Everyone wants their home to feel safe, warm, and welcoming, a place where you can feel like your soul and mind are at rest alongside your body and where you can truly unwind completely and get a respite from the challenges of the day. Your home should also be a place of self-expression, where you only bring things that you like or which make you happy. Although all of this sounds very logical and clear in theory, it is quite tricky to create such a serene environment in real life. Where do you even start, and how do you know if the changes you’re making will even have the desired result? Here are some of the things that can help you build a home you love and are proud to call your own.

Declutter 

Decluttering has gained a lot of traction with homeowners over the past few years owing to its benefits, such as reducing stress and anxiety, having a cleaner and more organized home that is easier to maintain, learning to practice gratitude for the items you already have, and eliminating the distractions from your environment to boost your focus. However, decluttering also makes many people suspicious since they associate it with throwing all their things away and adopting an extremely minimalist lifestyle, something few are keen on.

Luckily, this is an erroneous interpretation, and decluttering simply means removing things you no longer use from your living space to make room for the things you want to keep and enjoy. No item is considered clutter if you use it and love having it around, so things such as books or other collectibles should keep their place on your shelf. If you’ve been thinking of getting some backpacks from Disney, such as the 65th Anniversary Exclusive Sleeping Beauty Castle or the Limited Edition Minnie Mouse, you should start right away since all homes must have room for items that make you happy. However, you should take your clothing into consideration, as well as all miscellaneous items, from kitchen utensils to towels, and see precisely what you use and plan on using in the future, as well as what should be discarded and sent to recycling.

Neutral tones 

Although the trend for minimal spaces resulted in a higher number of homeowners integrating muted colors and tones into their apartments, there’s more to them than pure aesthetics. Research shows that there are genuine psychological benefits that come with neutrals. They are less stimulating and are more likely to reduce stress levels, improve sleep quality, and help you relax. If your home doesn’t feel soothing, it could be because there are too many shades and hues clashing in your environment and causing you to feel overwhelmed.

Neutrals are also easier on the eyes, so their effect will be calming instantaneously. However, despite these benefits and the fact that they go well with anything and provide a solid base for further decoration, many people tend to find rooms that follow a fully neutral palette boring. You can change things up a little by including different shades such as pale tan, faded yellows, sage green, or soft blue to prevent your home from looking too sterile.

There is also the option of making just one of your rooms neutral-based and dedicate it to relaxation instead of making your entire home follow the same color patterns.

Cozy corners 

It’s a good thing to have a designated corner in your house that is reserved for relaxing and unwinding after a long day at work or completing chores. If you make a habit of relaxing in that spot a few times, either by reading, putting on some relaxing music, or practicing mindfulness, you’ll notice that just by staying there, you’ll be able to feel calmer and more centered. The spot where you assemble this corner will depend on your personal preferences.

You might enjoy being somewhere close to a window or on a balcony where you can take in the fresh air and surrounding views. During the colder months, you’ll probably prefer a spot near the fireplace for a more comforting atmosphere. The point is to assemble a cozy area that will provide maximum comfort, so consider throw pillows, blankets and calming lights.

Lights and scents 

Light arrangements play a significant role in whether a room will seem welcoming to you or not. The best solution is to work with different types of lights and fixtures so that you can turn them on or off however you see fit and depending on the mood. For example, if you need to work on something or need to be more alert, you’ll make sure the room gets plenty of bright light, but if you want to relax and take it easy, all you’ll have to do is dim the lights for a quieter atmosphere. For an even more soothing ambiance, you can get candles into all of your rooms, as their glow is guaranteed to promote relaxation. Just make sure to be safe and blow them out when you go to bed or leave home.

Beautiful scents are another thing that can soothe the senses and relieve stress. There are plenty of options out there, so you need to make sure that the scent you’re choosing feels pleasant to you and that it is in no way irritating, distracting, or cloying. Flowers, scented candles, rattan, or essential oil diffusers all work well and can fill rooms completely with the scents of your choice. You can even blend different scents together to create a genuine spa-like atmosphere in your household.

Plants 

Research shows that spending time in nature is good for your general well-being, but finding a green spot in urban jungles can be a nearly impossible task. Luckily, there’s the option of bringing houseplants indoors and tending to them. The task can be meditative and allow you to quiet your thoughts. If you’re not well-versed in looking after plants, start by gathering a few branches from trees and placing them in a vase.

Textiles 

To create texture and increase the coziness factor in your home, make sure to add plenty of textiles such as knits, suede, or velvet. Plenty of pillows, blankets, and curtains that pool to the floor will create a sense of ease and make the space feel like a quiet, relaxing sanctuary. Ideally, you should also have large window frames that emphasize the views around you and which let the softness of outside nature come inside your home. If that’s not possible, opt for a skylight that allows plenty of sunlight inside.

Making your home into a safe haven takes a lot of careful planning, and it’s essential to determine what would make you feel secure and calm in your home in order to know what choices you should make.

Published by: Nelly Chavez