You home should be the place where you’re the most comfortable; a haven. For many, however, this is just not the case. I’m not talking about some kind of family dynamics here. All of those stresses aside, some people really dislike the way their home makes them feel. Feelings of being overcrowded, hating all the small repairs that need tending to, and just overall displeasure with your home’s aesthetic can cause stress. Let’s talk about freeing yourself from the stress your home may be causing you.

Eyeglasses with mug on warm scarf

Unfinished projects

This is a real stress causer around my house. It seems so easy to see something on a home design show and think doing the same thing in your home will be easy. Many times you find after starting those “easy” projects you just get to a point where you stop. You’re reminded of how the project isn’t completed every time you walk into the room. There may be several such projects in your home.

To help you complete these projects, list each problem separately. Give yourself a timeline for completion. Put it on your calendar. Schedule and set aside time to tackle the projects one at a time. Keep to the schedule. Don’t start on trying to work on another incomplete project until the one scheduled is completed. Then mark it off the list and go to the next one. Be sure your timeline is realistic. If you schedule several hours in a day; you may burn out. Set aside as little as two hours on specific days to work on the project. You’ll be done before you know it.

Declutter, declutter, declutter

To maximize your space and minimize your anxiety; try decluttering. Do you have a collection of magazines you’ll never read again pilling up on your coffee table? Get rid of them. At least box them up and store them. While having cute pillows as room accessories is a great way to add flare to the room; too many pillows just add to clutter. They usually wind up on the floor so there’s more room on the couch for sitting. Edit your accessories around the room.

If you’ll get rid of the clutter in your living areas, you’ll feel like you’ve gained some extra square footage. Take a look around your room. Is there furniture in there that is truly not necessary. Do you have occasional tables that never see use? Ottomans that never have feet on them? Give yourself permission to purge items that are truly not used or needed. Think of adding hanging wall shelves instead of bookcases to open up space in the room. Keep the things that reflect your personality and taste and box up things that don’t.

Deep clean

After you’ve knocked out a project or two and gotten the clutter under control; it’s time to deep clean. This is another thing that you may want to do on a schedule. Nobody likes to clean and dust areas like baseboards and crown moulding. But; it’s a part of keeping your home fresh and inviting; even to you. You may want to choose the first Saturday of the month to thoroughly clean those baseboards. Get rid of cob webs and dust down the walls.

Depending on your pet situation, you may need to vacuum every other day or so. This is especially true if you have a dog that is a big shedder. If you have a puppy, there may be areas of your floors that have some stains from accidents. This can be especially troublesome on rugs. Spot treat any stains as they come up and you’ll be ahead of the game. If you’ve neglected truly cleaning these areas, it may be time to hire professional carpet cleaning services to get the job done right. Replacing carpet for an entire room will cost way more than hiring a professional to clean it.

Keep your kitchen counters clear and it will make cleaning much easier. If you have to move several small appliances, home décor, and the like just to get to all of the counter space; you’ll be less likely to do it. Set time to mop your hard surface floors as well. Again, once a month is probably often enough to stay ahead of the grime.        

Update your design

After you’ve completed cleaning and organizing your house, you can start to think about refreshing your design. An easy way to up the style in your living room is by adding new pillows and throws. These come in so many different styles, textures, and colors that can send your style in many directions. If you have a room that’s typically traditional in style, think about adding a faux fur blanket and a few tapestry pillows. It’s ok to add some funky elements to your traditional décor.

Rearrange your furniture and maybe add a shelf or two to the walls. Adding green plants not only give a room warmth and style, it also improves the air quality. Living plants are shown to reduce stress and no doubt give a room a finished look.

Make the changes that will turn you home into the haven you deserve.

 

 

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