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10 Tips for a More Peaceful Home Environment
Today I read a great article in the September 2010 edition of Whole Living:
Body + Soul in Balance magazine surrounding making your home a more serene place. Thought you may enjoy the 10 tips as presented by Whole Living Senior Editor Sarah Engler:
1. Create a happy zone -- "Whether it is a whole room, a nook, or just a chair, make one spot in the house your personal place for peace and joy," suggests motivational speaker and founder of Throwoutfiftythings.com. " Everyone in the family should know that when you are there, you are not to be disturbed."
2. Make your bed every day -- "The state of your bed reflects the state of your head," says Zen Buddhist priest and author Karen Maezen Miller.
3. Let the natural light be your morning alarm clock -- Rather than wake in the dark because your room is shaded by blackout shades awake with natural light. This is a gentle way to be awakened.
4. Declutter using emotion as your guiding principle. "Consider how each possession makes you feel. Don't keep things with negative energy" or memories writes Engler.
5. End each evening by performing a completion ritual -- "Make it something you know you should do but don't always--like washing all the dishes in the sink or hanging up clothes. It will help your mind recognize that the day is finished."
6. Keep houseplants or flowers -- Studies have shown that the presence of plants significantly reduces stress.
7. Use a kitchen timer for tasks that make you cringe--"Whether it's a mountain of laundry waiting to be folded or weeks of mail and magazines to be sorted through...set a timer for 15 or 20 minutes to make a dent in your chore list."
8. Set up a landing strip--"If you have an organized place (like a basket and a few hooks) for keys, sunglasses, mail and all those other things you dump right after you walk in the door, you'll put the kibosh on frazzled mornings."
9. Unplug electronics when not in use-- "All the humming turns your home into a 'temple of electronic stimulation,' Miller says. Better yet, keep televisions and computers out of the bedroom entirely, for sounder sleep."
10. Surround yourself with calming colors--"Hotter tones, like yellows, oranges, and reds can actually raise your blood pressure. For rooms where you'll want to relax, opt for walls and furnishings in purples, greens and blues."
Wishing you luck as you enhance and enjoy your home!!
Tips taken from: Whole Living: body + soul in balance, September 2010 print edition, Volume 27, Issue 7, pp.82-84. No Place Like Home written by Sarah Engler.
-Post by: Jen Engevik of Team Project BE Bold