One of the most beautiful things about your home is that it’s a unique reflection of your values, priorities and your lifestyle. 

Creating a home that nurtures your overall sense of health and wellness is a worthwhile goal for every homeowner and it’s pretty simple to do if you follow these tenets – which can be applied regardless of your style, aesthetic preferences or even the functional requirements in your home. 

Here are my best and most simple tips for creating an atmosphere that fosters a greater sense of wellness:

1. Determine HOW You Want Your Home to Feel

It’s a privilege to have a home where your family can retreat to, feel safe, secure and loved.  Now you can take that feeling of welcoming even further and cultivate a calming, nourishing and restorative environment.  Keep your living spaces clean, clutter-free and quiet to reduce your stress and the anxiety of those who come in.  You’ll feel better physically, mentally and emotionally – and so will your family and guests.

2. CREATE Peace of Mind

While food, water and shelter remain the most fundamental human needs, taking small steps to create a home that is a little more self-sufficient can contribute to a greater feeling of safety and security.  The notion of creating a safe home extends beyond the security cameras you’ve installed. 

These uncertain times have seen a resurgence of people growing and even raising their own food.  You can experiment with container gardening or learn about community sponsored agriculture in your area or you may want to dedicate a portion of your own garden to growing veggies and herbs for use when cooking.

If your current kitchen storage area is insufficient, consider installing a pantry or transforming a closet so you can stock more staple items in bulk for added food security.  If you have a cold-storage area, you can store certain vegetables and even some fruits long into the winter months. 

Investing in a box freezer and shifting your cooking habits to freeze stews, soups and sauces reduces overall meal preparation time and increases your peace of mind when it comes to feeding your family.

Having a couple of weeks of an emergency supply of water is another anxiety-reducing strategy.  Alternatively, a filtration system can come in handy if you have access to fresh water.         

Generating your own electricity allows you to be less dependent on the larger system for energy.

Investing in a generator will provide a sense of security.  With no need to worry about food loss since the freezer, refrigerator and heat will keep running in the event of a power outage.  Be sure to create a regular maintenance schedule to ensure you have the appropriate fuel.

3. Define Home Zones

Sharing space with the entire family at home during these past long months has been a unique challenge.  People have been working, learning and meal-prepping in the same area.  With multiple tasks happening simultaneously in common areas, our stress levels have been pushed to the point of breaking.  This emphasizes the importance of creating specific zones in the home to maintain a semblance of order.

If you have a spare room, consider transforming it into an office or work space to keep your kitchen table for eating and sharing quality time together. 

If you have room in your living area or family room, consider adding in a desk to create a designated office space or classroom/homework area. 

Investing in helpful storage options such as closed cabinetry or even open shelving with baskets which are affordable, easy to access and have a decluttering purpose helps keep everyone organized and prevents the house from becoming overrun with the business of the day.

It’s also important to keep sleeping spaces sacred and reserved for rest and rejuvenation.  Blue light from devices have a negative effect on our circadian rhythm and makes it more difficult to enjoy a restful sleep – which you need to stay healthy.  

For the best, most rewarding sleep and restful rejuvenation, keep your bedroom device free – and even television free if possible.  It’s difficult to relax at the end of the day if you’re looking at a pile of work that needs your attention or if your notifications are pinging at all hours. 

4. Bring the Outdoors Indoors

Not only are houseplants a cost-effective way to transform how your home feels, adding greenery to your living spaces reduces stress and anxiety plus it improves your air quality. Nature inspired artwork can also contribute to your overall feelings of wellness and bliss. Add a sense of connection to nature by utilizing natural materials in your home décor. Linen, cotton, wool, raw wood, marble and granite, beeswax candles, a tiny bubbling fountain, essential oil scents – all these can contribute to your own sense of well-being and will have your family and guests feeling loved and supported too.

If you’d like some help creating blissful, rejuvenating spaces in your home, I’d be delighted to chat.  Contact me to schedule your FREE ‘Create Your Sanctuary’ Consultation and we’ll put together an action plan within your budget.

About The Author

Ann Powell is a Certified Interior Decorator, Hunter Douglas Design Consultant with Decorview Canada.  She’s also the Founder of Home Healing Hues and Everything Home.  Ann is deeply passionate about creating living spaces that are sanctuary, healing spaces for her clients and those recovering from serious illness. She specializes in decorating and decluttering homes as well as staging them for the quickest sale and maximum profit.