With life getting busier than ever, people are always looking for ways to reduce stress. Maybe you’re already doing daily exercise and yoga. Now what? Redecorating your home can reduce stress levels and make your space a personal sanctuary. Walk into an overly cluttered room, and you can practically feel your blood pressure rise. Dedicating just 15 minutes each day to de-cluttering helps bring your stress levels down. Make your home the oasis it’s meant to be with these helpful decorating tips.
Keep It Calm
Visual clutter in your home can be caused by too many bold patterns. For a more calming environment, choose throw pillows, rugs, bath towels, and bedspreads in soothing solid colors. Keep bookshelves half-empty too. Too many knick-knacks defeat the purpose of your stress-free, minimalist décor approach. Additionally, consider limiting the number of mirrors you have in your home (beyond the bathrooms). It’s natural stress relief at its finest.
Add a Little Green
Houseplants — especially those like anthurium — are known for decreasing stress levels, so why not pick out a few of your favorites? Whether it’s a large fiddle leaf fig tree or a small succulent for the kitchen window, adding some green to your home has a calming effect and makes for cleaner air. Fresh flowers also do the trick and provide natural beauty. Grab your favorite blooms the next time you’re out to add a fresh bundle to your kitchen or bedside table.
Blue Is Best
Although you may love bright and bold colors, those hues can shock the system and ramp up your anxiety. Instead, try painting yourself peaceful with a shade of blue. The color blue has been linked to reduced blood pressure and stress and increased sleepiness, making it an ideal bedroom color to help you unwind and drift off to dreamland.
Placement Is Key
Turn to the ancient Chinese practice of feng shui to achieve harmony in your home by learning how the proper arrangement of furniture helps ensure a relaxing flow of energy throughout your living space. Feng shui enthusiasts say you should position your bed on the opposite side of the room from your door, but not directly opposite, to create a relaxing flow in your room. While you’re at it, hide technology when you can. Keep cords in a drawer out of sight, and place your TV in a media cabinet. Closing the cabinet also decreases your temptation to turn it on the moment you walk in the door.
Calming Scents
Wondering how to reduce stress instantly? Make use of aromatherapy. Scents that help induce relaxation include rose and chamomile. Lavender has a significant transient effect of improving mood and relaxation. Keep a bundle of fresh or dry lavender in your bedroom or even in your dresser drawers to ease anxiety. Alternatively, diffuse essential oils in your bedroom at night while you sleep or first thing in the morning for a natural boost of energy. Adding candles to any room instantly invokes peace — and they look great too.
Turn to CORT Furniture Rental for solutions to organize one room or your entire home. With coordinated living room sets and comfy bedroom pieces, it’s easy to create the space you desire that’s functional and a place to put your feet up!
