Remove Clutter and Organize
In the wise words of Marie Kondo, if it doesn’t “spark joy” consider removing it from your space. Start by looking around your home and compartmentalizing priority spaces. Maybe your bathroom is overdue for decluttering? Or that one drawer in your desk is overflowing with paperwork.
You’ll want to start by identifying spaces in your home that no longer serve their purpose so that you can make them work for you again. We all have that one junk drawer that becomes home to the miscellaneous things around our space, but if it’s become more of a source of stress than convenience it’s time to do a declutter. Start by looking at each item and asking yourself these questions: when was the last time you reached for it? What purpose does it serve? Why have you kept it around? If you don’t have any compelling answers it’s time to get rid of it.
If your closet is a consistent chaos of clothes, consider swapping your clothes out with the changing seasons so you can see more of what you own and make getting dressed in the morning easier. When it comes to decluttering, you want to aim at tackling one space at a time so you can truly focus on how to optimize that space so it works for your lifestyle.
Maximize Natural Light
We design our buildings to ensure plenty of natural light makes its way inside so luckily this one should be relatively easy to incorporate into your lifestyle. Research shows that natural light plays an important role in our health and helps to improve sleep, ward off seasonal depression and give our bodies the vitamin D they need.
Consider placing a comfortable reading chair in a bright corner of your home so you can soak up some sun during the colder months. A great way to brighten up your living space is to strategically place mirrors so they reflect natural light inside. And while light blocking shades might seem like a good idea when you want to sleep in, incorporating sheer drapes will help natural light filter into your space beautifully and ensure you’re getting that daily dose of vitamin D.
Add Plants
Adding plants to your home is an easy way to spruce up your living space. They make a space look beautiful visually by helping bring nature indoors, and they also have a positive effect on your health. Plants help purify the air and remove common toxins found indoors. They also help increase humidity by releasing water they take in back into the air which is vital in our cold and dry winters. Another added benefit of plants is that they help reduce noise pollution because their stems, leaves, branches and wood help absorb sound.
Some plants recommended for indoor spaces are Aloe Vera, Peace Lily, Spider Plant, English Ivy and Boston Fern as they excel at purifying the air in your home.
Create Designated Spaces
Whether you work from home or workout at home, creating designated spaces for the different activities in your life will help you separate work time from relaxation time. Many of us enjoy working from our laptop on the couch but doing so regularly can blur the lines between when work ends and personal time begins. Instead, try setting up a designated workspace with a desk, lamp and comfortable office chair. And hey, it’s an excuse to visit Homesense and buy some cute stationary for your new office space!
Creating a designated workspace will help you mentally get into work mode at the beginning of the day and also know when it’s time to shut off the computer and step away from work at the end of the day. This can also apply to other areas of your life. For example, creating a designated meditation or workout space that’s far away from electronics and distractions will encourage you to take time in your busy day to focus on your mental and physical health.