Stressed? Could it Be Your Home?

Clutter can make you feel overwhelmed.

Today was a nightmare. You worked overtime, and all you want to do is get home, crash on the sofa and chill. However, you walk into an overwhelming cave of stress when you get home. Maybe there are dishes in the sink, laundry piled up and people and pets who need from you. But you have nothing left to give, and you’re tired. Before the panic attack happens, you can fix this ugly mess (no pun intended) and de-stress your home environment.

First – you need to de-clutter. My friend Ilene is a professional organizer, and she says that a cluttered home is a sign of a cluttered mind and a cluttered life. So to reduce your stress levels, you need to reduce the amount of “stuff” that you own. Using some of Ilene’s tactics, I try to stay on top of my messes. Simple rules peeps, if you use it, clean it and put it away, NOW. Give yourself just 5 minutes a day to clean up an area that is stressing you out – maybe that junk drawer in the kitchen? Give yourself 30 minutes before you go to bed to clean just one area of your house, even if it’s a perfunctory hoovering. It helps, I promise.

Next, create a calm space for yourself. It doesn’t matter if you have an office job or work from home. You MUST have a calming space to call your own for downtime. Maybe it’s a corner of your bedroom or living room, or if like me you’re a nature girl, it’s a soothing outdoor area. Sometimes you feel like your home environment is super stressful because you just don’t know where to go to stop or slow down and chill for a few minutes. Using the whole house as an office (a mistake I’ve made but corrected) is confusing to those overworked brain cells, and prevents you from relaxing at all. Make a space for yourself, even just a cozy corner with a bean bag, where you can sit, unwind, read a book, or have a glass of wine after that long, long day.

I’ve said this before, but I repeat: Lay off the electronics and disengage from social media for a while. While chatting on Facebook and IG seems relaxing, if you are constantly online you can begin to feel anxious and depressed. Stop searching for other people’s lives and give yourself a break. Take a bath, read a book or magazine, get together with real live people. It’s better for you, I promise.

One more thing – natural light. If you work late hours, then you will have to figure this one out, maybe daylight bulbs? Sometimes hanging out in a darkened space feels cozy and safe. You’re hiding from the rest of the world, but without your knowledge, it is negatively impacting you. Invite natural sunlight into your living spaces. Vitamin D makes you happy, calm and even helps your circadian cycles.

So my friends, if you find yourself in a rut, and coming home is not the warm, welcoming place you want to be, make those changes now! Calm colors, cozy spaces, and less clutter will make coming home like warm, fuzzy hugs. Get your Vitamin D quota even if you have to step outside at lunch. And remember, home is where your heart is, so make it stress-free and happy.

Stay motivated and caffeinated!😉☕