Let me set the scene for you: imagine waking up surrounded by bare gray walls on all sides of you, with all of the paint chipping away and peeling from them, and a single black clock ticking ominously away at the corner ominously. Your blinds are thick and drawn, the curtains closed, and your room is dark. Just the sheer sight of it is zapping and draining your energy, and even though your day has just started, you somehow have no energy or motivation to get up and start the day…
Alright alright, I’ll stop. It’s a pretty dismal and awful thought, isn’t it? But I hope you didn’t miss out on my point through my colorful (so to speak!) narrative. The fact is, your bedroom is the first thing you’re going to see in the morning when you open your eyes, and it’s going to have a huge impact on the tone of your day. The rest of your home is no different, either, and if you’ve been working from home? Well, it’s important to make it as warm and homey as possible.
It’s especially important to make your home your safe haven and cozy place for you if you’re battling any sort of mental or emotional issues at the moment. Whether that’s something like anxiety, depression or antisocial personality disorder symptoms, if your home is a sense of calm and relaxation for you it’s another tool in your tool kit for the road towards feeling better.
Moreover, having a happy, bright home is more likely to invoke a sense of peace and joy within you, not to mention inspire you to do your very best work. Returning to your safe haven at the end of the day should make you feel cozy and warm, so it better not look like a prison cell, right? With that in mind, I wanted to share a couple of tips I’ve collected along the way to help make your house a happy oasis for you, allowing you to feel both motivated and inspired while there.
Liven Up Your Home With Strategically-Placed Plants
Without a doubt, plants are the liveliest items that you could add to your place — and it’s not just because they seem to literally “liven” the place up, either. Having plants around your home that you could water and dote on every day will help you establish a therapeutic and healing routine as you care for them and watch them grow. It’s absolutely an experience on its own, and you don’t even need a green thumb to keep a potted plant alive.
Do a Mini-Renovation To Add a Personal Touch
What makes your house feel truly like a home is that it belongs to you, and is a reflection of your own unique style. And when your furniture screams that out loud to you? Well, there’s a certain sense of accomplishment that comes with that, and you can start to take pride in your living space. By adding little custom touches to your furniture — such as painting it your favorite color, or modifying it to suit your aesthetic — not only makes everything feel much cozier, but it also ties all of the interior decor together, too.
Park Your Workstation Near a Great View
If you’ve got large windows looking out to a nice vista, then your best bet would be to set up your workstation there. Being greeted by a warm, familiar (yet beautiful!) view, such as your backyard or garden, will instantly energize and inspire you. That said, if you don’t have such a space in your house, you could always try setting your workstation up in front of a photo wall, or a location that serves you a fantastic view of your recently-redecorated surroundings.
Dedicate a Corner to Your Interests
If you’ve got enough space for it, try setting up a whimsical little hobby nook or corner in your home. Make it as cozy as possible by setting it up near a window that allows in natural sunlight, and throw in a plush chair and a side desk with a rug underneath it. Feel free to decorate the place with twinkling lights, and place a shelf that’s brimming with all your favorite hobby supplies in it. Finally, add whatever personal touches you’d like to it, but make sure that space reminds you of joy, rest, and peace at all times.
Set Up an Art Wall
There’s no better way to gain inspiration than surrounding yourself with art that you love, especially if you’re a creative type. Art can help liven the walls up and boost your mood, as well as mask any imperfections that you haven’t been able to fix yet. Remember, your home is a reflection of your mental state, and vice versa…so do you want a disheveled, chaotic home, or a tranquil, inspiring one? Don’t underestimate the power of your surroundings, as they could make or break your mood in an instant.
Experience Peace and Happiness at Home
Ultimately, transforming your home can also transform you. By banishing things that don’t spark joy, you can finally turn your humble domicile into a relaxing retreat. Of course, if you find that your home isn’t making you happy, it could hint at another, more serious underlying condition that may need to be addressed. After all, a beautiful home isn’t exactly a replacement for good mental health, and seeking out affordable therapy is nothing to be ashamed of — especially if you’re struggling.
However, by taking the steps to be more mindful in your decorating, focusing on the things that make you happy (and getting rid of those that don’t), and adding fun little elements to your home that put a smile on your face, you may just learn that your house plays a bigger role in your mood than you originally thought. And only then can you know for sure if you are genuinely at peace within those four walls, or if a little extra professional help may be just the ticket to restore your balance!
