You’d be amazed by the way your home makes you feel.
This is particularly the case after a long, arduous day at work. Do you really want to return to a home that’s untidy, cluttered, and disorganised?
Trust us – it’ll make you feel worse. But the good news is you can create a more peaceful, relaxing home without too much effort.
And before you ask – no this doesn’t include getting rid of the other people in your house. After all, they’re probably just tetchy because of the untidy house, too!
Maintaining a zen-like state at home is about much more than style and where you place the furniture. It’s all about cultivating a peaceful place in which you can simply be present.
Here are five of our favourite tips for doing just that.
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Declutter and keep on top of your surfaces
Clutter is one of the worst things at home. It’ll distract you, make you feel agitated, and create a constant sense of chaos. You’ll be thinking about items without even realising they’re bothering you.
That doesn’t sound very ‘zen’, does it?
Start by decluttering your home – top to bottom. This will probably be a relatively big job, but if you do it systematically, room-by-room, it’s something you’ll only need to do once. There are professional declutterers who can help with this, as it’s potentially overwhelming to do it alone. They’ll help you make decisions, organise your storage spaces, and even take away your junk for you, too.
To maintain this newly decluttered state, make sure you clear your surfaces daily of any distractions.
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Embrace nature’s elements
Chances are, you’ve probably already got some potted plants dotted around your home, but you shouldn’t stop there.
To really feel at one with nature in your home and use it to create a calm environment, you need to lean on the five elements. You can do this as follows:
- water (idea: flowers in a bowl of water);
- earth (idea: more house plants!);
- fire (idea: plenty of candles on surfaces);
- wood (idea: expose those beams); and
- metal (idea: invest in some metal furniture).
It might sound a bit odd, but you’ll be amazed by how these elements work together to create a more harmonious, peaceful home.
Here are some nice ideas if you’d like your home to be more ‘zen’:
The minimalists’ guide to housework
How to make your home totally zen in 10 steps
7 simple ways to use feng shui in your home.
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Don’t forget the floor
We talked about the importance of clear surfaces earlier, and one of those surfaces you absolutely shouldn’t overlook is the floor.
Chances are, you’ve probably got plenty of clutter beneath your feet, too. So, find a new home for the things you keep tripping over and swearing at – ideally a home that is out of sight.
Here are some storage design ideas – or you could pop to IKEA!
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Use softer lighting
If you’re always turning on the big ceiling lights at night, you’re doing more to disrupt the peacefulness in your home than you might think.
Instead, try lighting a few of those candles, or opting for lower wattage table lamps, rather than those glaring overheads.
Softer lighting will make you feel far calmer and help you relax after a long day. It’s why we always recommend installing dimmers if you’re keen on using your overhead lights often.
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Think texture
It’s often the stuff you can’t see that makes the biggest difference to how peaceful a home is.
Texture plays a massive role in this. Whether it’s handling a hand-thrown piece of pottery or running your hand along an old, cracked piece of leather, the objects in your home should be capable of thrilling your senses. Fill your home with texture!
We hope this blog has given you lots of inspiration for creating a more peaceful home. But if you think it needs more than a few tweaks, just get in touch with the Modern Homes team to find out how we can help.