7 Simple Ways to Create A Stress-Free Home

Pamela Pierce Veranda Magazine

When you come home from a long day at work, the last thing you need is to feel stressed out in your own home.  We show you a couple ways that you will be able to transform your home into a place that makes you feel happy, comfortable, and a place that you'll enjoy spending more time in. If you don't want to wait another moment to begin experiencing the benefits of living in a peaceful home. Here are 7 simple ways to add a calmness to your home today.

Eliminate the Clutter

One of the most important things you need to do if you want to de-stress in your home is to de-clutter. Go through your house, room by room and get rid of the things you no longer want or use. If you have a hard time parting with certain items, ask yourself why this is. Perhaps there is a deeply-rooted reason why you hang on to things you don't need or even really care about, for that matter. If you have gifts, photographs, or any type of memorabilia that links you to a negative time in your life or a failed relationship from your past, consider getting rid of those items and look ahead to a more positive future. Once you've de-cluttered your home, you will be able to focus on more important things than what is happening with the things in your home.

Use Soft, Natural Lighting

Harsh, fluorescent lighting doesn't make for a very pleasant atmosphere--instead use softer or natural lights to brighten your home. Utilize the sunshine as much as possible by keeping blinds or drapes open. Consider adding skylights to your home--eliminating the need for so many artificial overhead lights. In the evenings, use lamps with low-wattage bulbs to light up your rooms.

Introduce Crystals into Your Décor

Crystals are a nice, simple way to bring light into your living space. In the bedroom, opt for stones like rose quartz, watermelon tourmaline, or rhodocrosite to encourage love and romance. If you have a home office or library, place stones like clear quartz, citrine, yellow calcite, jade, or tiger eye around your desk.  Crystal clusters are ideal in rooms where family members gather, while points and tumbled stones are better suited for bedrooms, bathrooms, and home offices. Trust your intuition when selecting crystals for your home--you can't go wrong when it comes to choosing and placing them.

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Make the Entryway Welcoming

Since the entryway to your home is usually the first thing that you see when you get there, make it warm, inviting, and visually appealing. Keep shrubs, and trees neatly trimmed if they're near your front door, and make sure your door is in good working order. Consider painting the main entry to your home in a color and shade that makes you feel welcome and comfortable--and adorn the space with a nice piece of artwork, a plant, or vase of flowers set atop a small table.

Create Magic with Mirrors

Mirrors are an excellent way to add more space into your home because they reflect the light and they can make a space look much bigger than it actually is. Mirrors can be used to illuminate a dark space, open up a cramped room, or fill in the "gap" of an oddly-shaped room--an "L" shaped room, for example.

Pay Attention to Furniture Placement

Furniture placement can promote quiet time for yourself, or conversation with others, so pay special attention to the way your furniture is situated and decide whether or not you need to make some changes. No matter what room you are in your home, your back should never face the door if you're seated or lying down. Place your bed on the opposite side of the room from the door, not across from it--and be sure that when you're lying down that you're facing the door and not looking away. The same rule applies to the living room, family room, and home office. Sofas, chairs, and desks should be positioned so that their facing the entryway of a room. Having your back towards the door may make you feel insecure and uneasy--and it doesn't make other family members and guests feel welcome when they enter.

Transform Your Space with Color

Color has the ability to invoke certain emotions and feelings in people. Choose colors for the rooms in your home that induce the kinds of emotions you want to have when you're in them. Red, for example, is a very stimulating and sometimes over-bearing color, while blue is soothing, gentle, and relaxing.

Creating a home that reduces stress will make a big impact in the long.  Changes to your home will make the entire family feel peaceful, relaxed, and at home in their surroundings.

Guest post from Bailey Harris. Bailey writes for AreaRugs.com.

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