldn’t handle the care of took to keep them alive. They may not improve the air quality, but they certainly make it feel more welcoming.
Text(ure) Me!
We all have our own personal aesthetic preferences, but when you’re looking for cozy comfort there are some must have fabrics. Avoid hard seating and go for something you can sink into a little. Add some soft pillows and blankets to snuggle into. I’m one of those people who is cold all the time so I like to have thick knitted blankets, comforters, quilts and duvets. In addition to my basic throw pillows I also like to have some in velvety, knitted, or furry fabrics too. And don’t forget about your feet! Hard floors are nice looking, but not very comfortable on a cold day so don’t forget about rugs!
A Personal Touch
The final, and most important way to make your home a mental healthy friendly space is to add the things that make you, you! Decorate your space with things that remind you of what makes you happy and feel at peace. It could be something you brought back with you from a wonderful vacation or maybe the lyrics to your favourite song on a framed poster. The point is that it makes you smile.
…It can be hard to make your environment a priority when we all have such hectic lives. But if we give ourselves a happy and healthy place to start each morning we can set our crazy days off on the right foot and in the best mindset possible.
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