New Year, New Home
New Year, New Home
Are you a hoarder, a clutter bug, or just down right messy? Do you find it difficult to part with scraps of paper, old clothes, books that you'll never read again? A disorganised home can distract you from your real interests and damage your chances of success. Put a spring into your interior space this January and create a calming, healthy home
Clear out the clutter
Banishing mess will make you feel more in control and happier in your surroundings. A better-organised life will give you time to do the things you really enjoy.
Start by identifying the areas in your home that need work and list them in a notebook. Then find large bags or boxes and a rubbish sack, label them and sort your clutter into the respective containers. Work for 15 minutes at a time then give yourself a break. It may take longer to get all your tasks done but you’ll be more likely to complete the tasks working in short bursts.
Once you have cleared the backlog of mess, set aside five to ten minutes a day to put things away as soon as you have finished with them – when your clean washing is dry put it in the cupboard straight away. When you have finished looking at a book put it back on the shelf.
Revitalise your home’s mood
The atmosphere of your living space does not remain static. When you invite people in, they bring their own energies with them. If this disrupts your home you need to know how to re-establish harmony and balance.
One way to revitalise your home’s mood is to maximise the amount of daylight that enters your home. Keep windows clean and free from obstructions and hang mirrors to reflect the light inside and bounce it around rooms.
Pay attention to the quality of air in your home too, open windows and doors to encourage air to circulate and buy plants – plants absorb toxins and also emit moisture which will counteract the dryness caused by central heating.
Give your home an instant lift with sweet smelling scents. Add a few drops of essential oil to an aromatherapy burner or to water in an atomiser that can be sprayed around the home.
Create a positive atmosphere
If the atmosphere in your home is stressful or stagnant, create a healthy energy flow and your home will be a more positive place to live in.
An uncluttered, thoughtfully decorated home will make you feel happy. If you choose décor that makes you feel good, you will naturally lift the atmosphere. Paint walls in your favourite colours and kit rooms out in comfortable furniture. Introduce touchy-feely textures through cushions, rugs and bed-linen to create a more tactile environment. Spend time and money on things that to like to get the look of your home just right.
Enhance your home’s spiritual side
Our home should be a reflection of our personality and history. It should be a welcoming space where we feel a sense of belonging.
Consider enhancing your home’s spiritual side this January by filling it with reminders and mementoes of your wider family circle – old photographs and heirlooms. Only display items that make you feel happy.
Filling our homes with symbols can also encourage the kind of feelings and qualities we need to create a positive atmosphere around us. If you’re religious, a picture of the Sacred Heart or a stone Buddha may make you feel safe and happy in your home – these symbols relate to who we are and what we believe in.
According to the principles of Feng Shui, symbols have a huge influence on our lives and placed in the right areas of our homes can bring health, happiness and even wealth. If you want a house that is passionate, warm and energetic fill it with fire symbols – candles, lamps and the colour red. If you want to create a home that’s supportive and nurturing, fill it with earth symbols such as pottery, stones, square shapes and the colours orange and brown. Of course a healthy home is all about balance and too much of one thing can be overpowering, so be mindful when introducing symbols or objects that will affect your home’s mood.