With minimalism trending and many of us still working from home, we're all taking a long, hard look at our living spaces and wondering, How can I create a more peaceful home environment? Since so many of us have spent so much time at home in recent years, it has helped emphasize the importance of having a living space we actually enjoy spending time in.
So as we clear clutter, dust our corners, and add colorful tulips to glass vases, what action steps can we take to create a calm, peaceful space? Start with these six tips.
1. Clear out and donate anything that doesn’t bring you joy
As Marie Kondo famously said, “Does it spark joy?” If not, get rid of it! This can apply to your clothes, wall decor, kitchen utensils, and little knick knacks lying around your house.
If you don’t use something or don’t feel joy when you look at it (or wear it), disposing of it will not only clear clutter, but help create a calm environment. Of course, as the saying goes, one person’s trash is another person’s treasure, so donate what you no longer want, or even make a profit on a resale site like eBay or Poshmark.
Once you've cleared the clutter, you may be surprised by how much calmer you feel. And on the off chance that you suddenly feel that your living space is too sparse, you can slowly rebuild with purposeful, meaningful objects and clothing that you really love.
Clutter-clearing can help make you home feel much more peaceful
2. Give your windows a nice, thorough cleaning
When was the last time you cleaned your windows from the outside and the inside? If you’re thinking to yourself that it’s been quite a while, consider adding this task to your spring cleaning checklist, or hire a window washer.
Studies show that the very act of looking at nature can help us feel calmer, so the clearer the view of the trees and birds outside your window, the better. Plus, bright sunlight streaming through a freshly cleaned window is a balm for the soul.
If the idea of actually cleaning your windows sounds too daunting, you can always hire a window washer, or ask a few friends to come over and help you. You can buy them pizza (or treat them to a spa day!) as a thank you.
Washing your windows can help clear up your view of nature
3. Clean up every night
The last thing most of us feel like doing after a long day is cleaning, but hear us out: If you clean up every day — or better yet, throughout the day — your home environment will never get that dirty or cluttered.
This makes it so that you’ll never have one of those big, overwhelming cleanup days, and living in a clean, clutter-free environment can help make your home space feel more comfortable, and like a space you always want to be in.
If nighttime isn't the best time of day for you, you can also use the early morning hours to clean up. This can be especially helpful if you have kids, and can do this before they wake up.
Cleaning up every night or every morning can help keep your home in a constant state of peace and calm.
4. Prioritize neutral tones
If you love color, you can ignore this tip, but the neutral tones used in more minimalist home designs can help bring a sense of calm and peace to your environment.
Think black, white, off white, beige, gray, and shades of brown. If you love color, try adding pops of color throughout your home, like a color coded bookshelf or a vibrant piece of art. That way, you’ll get the calming home experience with a little flare thrown in.
You can also consider neutralizing your wardrobe a bit, which can make the experience of opening your closet and picking out your clothing in the morning more peaceful.
Neutral tones can help creative a calming vibe in your home.
5. Invest in your bedroom
It’s hard to feel calm if you’re not getting enough sleep, so we would argue that as you work to make your home a calmer, more peaceful space, you should first focus on your bedroom. Invest in blackout shades, which will stop too much light from creeping in.
Use earplugs if you deal with street noise, noisy neighbors, or a snoring bed partner. Paint your walls a calming color, like a light blue or a neutral tone. Invest in a white, minimalist bedspread — if you’ve ever noticed that hotel bedding is white, there’s a reason for that: People actually sleep better in white bedding.
Finally, lighting is everything! Overhead lighting can be harsh, so buying lamps that emit enough light and also the right amount of ambiance is key.
A calm bedroom is everything
6. Light scented candles or diffuse essential oils
When it comes to creating a peaceful home environment, scent can go a long way. Scents like lavender, rosemary, vanilla, jasmine, and cinnamon can all be relaxing to the senses, so light scented candles that emit these scents or diffuse essential oils.
And if you want to take things to the next level, buy dried lavender, rosemary, or jasmine flowers and spread them around your home.
You can also invest in dried lavender sachets that you can keep in your dresser and other drawers so every time you open them you get a nice, calming smell—even if the drawer itself is a little cluttered!
Candles can be oh-so-calming
7. Hire a professional organizer
If you have the means to do so, hiring a professional organizer can help take your environment from cluttered and chaotic to organized, clean, and calm.
By working closely with them, you can organize your home in a way that’s tailored to your specific wants and needs, creating the peaceful home environment you’ve always dreamed of.
If a professional organizer is beyond your means, recruit a few friends or family members—the super-organized ones, preferably—to decide on an organization action plan.
Want more tips for living a calmer, more organized life? Check out our blog posts on these topics: