The holidays have come and gone and we have been back into the grind of work and school for a few weeks now. I’m balancing a household and a business, running kids in all different directions with multiple sports, theater and music sessions, and attempting to train a very high energy dog. The chaos has set back in and it has me hit hard. I thought I'd share a few of my favorite ways that I try to reign in that chaos and keep some peace in our home. After all a home is supposed to be our refuge, a place where we feel joy, and at ease. It’s where we can escape the world and cherish some time spent with our loved ones.
Conquer the Clutter
A cluttered home affects our stress levels in many ways. If you have been hit by the Marie Kondo bug, like I have, you’ve probably already started the process of decluttering. Marie recommends starting with your clothing, I love this concept as it can help us decipher what we truly love and need, making the process easier as we move through each category. Her process of thanking an item before we let it go gives us a better appreciation of the things we have. Attempting to de-clutter a whole home can be an overwhelming and long process, I recommend tackling it one room at a time, setting a few rooms as priority. Your entry should be at the top of that list, as it sets the mood when you first walk through the door and speaks volumes to your guests. Keep things simple and make sure everything has a home. I also like to put the bedroom high on the list, we spend a great amount of time here and having a clear space as we make our way to bed can affect our sleep. Take some time to tackle the clutter in your home and you’ll feel a great weight lifted of your shoulders. Check out this article from Psychology Today to learn more about how clutter affects our mood and get tips on how to conquer it.
Light a Candle
There is something so calming to me about candle light. The warm light, softly flickering and the uplifting aroma get me every time. I love a simple beeswax tealight or pillar, but some of my favorite scented candles are from Vancouver Candle Company & Natura Soy, both use soy as a base and natural wicks that reduce the release of toxins into our living environment. Dim the lights, ditch the screens and light your favorite candle you’ll soon feel the shift to a more peaceful state.
Play Music
We love music in our home and it is amazing what a difference it can make in ones mood. I love choosing uplifting music in the morning, and calming music at nighttime. Have you checked out Marconi Unions "Weightless"? Its an 8 minute song, that has been shown to reduce anxiety. If I am having a stressful day or trouble sleeping it's my go to. With all the streaming platforms you can easily find a genre for any mood, just be careful because playing sad music could actually make you more depressed.
Plant Power
Studies have shown that having plants in our environment can affect our mood, concentration and even our memory. It’s said that the sight and the presence of natural elements can help reduce stress. Try adding a few live plants to your space, not only do they create a calming effect they also help purify the air. Personally, I don’t have much of a green thumb, but I still like to add some greenery to my space, I am always on the look out for great, realistic looking artificial plants. I’ll also hit up the florist once in a while and grab some fresh flowers, or a few sprigs of greenery, they can be cost effective and easily replaced when I forget to change the water, some of my favorites are silver dollar or seeded eucalyptus, olive branches and certain varieties of palms and ferns, ask your florist what they recommend.
Treat Yourself
Whether it’s sneaking away at lunch for a yoga class, a hot bath at the end of the day or taking a mommy time out to enjoy a few sips of coffee while its still hot. We need to give ourselves time to breath, all to often we get caught up in the day and before we realize we haven’t given person #1 the attention they deserve. It's important to make time for yourself, try to do something for yourself daily and the entire family will reap the rewards.
Plan, plan, plan
I don’t like surprises, if I can do anything to prevent stress it’s making a plan. Whether it's meal planning , creating a budget and planning our purchases or sitting down and going through our weekly commitments in the calendar. Life will always throw us curve balls, but if I have a plan for the week ahead I feel a lot better and more able to tackle those mishaps or proverbial curve balls. Take some time every week to sort out the days ahead, things may start to run smoother and you might just find a little extra time in your schedule for that self care I was telling you about.