There’s never been more written about personal development than now.
There are thousands of books on this topic and the internet is full of mindset tips, template affirmations and morning routines.
And yet, not many people seem to realise that there is a link between their mental well-being and…the state of their homes.
The truth is, your environment has a colossal effect on how you feel, how you think, whether you’re productive, and even your creativity levels.
Imagine trying to work in a dark and ugly room with loads of loose paperwork and bills flying around your desk, old notes everywhere, dozens of used pens, sticky and dusty surfaces.
Gloomy. Overwhelming. Stressful. Daunting. Sensory overload. Chaotic. These are just some of the words that come to mind when I think of that room.
Now picture a room that’s bright and clean. Your desk is dust-free and smells nice. There’s nothing on the surface that’s not needed there – only your laptop, a notebook and a pen. The décor is calming and bright.
Your home can either inspire you or make you feel flat like a pancake.
I think it’s fair to say that the second room will have a much better effect on your mental well-being.
Being the organised Virgo freak that I am, I’ve tried and tested many strategies to transform my home so that it enhances my lifestyle and supports my daily activities, instead of hindering them. So here are my top tips.
Tip #1: If you only do one thing – keep your home clutter-free
If you do just this one thing, you’ll be 75% there.
Clutter not only causes distractions and mental overload, but it screws you up on a more practical level.
When you have stuff lying around everywhere, it becomes an enormous chore to clean your home. Nobody wants to spend the whole day cleaning, so it progressively becomes more dusty, sticky and dirty. It’s a lot more faff to vacuum and dust surfaces. And that in turn can trigger your asthma and allergies.
Get rid of your excess possessions and limit the number of items on display. For example, a flower vase is an appropriate display item. Pants and socks – not so much.
My entire 2-bedroom apartment takes 15 minutes to dust because there’s no ‘obstacle course’ when trying to clean.
Less clutter = more time, more space, better mental and physical health.
That’s a win-win if you ask me.
Tip #2: Use hidden storage solutions to maximise available space
Once you’ve decluttered, you can maximise your space further by choosing clever furniture with built-in storage.
Think: sofa, under-bed drawers, foot stools, coffee tables, TV stands, etc.
Have you ever thought about the possibilities more space could unlock for you?
Personally, I use my space to exercise at home. I do weight training, calisthenics and aerobic workouts. Doing it at home is as effective as going to the gym, not to mention that it saves a lot of money and there’s no travel time.
But the possibilities are endless.
Maybe you’ve always wanted to start painting, set up a home nail salon or learn to play an instrument. All of this requires space.
You’ll be surprised how much your life could change when you give yourself the gift of extra space.
Tip #3: How you organise your things inside the drawers & on the shelves matters
Always organise your belongings in a way that you can see them.
So in the drawers, stack vertically in a ‘file’ system. On the shelves, stack them on top of each other. It will stop you from having to chuck everything on the floor just to get to that one thing at the bottom!
You’ll have easy access to everything you own and realise how many clothes you forgot you had, just because they were buried!
Deciding how to stack your belonging is all about convenience.
So go ahead – make your life easier for yourself!
Tip #4: Vacuum your drawers
Drawers get dusty as fuck.
Now, this is going to sound crazy and a bit woo-woo, but I genuinely believe that everything around us has energy and that this energy affects us.
When I’m in a dusty and dirty room – I feel it. It feels icky and makes me want to have a shower.
The same goes for hidden areas like drawers and cupboards.
Call me crazy, but when my drawers are messy – I feel off!
For this reason, I use trays for all the small fiddly things. It makes it super easy to lift everything and quickly vacuum underneath. A tiny little hand vacuum does the job perfectly and it’s actually fun!
Clean and well-organised drawers are bound to lift your mood.
Tip #5: The most frequently used items should be the most accessible
In other words: if you use your food processor once a year, don’t put it at the front of the kitchen cupboard!!
Assuming you’d need to access the cupboard once per day, you’d roughly get pissed off 364 times a year… That ratio ain’t favourable.
And that’s just one item we’re talking about. Imagine if all of your belongings are all over the place and you struggle to access them.
No wonder you’re angry!
Tip #6: Tidy up loose cables
DAMN. This truly makes a hell of a difference.
This is the icing on the ‘tidy’ cake.
Attach a cable tidy tray underneath your desk. Wrap loose cables with Velcro-type tape to get them off the floor. Have a couple of units to hide extension leads and plugs.
The result is truly jaw-dropping.
Tidy up all the loose cables and watch extra space magically appear in your home.
Tip #7: Decorate your home in a way that inspires you
If tidying up cables was the icing, this is the cherry.
I find that a cosy beautifully styled home where you love spending time not only inspires you but makes you want to keep it clean and tidy.
When you style and layer your bed, you’ll want to make your bed in the morning. If you have a beautiful coffee table with a stunning flower arrangement, you’ll want to wipe coffee stains off it. If your office room has calming artwork and colours, you’ll want to work there and keep it tidy.
Décor is the ultimate crème de la crème – which is why I kept it till last.
Designing the perfect interior doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated:
- Go on Pinterest and shortlist a few images of rooms you like the look of.
- Analyse what it is that you like about them. Is it the colour combination? Specific décor items? Layers and textures used? Or perhaps the way the furniture has been arranged?
- See how much of it you could replicate. Could a tin of paint help? Or a few inexpensive items to achieve that luxurious layered look you see in fancy hotels? Take a look at budget home stores and go rummaging in charity shops. Plenty of gems to be found there at a fraction of the price.
The pandemic has had an enormous effect on our day-to-day lives and we now spend more time at home than ever.
Make it your ultimate ‘oasis of calm’ and watch how your mental health improves.
Greetings! Very helpful advice within this article! It is the little changes that will make the most significant changes. Thanks a lot for sharing!