Your home is your haven. It’s that place in the whole world where you can be yourself – chill out, put your feet up and relax. There are many different things we can do to make ourselves happy at home.
Here we list ten things you can do to transform your home for utter and complete happiness – which is not only good for your mood and your mind but also for your health.
Light some scented candles or use aromatherapy
Certain fragrances can calm the mind and put you in a happy mood. Our sense of smell is linked to the emotional centre of the brain and can trigger happy memories associated with smell. Besides, certain fragrances just make you happy and feel calm and peaceful. So, light a few of your favourite candles or use aromatherapy essential oils and feel right at home – in your home.
Make Your Bed
This simple activity can positively impact your happiness and productivity, according to Gretchen Reuben author of the Happiness Project. Most people often skip this first-thing-in-the-morning activity. But, an unmade bed gives your room and your house a very cluttered look. You may also notice that you feel a lot less relaxed with an unmade bed. So, make your bed, plump up those fancy cushions and see how beautiful your room looks – notice how happy you feel.
Choose Happy Colours
You don’t have to paint your walls in bright colours if that’s not up to your taste. But choose colours that enhance your mood and make you feel positive. Colours can stimulate the senses while others will calm the mind. Colours also have an enormous impact on our emotions and our moods and according to Dutch research yellow and green are best for joyful emotions. But if you can’t opt for a statement wall then settle for a few accessories in those colours.
Perfect Lighting
Give your home a warm, cosy look with lighting that enhances some corners and gives a sense of cosiness to others. Avoid harsh lighting which can create an unwelcoming atmosphere. Stark white lighting from fluorescent and LEDs are known to trigger feelings of anxiety and melancholy. Use warm lighting instead that resembles natural light. Let in the sunlight during the day which is so good for our health and known to improve our mood considerably.
Display Sentimental Items
Looking at photos of your loved ones and the experiences you’ve had gives you an instant shot of happiness. Displaying sentimental items such as photos and other mementos with rich and wonderful memories attached to them creates a cycle of enjoyment as you relive all those wonderful memories, instantly putting a smile on your face.
Declutter
A clean and tidy house looks great, but it also makes you feel happy. Get into the habit of keeping your home clean daily and get rid of the clutter. Clutter has a way of stimulating your brain with anxiety and guilt as you look around and think that the work is never done. Clutter is also associated with high levels of stress. Get rid of the stuff you don’t need or don’t bring you any joy and increase your happiness at home.
Add Flowers & Grow Plants
Research shows that being out in nature boosts your happiness levels. So why not bring nature into your home and grow some plants indoors to boost your wellbeing. Plants purify the air you breathe, reduces stress and generally make you feel happier.
Adding some pretty flowers to your home is another great way to feel happy. Flowers boost positive emotions, and they look great in any home.
Create A Space For You
It’s vital for your well-being to find some time for yourself which can be hard in a busy household. Create a space just for you, so that you can spend some time alone – to gather your thoughts, read and mull over a cup of coffee or even to work on your creative hobbies. Research shows that creative endeavours spark happiness and just like meditation it calms the mind. If you can’t get a whole room to yourself, then make yourself comfortable in a corner decorated and created just for you.
Listen To Your Favourite Music
Music has many benefits for your health and wellbeing, including relieving stress and anxiety. Listening to our favourite tunes will always bring a spring to your step and brighten your mood. So, it’s a great idea to invest in a pair of good speakers and a sound system. But be mindful that good old peace and quiet also does wonders for your mind. Make sure that areas of your home are noise-free like your bedroom or a quiet room for reading or meditation.
Create New Experiences
Spend time with old friends and invite them over. Spending time with family and friends creates harmony, and it elevates your mood while creating new experiences. Get to know your neighbours and establish meaningful and helpful relationships with them. Spend on things that create positive experiences in your home – like getting comfortable seating so that the family can chill and watch DVD’s on a big screen TV or invest in board games for fun family time. Although this goes against decluttering, sometimes it’s good to invest in things that will create happy experiences and memories for you and your family.
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