You Ask, We Answer: How Do I Decorate for a Relaxing Home?
Scrolling through social media, thumbing through interior design magazines, asking your Calcagni Real Estate agent for their opinions—however you get your inspiration for decorating your Connecticut home, you may not have given a whole lot of thought to how decor can help you de-stress. If you’re looking for more relaxation in your life, discover these small tweaks to help you decorate for a relaxing home.
De-clutter to de-stress
First thing’s first: When you walk through the door of your Connecticut home and are bombarded by the sight of clutter, it can increase your stress level. In other words, clutter=chaos.
Conquer the clutter in your home by designating intentional spaces for things that tend to accumulate, and for everyday items that have a habit of going missing (car keys, anyone?). Something as simple as a small accent table for daily mail with a bowl to catch your keys can go a long way in saving you time and space from everyday clutter. Be sure to go through your mail daily to keep it from feeling overwhelming, and get in the habit of leaving your keys in the bowl to prevent the panic that sets in when you need to leave the house but can’t locate your keys. (We’ve all been there!)
A simple coat and shoe storage solution can also help de-clutter your home. Keep frequently worn shoes on a shoe rack by the front door, and hang your coats on a standing coat rack or a wall-hung one. This prevents shoes from being scattered about and being tripped over, and coats strewn across furniture. You’ll leave and enter your home with less clutter—and that’s a great way to begin and end your day.
Embrace storage solutions
Just as something as simple as a coat or shoe rack can have a big impact on de-cluttering your home, smart storage solutions can keep your home looking tidy—and that may mean you feel more relaxed overall.
Re-decorating a family or living room? Consider built-in cabinets along one wall to help curtail clutter. These can be an ideal storage solution for keeping things you don’t use everyday out of sight: Puzzles and board games, magazines, blankets, even seasonal decor that’s out of season.
Not ready to call in a cabinet maker? No problem. You can still find smart solutions in coffee tables that open to reveal hidden storage space, couches that lift up to a hollow core to store blankets or pillows, and oversized woven baskets (with lids!) that help streamline odds and ends that land on surfaces and create that dreaded clutter-to-stress cycle.
Just add plants
There’s nothing like a little nature to promote relaxation. Bringing greenery indoors not only acts as nature’s air filter, but according to nbcnews.com, “Studies have proven that house plants improve concentration and productivity (by up to 15%), reduce stress levels, and boost your mood.”
You can add plants anywhere (everywhere!) in your home, or concentrate a few in the room you spend most of your time in. Not only will plants help filter your home’s air and help you decompress, but they really add warmth and personality to a space in a relatively inexpensive way. Nature for the win!
Carve out a quiet space
It may be a big ask to carve out a quiet space to relax in your home, but if you can—even if it’s as small as a window nook or a tiny corner of a room—it’s a great idea.
Set up a yoga mat or some pillows on the floor, drape a cozy blanket over a special chair you love to read in, or fill that pitcher with flowers on your designated work space. Carving out a quiet space at home doesn’t have to be a huge undertaking, but it can help create a sanctuary in your home that signals to your brain that it is the place you come to when you want to feel more grounded, and less stressed.
