By Sarah Nielsen, Interior Design Therapist – Fresh Interior Design
- Make sure your front door is in good repair.
- If it functions well, things will come in and out your life smoothly.
- If it sticks or you have to jiggle it, life will be full of small irritations.
- Keep your windows clean.
- The windows are the eyes of the home. They affect the way you view the world and life.
- Be aware.
- If something is not working in your life – look around your home to see what literally may be blocking you.
- Is there furniture standing in your way when you walk in the front door? Don’t be afraid to move things around and try out a new furniture placement.
- Be aware of too many patterns in your space – this can keep you from focusing.
- Try to look at your home with new eyes – as if you are seeing it for the first time. What would someone else say or think?
- Keep it organized.
- Create spaces and places for people to “make a clean mess”.
- Use baskets, bowls and decorative storage to store shoes, magazines, coupons, mail, keys or anything else that you need…but don’t need to look at.
- Ie: put a corkboard behind the pantry door to house all the birthday invitations and to do lists. GET them off the fridge…that creates clutter.
- Use drawer and closet organizers, etc.
- Clear the Clutter.
- Too much stuff in your home = too much stuff on your mind.
- Your stuff may literally, figuratively and emotionally weighing you down.
- Simplify your life. Get rid of what you are not using and you will get rid of what is not working in your life.
- A bonus…you will have less to dust!
- Clean out your closets, cabinets and drawers.
- Closets represent our subliminal mind. It is where we put the stuff we don’t want anyone to see.
- If your closet, cabinets and drawers are a jumbled mess, your mind will be too.
- Use the cardboard box test –Ie: want to get rid of clutter in the junk drawer – put all the contents of the drawer into a cardboard box – leave them their for a month – as you need something pull it out and put it back into the drawer – after a month – the things you didn’t use get donated or recycled.
- Organize your clothes closet by color and item. Mimic your favorite clothing store. Jeans, shoes, tops and handbags should all have their own section. Separating them by color also helps us coordinate our outfits better.
- Make sure your shoes face out, that will keep you going in the right direction.
- Use this same idea in your linen and coat closets.
- Dress your home for comfort.
- Add fabrics that feel good. Think the cashmere sweater vs. itchy wool.
- A cozy blanket, a soft pillow or sheets all make us feel good.
- Use natural fibers.
- Add COLOR!
- Surrounding yourself with your favorite colors inspires your hopes and dreams.
- Paint a room, toss in a pillow or throw blanket …add color in a small doses if you are afraid to paint a whole wall.
- Use a dash of red in the bedroom to spice up your love life.
- Use a calm blue to create a tranquil restful retreat.
- Use a soft green to keep a colicky baby from crying.
- Add light to your home.
- Add mirrors to lighten up a dark hallway.
- Add dimmer switches and lamps to create mood lighting.
- Add candles or flameless candles to create warmth – Soy candles are best.
- Pay attention to light bulb wattage and use energy saving bulbs.
- Open up the drapery or blinds and let the sunlight in. This is also a great way to bring the outdoors inside.
- Add a life force to your home.
- Pets and plants bring good energy and life to a home.
- Certain plants can actually increase the indoor air quality in your home.
- The money tree – the jade plant – is excellent for enhancing fortune.
- Avoid spiky plants in confined areas; they can cut up a space.
- Add real flowers and get rid of dead or dried flowers – they represent death.
- Add a mirror.
- If you want to lose weight – add a mirror to your kitchen or pantry – to help you make healthy food choices.
- Every time you go to get something to eat, you will be forced to look at yourself and reminded to make healthy choices.
- NOTE: When hanging, make sure the mirror does not cut your or anyone else head off.
- Move your furniture around.
- A room should be open and inviting.
- In living room – Make sure you don’t have a sofa blocking the entry to space.
- In an office – Make sure you can see the door to the room. You don’t want people coming up behind you and scaring you.
- Create a personal space.
- Whether it is a corner of room or your favorite chair. Create a personal time-out for yourself.
- Stock it with your favorite things – a warm cozy blanket, a good book, a pair of cashmere socks.
- Bring in what you LOVE, but don’t go overboard.
- Less is more. A little goes along way.
- If you add to much of one thing (Ie: roosters in a kitchen) things get lost, create focal points to highlight special things. They will stand out more. AND you will have less to dust!
- Use pictures and decorative objects to symbolize what you want to bring into your life.
- Create space for something or someone new.
- If you are single and want a partner, or if you are trying to get pregnant. Make sure you have space for someone new.
- Clear out a space in your closet, clear out a new room, etc.
- Need a new business partner – add new desk to your office.
- Create balance & harmony in your home.
- Make sure your bed has 2 nightstands, 2 lamps, 2 alarm clocks, etc. Whether you are single or married, this creates space equal for each person and will keep you balanced.
- Pay attention to pairs. If you want to equality in your space, create equal spaces with pairs of chairs, candles holders, etc.
- Clean up after yourself and encourage others to do the same.
- If you put the dishes in the dishwasher after you eat you are more likely to feel full.
- If you make a sandwich, put all the fixings away. Leaving them out, will entice you to come back for another sandwich.
- If your home is picked up, others will feel more inspired to keep it that way.
- Sleep in a DARK room.
- Get rid of the digital alarm clock with snooze button – the blaring lights from our digital alarm clocks can actually keep us up at night.
- Instead use a battery operated decorative alarm clock with no snooze button. You will get easier AND sleep better.
- Close the drapery tight. Use black-out liners to keep the room dark.
- Studies show you will sleep more soundly a dark room.
- Make your bed every morning.
- You will feel less tired and more awake all day.
- An unmade bed is more welcoming to climb back into. A dressed bed takes more effort to get into.
- Close the toilet seat lid.
- Keep the toilet seat lid closed when not in use. It keeps things from “going down the toilet”.
- Use Eco-Friendly Products
- Low VOC paints
- Green cleaning products
- Pay attention to the chemicals that are used in carpet and floor glue, etc.
