Even if you love your job, some days have you counting down the hours until you can get home, kick off your shoes and sink down into your favorite chair. Your home is your oasis, a place where you eat and rest, your break from the chaos of reality, and walking through the door should make you feel instantly like a weight’s been lifted from your shoulders. If your home isn’t quite the breath of fresh air you’d like it to be, fear not. There are a few small changes you can make to your home and how you approach it that can have you feeling like you’re on vacation as soon as your feet hit your doormat.
Take Care of Yourself First
When you’re at work your mind is probably focused on several different things. Your coworkers, your boss, your clients, the mountain of paperwork you have to get done. If having a to-do list ready to go on your desk as soon as you sit down sounds familiar, you may be approaching your home life in the same way. As soon as you get home you’re thinking about the chores you have to do, the dishes you need to wash, or who needs to be picked up from school the next morning. Just like at work, you make your list of tasks the priority instead of yourself. Take a few second to breathe deep and relax. Put on your comfy clothes, sit down in your chair, close your eyes, turn off your phone and take a few minutes to check in with yourself. How are you doing? How do you feel? Listen to yourself for a moment before you take care of the thousands of other things that you need to get done.
Get Organized
There’s a reason why walking into a clean, organized space puts your mind at ease. While your home doesn’t have to be immaculate all the time, having dedicated spaces for all of your things that are organized in a way that’s easy for you to access can do wonders for your stress levels. Not only does this make it easier for you to find things when you need them, but it fills you with a sense of mental togetherness. You also don’t have to worry about any guests that happen to stop by unannounced or rushing to do last minute cleaning at the end of your workday. Take inventory of the things that seem to be creating the most clutter in your home and do a little online research to determine which organizational methods will work the best for your space. There are dozens of websites dedicated to innovative storage solutions just waiting for you to browse.
Let a Little Light In
It’s a scientific fact — the more sunlight you’re exposed to, the happier you are. Decorating your space in a way that highlights the natural light coming in from your windows can go a long way towards making your space that much brighter at the end of the day. You don’t have to install a skylight in your living room, but getting hooks so you can tie back your curtains and remembering to pull up your blinds when you get home are easy solutions to brighten up your gloom. If it’s usually dark when you get home, consider investing in daylight tinted light bulbs. Unlike the slightly yellow tinted standard bulbs daylight tinted bulbs are meant to imitate the whiter, bluer tones of natural sunlight and can have the same effect. They’re also available in nearly any wattage you might need, making them an easy addition to that lamp by your favorite reading nook.
Make Your Home Feel like an Oasis for True Relaxation
To truly unwind after a long day, you can tweak your home environment to make it optimally relaxing. Make sure that you dress comfortably as well, and treat yourself to some luxury to truly make being home a treat!
What is your favorite end of day routine to relax? Where are your favorite places to relax in your home?
