With the COVID-19 pandemic continually underscored by health protocols, new variants, and other global crises, it’s normal for you to have an increased craving for a stress-free life. You know that avoiding stress altogether is impossible, but surely there are things you can do to minimize it in your personal life, right? Fortunately for you, there are choices you can commit to in your home life that can make the stressors around you feel more manageable.
After all, your home is supposed to serve as a sanctuary. It’s where you should find rest and opportunities to practice self-care. In case your current home is a far cry from this, here are the four changes you should consider making:
A Quiet Neighborhood
Whether you realize it or not, your immediate environment can impact the level of peace you enjoy in your home. If you live in a neighborhood that has unbearable noise pollution and safety hazards, it’s only natural that you can’t enjoy your home life.
Moving to a quiet neighborhood that enjoys a sense of community may be a big and expensive move, but it’s one you won’t regret making. This investment can positively impact your health, happiness, and career opportunities, giving you worthwhile value for your money.
Make a checklist before you go looking for your ideal neighborhood. It’s by identifying your wants and needs that you make the most important realization. Maybe you don’t actually have to move to the suburbs, just to a different part Sydney. Perhaps the best choice is for you to move to a new region altogether, and it’s the house and land for sale that appeals to your needs. It’s hard work, but when you find the ideal environment, you won’t regret it.
A Low Maintenance Home Design
It could be that you already live in a fine neighborhood. The ambiance is peaceful and the people are nice. What’s stressing you out might be the effort it takes to keep your house in top condition. There’s dust accumulating in hard-to-reach areas, and stains require expensive products to remove. The solution? Switch to low maintenance alternatives; this is true in every aspect of your home, from your furniture and appliances to your wallpaper and flooring. Make maintenance a top consideration in your refurbishment efforts. The less effort you have to exert into cleaning, the more time you’ll have to actually put your feet up and relax.
A Streamlined Interior
Here’s another truth that could be difficult to swallow: you invested so much time and energy decorating your home, only to discover that you don’t like it. Or maybe you did like it once, but your style has evolved since. The pop of colors you were so proud of before creates distraction now. You want to try something more subtle and minimalist to reflect your style, so if that’s what it takes, then do it. Maybe you haven’t heard it before and you need to hear it now: it’s important that you live in a house you like. Otherwise, you’re likely to feel depressed and crave for something better.
When you finally take up that paint brush (or hire a contractor to do it for you) make sure that you follow certain design rules, like sticking to a pallet and playing with multiple shades. Be strategic about what your preferences in terms of aesthetic, and avoid themes. A streamlined interior that complements your personality is one sure way to create happiness in your home.
An Organized System
Even a pretty home can be stressful when it’s disorganized. While you’re in the process of refurbishing, don’t forget to come up with systems that will make your daily life easier. This could be something as simple as buying more shelves for your things, or rearranging your entire home to cater to your needs.
The main idea is to make your home arrangement work for you instead of the other way around. This spares you from needing to develop new habits based on a home design that doesn’t quite fit your lifestyle. If you’re used to dropping off your keys and bags near the door, then put a table near your entryway. Stop forcing yourself to keep these items on you until you reach your bedroom when you automatically drop them as soon as you get home.
Stress-Free Living is Simple
Stress-free living is possible when you make practical–and sometimes costly–changes in your home. It’s the minor nuisances you neglect that tend to add up and make bad day worse. As soon as you address these nuisances and commit to the changes that work for you, it won’t be long before you realize how much happier you’ve become.
