7 TIPS FOR A CALM AND RELAXING HOME

I love new beginnings and  fresh starts. I create a few of them throughout the year. The beginning of the school year ( even though I don't have kids in school any more ), the beginning of each new season, and of course, the BIG one, New Years! With each new beginning, I reorganize, make new plans, celebrate the new, and create new intentions.  I love it! It always motivates me, inspires me, and challenges me to improve myself to be the person I want to be and to do my part in creating the life I want to be living!

So with the beginning of 2015, I have set new intentions for the New Year! In my last post I wrote about how I created  our spending plan for 2015. Today I'm going to share what I'm going to do to intentionally create a more relaxing atmosphere in our home. This may seem easier for us as a retired couple but even couples with children can do these 7 tips  to create a more calming and peaceful atmosphere in the home.

Scented candle in a vintage tin mold

Today's lifestyles can be frenetic, fast-paced, and stress-filled. So it's nice to come home to a place where you can feel relaxed and recharged. You can create your own little retreat.

How do you feel when you walk into your home? Calm and Relaxed? or Overwhelmed and Stressed? Christa, O Leary, Interior designer, conscious living expert, and founder and CEO of Home and Harmony Lifestyle, says, " Your home either nurtures and supports you or it depletes your energy and leaves you exhausted." So my plan is to create the kind of atmosphere in our home that nurtures and supports us...as well as being a  sanctuary for family and friends.

Yummy lavender buds in an antique wood scoop

7 Tips For A Calm and Relaxing Home Atmosphere

1) Keep rooms tidy...Disorganization and messes create stress. It depletes our energy in so many ways. I will discipline myself to pick up as I go through my day and put items where they belong. This will require that I'm organized in my spaces but that's another whole intention. The main idea here is to have neat spaces so we can feel more relaxed.

2) Play soft background music...Soft classical music playing in the background is calming and relaxing. I will play calming music every day in our home.

3) Light scented candles...Having the calming scent of beautiful aromas, will help to create a more relaxed atmosphere in the home. Lavender is a favorite of mine and a calming scent but I will also use seasonal ones to capture each season's scent. I also have a bowl of lavender buds in the living room. You can scoop up a spoonful and take a whiff! Instant relaxation!

4) Create appropriate lighting...I will make sure the lighting is appropriate for the room. Not so bright it seems like an auditorium, but not so dark that we can't see to read.

Lighting for reading

5) Create signs with Bible verses or words that bring a sense of calm...I will have signs or just words, that when read out loud, are reminders of how we want to live . I have the word "Relax" written out in scrabble letters on a table. It is a simple thing and yet reminds me to relax when I read it.

6) Keep plenty of plants and natural elements in the house...Plants refresh  and help re-oxygenate the air adding to the calming atmosphere. Having some natural elements in the home like natural wood bowls bring in nature's natural calming influence. I don't have much of a green thumb but I keep trying to have fresh plants around!

7) Open windows occasionally...I'll be letting the fresh air in to breathe in the relaxing scent of each season, even on occasion in winter for a short time. And we'll take some deep breaths to enjoy the freshness!

I'm off now to make sure I follow through with these simple steps. I'm looking forward to a more nurturing environment in 2015!