How to Bring Positivity into Your Home

If you’ve been stressed lately, bring positivity into your home to transform your space. Check out these tips for how to bring positivity into your home!

There is nothing like coming home from a long, stressful day to a place that lifts your spirits and makes you feel at ease. In fact, 73% of people that are happy with their homes are also happy with their life. Now, more than ever, creating a happy home is essential, as many Americans are confined to their living spaces as a part of social distancing. If you’ve been feeling stressed lately, bringing positive energy into your home will transform your space into a safe haven where the rest of the world melts away. Check out these tips for how to bring positivity into your home!

Choose A Scent

Smells have been known to trigger memories and emotions more than any other scent, which is why choosing a scent that brings feelings of joy and happiness for your home is so important. Whether you are using a favorite scent from your past or choosing a new one altogether, there are plenty of ways to use scent in your home:

Decorate your living room space with scented candles. Popular scents such as vanilla and light floral are known to boost moods.
Scented plug-ins are a great way to bring your favorite scent into the bedroom.
Use scented soaps and bath bombs in your bathroom so you can soak in the tub.
Buy aromatherapy kitchen soap to make washing dishes a relaxing and joyful experience.

Get Organized

Take it from Marie Kondo: the art of tidying up really works! Messy clutter can cause feelings of stress and anxiety, so it’s important to clean up your space and establish a “home” for every item in your home. Studies have shown that it’s easier to fall asleep and get a full night’s rest in a clean room.

Here are some tips for getting organized:

Get into a routine of putting everything away before you leave in the morning. This lets you return home to a clean and organized home.
Donate clutter. There are tons of tricks for getting rid of barely-used items, such as donating any clothing item you haven’t worn in 6 months. Find a system that works for you and embrace the minimalist mindset when it comes to things.
Place clutter that you can’t get rid of, such as Christmas decorations or keepsakes, in large storage bins out of public view.

Utilize Natural Light

Take advantage of windows and other sources of natural light in your home. This will help you get the recommended 10 to 30 minutes of sunlight a day to help prevent Vitamin D deficiency. Other benefits from sunlight include boosting your energy, helping you sleep at night, and circadian rhythm regulation.

So what are some of the best ways to utilize natural light in your home?

Place large mirrors in rooms where light is scarce to help reflect more light into the space.
Use curtains or blinds on the window for when privacy is needed, but open them up when you are spending the day at home to let the light shine in.
Install daylight-tinted bulbs in spaces such as a home office or garage to help boost your productivity.

Set-Up Social Spaces

Making your home feel welcoming and inviting to visitors is another great way to spread positive energy. After all, it’s the relationships in our lives, not the things, that bring us the most joy.

Invest in social spaces in and around your home. Not every room has to be set up for visitors, but choosing one or two spaces and optimizing them for entertaining will help make your guests feel at ease.

Here are some ideas for social spaces:

Set up a grill in your backyard to encourage backyard barbecues.
Invest in a large table so all of your guests can dine together.
Consider getting a pet.
Set up furniture so that guests face each other.

Use Organic Shapes

Avoid sharp lines when decorating your home and instead embrace curved shapes. Humans are naturally weary of sharp lines and patterns, likely due to its association with a stress response to associate sharp things with danger.

Foster feelings of safety and security in your home by instead of embracing curved furniture and patterns.

Here are some ideas for utilizing organic shapes:

Display a curved headboard rather than a square one in your bedroom.
Use circular pillows on your couch.
Hang round objects such as frames and mirrors throughout your space.
Try ditching a traditional square area rug in favor of a circular one.

Making your house feel more like home will make you happier and more at ease. There are so many benefits to investing in your space and using design tricks to inspire these feelings of joy. For more ideas on how to bring positivity into your home, check out our visual below from The Zebra!

Please include attribution to TheZebra.com with this graphic.

Meet the Author

Karlyn is a writer who specializes in wellness and insurance spaces. She believes the best ingredients for success are passion and purpose.

5 Key Tips to Make Your Apartment More Productive

If you come home and you just feel lazy, then it’s time to make some changes. Follow these tips for making your apartment ore productive.

For a lot of people, an apartment is a place of immeasurable relaxation. We strive to come home to a place where we feel comforted and at ease. Because of that, however, our havens often turn into places where we collapse after school or work rather than step into a realm of productivity. As important as it is to unwind at the end of the day, it’s just as important to continue ticking off the things on your to-do list and accomplish your daily personal goals. If you find you’re just not as productive at home as you should be—whether you work or study from home or need to get more done once you’re home from work—take a look at these tips for making your apartment a place of productivity. Even with limited space, you can make your home a relaxing yet effective place.

Switch Up Your Lighting Choices

You may not realize it, but the lighting choices you make play a large role in your ability to be productive. When your lighting in your kitchen, by your desk, or wherever you’re trying to be productive isn’t well-lit, then you’ll have a hard time focusing. Do yourself a favor and give yourself a variety of lighting choices to choose from depending on what mood you’re trying to set—for example, bright lights for the morning (avoid fluorescents), focused lighting for your desk, and dim lighting for relaxation.

Declutter Vigorously To Be More Productive

A key aspect of a productive home is that the clutter is at an absolute minimum. You’ll be much more productive if you can swiftly find everything you need. If your home has any of the signs of too much clutter, then you need to take steps to declutter your space. A decluttered space means a decluttered mind, which makes for a much more productive you.

Make Your Workspace a Place You Enjoy

Whatever or wherever your workspace is—the kitchen, a desk, your craft area—make sure it’s an area you enjoy. If you dread sitting down at your desk to work on homework, or if your kitchen is too cluttered for cooking, then you have a problem. Your chair should be cozy, but not too cozy. Make sure you look forward to using your utensils, whether they’re pens or cooking knives or knitting needles. If you don’t enjoy using the space, you won’t be productive.

Decorate Inspirationally

Sometimes all you need for a productive hour is some inspiration. Put up some inspirational quotes, photos, or goals around your workspace so that you always have something to strive for. Inspiration pushes us to do and accomplish more—surround yourself with it.

Set Up a Cleaning Routine

For some people, a productivity session begins with a cleaning routine. If you’re struggling to stay or get productive once you’re at home, try setting up a cleaning routine. For example, tidy up the apartment as soon as you get home or right after dinner, and then settle into work. Don’t use cleaning to procrastinate; rather, use it as a way to kickstart your productivity.

Meet the Author

Kayla is a writer, artist, and designer from the Chicagoland area. She incorporates her creativity to produce work that is informative and thought-provoking.

10 Smart Tips to Organize Your Bathroom

We all strive to keep our bathrooms clean and well-organized. During the morning rush, it’s easy for things to become a jumbled mess of brushes and towels. To help prevent this from happening, you should make use of some clever tips to better organize your bathroom.

Towel Rack

Towels can be pretty bulky when they aren’t organized well. You want to be able to have them on hand, but you shouldn’t have to keep them in another room to save space.

When they’re rolled up, towels are a lot more manageable. Install a rack that fits rolled up towels and you will save up on a lot of space.

Use the Vertical Space

Bathrooms tend to get cluttered with a lot of things. The shower, toilet, and washing machine take up a lot of the floor space to start with. Then you have your hamper and bottles of detergent making it even more difficult to get around the space.

If you want to make a bit of room for something else, you should look into utilizing the vertical space. Some shelves could come in useful.

Hanging Shower Caddy

Hair products take up a lot of space in your shower. If you have a space to sit, it’s very likely that you keep it occupied with shampoo and conditioner bottles. These bottles get wet and this allows mildew to build up.

A shower caddy below the handle would make it a lot more convenient to use products, while also giving you a lot more space to work with.

Use Under Sink Bins

There’s a lot of space under the sink that is begging to be utilized to save some space. However, you can’t just pile things up and hope that it looks well-organized. You have to have a well-thought-out solution.

A couple of medium-sized plastic bins would do the trick. Put all of your large, non-essential items there and use them whenever you see fit.

Keep Guest Accessories Compact

You probably want your future guests to feel comfortable in your home, right? Having a couple of essentials prepared for them here and there can contribute to this, but it could further clutter up your bathroom space.

Solve this by putting all the accessories in a clear decorative container that you can store away when you don’t have any guests.

Drawer Dividers

All the stuff you keep in your drawers need to be easily accessible, but without taking up a lot of space. More importantly, it shouldn’t be too messy. You don’t want to have to sift through your drawers to find some commonly used items.

Dividers would do you a world of good in this department. They can help you organize stuff by its function and frequency of usage. Keep makeup on one side and skin-care on the other, or however, you want to separate them.

Double Rod Curtains

Finding places to dry your towels can be pretty difficult. You don’t want them to seem unsightly while they’re hanging around, which is why a subtle solution might be necessary.

Double up on the rods that hold your shower curtains. It’s not a very noticeable change, but the extra rod could be used for hanging towels and clothes that you want to dry out. Best of all, you can put the rod on the inside and basically hide it anything that’s on it from view.

Cabinet Door Space

You might think that you’ve utilized your cabinet to its maximum potential, but you probably haven’t taken a good look at their doors.

The inside of the door can be used as a hanging space for various items. If you somehow attach a couple of mason jars here and there, you can get a lot more storage space for your brushes.

Washing Machine Cover

Washing machines can provide a good surface for some additional storage. Their covers are like an additional shelf that can be used to hold a bunch of bathroom essentials. However, they aren’t really designed for this purpose and you could end up creating a cluttered mess.

You don’t have to replace the whole thing to create a more manageable space, there’s no shortage of washing machine spare parts online. A cover that has some elevated edges would let you keep more items on top of it without them falling off, for example.

Make Use of Labels

Even the most organized among us can’t always remember where to put something. When you’re living with your family, it’s easy for your bathroom to turn into an unorganized mess.

If you add some clear labels to items, they are much more likely to be returned to their rightful spot in the bathroom.

Conclusion

Keeping the bathroom organized seems like a difficult task, but it becomes a piece of cake when you put some thought into it. Make use of some of these tips and you will have a much smoother bathroom experience.

Meet the Author

Stella Ryne is an art historian, traveler, conscious consumer and a proud mother. When she is not trying to improve the things around her (and herself, for that matter), she likes to lose herself in a good book. She’s deeply into green practices, cherishing the notion that sustainable living and sustainable travel will not only make us far less dependent on others regarding the dwellings we inhabit and what we eat, but also contribute to our planet being a better place to live on. Stay in touch with Stella via Twitter and Facebook.

10+ Easy Ways To Organize EVERYTHING In Your Home

Getting organized is a must this time of year. With Spring rootings its amazing head, spring cleaning it’s on everyone’s minds. Further organizing everything can be such a daunting task. Here are over 10 blog posts to help your organize EVERYTHING this spring.

Free Yourself From Clutter | A Simple Guide by Jake’sJunkRemoval

This post is an excellent overview of clutter and clutter-clean-up! If you are suffering from clutter, you MUST check out this guide! Significant concepts discussed include the source of clutter, why declutter, when to declutter, and how to declutter effectively.

Organize & Declutter your Living Room by PatriciaJHancock

This post is part of a more extensive series for home organization. In this article, the author uses the beginning to talk more about the whole series. Then, about halfway down you will find more specific instructions for organizing and decluttering your living room.

Tips for Creating a Functional Space for Kids

The next article is a guest post right here on JihiElephant. The author, Johanna Cider, uses this post to discuss organizing a kid’s room for “perfect balance” and optimization. Further, the critical concepts discussed include repurposing a room, making space, dividing into stations, utilizing walls, and simplicity. y.

Sneaky Ways To Add More Storage To Your Entryway by TheHomesIHaveMade

An entryway is one of the places in a home which always seems to get overrun with clutter. Further, it’s super easy for the mudroom to get cluttered with shoes, coats, bags, etc. This post written by the author, Megan, helps to add storage to your entryway and removing that clutter. Finally, essential concepts discussed include cubbies, baskets, decorative boxes, hooks, trays, and file boxes.

51 Simply Amazing Small Space Hacks For Your Tiny Bedroom by SimpleLifeOfALady

If you’ve got a small bedroom, this is the post for you! Em Mendoza offers over 50 ways to organize a small bedroom, that’s a crazy amount! Further, some of the topics discussed in this post include under-the-bed storage, closets, drawers, walls, corners, and extra space.

10 Tips For Perfectly Organized Kitchen Drawers by TheHomesIHaveMade

I don’t know about your kitchen drawers, but mine is a mess. It feels like no matter how hard I try; I cannot seem to get them organized. I read this article, and I cannot wait to try out some of these tips. Significant concepts discussed include getting rid of junk, drawer organizers, space optimization, item organization, and packaging.

15 Pantry Organization Ideas that will Blow Your Mind by SunnyHomeCreations

Like my kitchen drawers, the pantry could use some TLC. This article breaks down some great ideas on how exactly to optimize space and organize a small pantry. Some of the major concepts discussed include clear containers, lazy susans, alternate product uses, storage ideas, DIY ideas, etc.

Kick The Junk Drawers and Clutter Hotspots by MiaDanielle

Do you have a tragic junk drawer? This article will help you tackle all that nasty chaos in the forbidden drawer. Major concepts discussed include min-maxing and various declutter strategies.

Guest Bathroom Part 2 – It’s Organized by PolishedHabitat

We’ve tackled some other principal rooms so far. Here is one of the rooms in your home which require organization the most. So many things are stored in the bathroom. These items are also in the bathroom, so you want to keep it clean and attractive to guests. This article is part 2 of a serious that is perfect for your bathroom organization needs. Major concepts discussed include hobby lobby and DIY, attractive storage solutions, and budget organization.

How to Organize and Decorate a Minimal Home Office

Here is another one of Jihi Elephant’s guest posting articles. This article tackles both organizing AND decorating a minimal home-style office. An organized workspace when you’re working from home is essential. This article will help you get your ducks in a row. Major concepts discussed include purpose, establishing your space, and decorating the office.

6 Steps to An Organized Filing System

This post is one of my most in-depth organization articles complete with a downloadable workbook to supplement the article. This post is a step by step process to take your paper clutter and turn it into an organized and maintainable filing system. Significant steps to this process include getting a container, organizing your documents, organizational style, proper labeling, archives, and ‘to-be filed’ bins.

15 Stylish Command Center Ideas by BirkleyLaneInteriors

Do you use a command center? This article is a round-up of other content (just like this post is) except it is an inspirational round-up. This post is full of stylish command center ideas and inspiration. There are some great ideas in this article!

12 Genius Linen Closet Organization Ideas by Sunny Day Family

The linen closet can sometimes feel like a collect-all. The author over at Sunny Day Family helps us organize our linen closets and avoid further cluttering. This post really focuses on storage solutions that are cute and functional with a great idea list of supplies.

Genius Ideas for Storing & Organizing Christmas Decor by The Happy Housie

The final article I want to discuss is holiday organization. Organizing seasonal items can feel like such a hassle. The author at The Happy Housie is here to inspired quality storage solutions for holiday items such as Christmas decorations. Major topics discussed include Christmas ornaments storage, lighting storage, misc decor storage, and wrapping paper storage.

Organizing can feel so overwhelming. These articles are meant to break down home organization room by room to take away the overwhelm and chaos. These posts are must-reads you cannot stay away from!

How to Turn Your Space into the Perfect Work Environment

When people decide that they’re going to make a living from home, they often underestimate the importance of their environment and how it can affect their productivity. Often, they realize too late that their home is not conducive to work. In many cases, people assume that their favorite room or their study will be perfect for a home office, only to realize that there are too many distractions or that the room is not secluded enough to prevent noise interference. Whatever the case may be, there are some things that you can do to change any space into the ideal work environment. Here are a few of them.

Never Underestimate the Power of Color

Colors have a direct effect on our mood and creativity. Use the wrong colors, and you might feel antsy and unable to stay focused. Choose the right colors, and you’ll be able to perform to the best of your abilities and keep your concentration for hours. This is why choosing the right colors should be one of your priorities.

Blue, for instance, is often used in offices to stimulate concentration, but too much blue can be depressing. You can add a touch of yellow to the room if you’re going to do some creative work. If you intend to stay in the room for long hours, earthy tones like green will allow you to stay grounded. And if you can, try to avoid colors like red or gray. Red should only be used in rooms where you’ll be performing lots of physical activity, and gray may trigger feelings of insecurity and anxiety.

Get Rid of Workspace Clutter

Speaking of insecurity, one of the main principles of Feng Shui is making sure that any room is free of clutter since it can have a direct effect on your physical and mental health. And whether you believe in Feng Shui or not, working in a clutter-free space will definitely have an effect on your productivity. If anything, it will allow you to get to your stuff faster and make sure you have everything you need at your fingertips.

Store important supplies and materials in carefully marked bins, put all of your pens on your desk in a container and make sure you store reference materials and files on an easily accessible shelf.

Surround Yourself with Positivity

While you want to keep the distractions to a minimum, you should also make sure that you add some of your personality to the room. You could do that by reminding yourself of your accomplishments, for instance. Maybe you could add pictures of a competition you won or awards you may have received.

Getting a nice diploma frame and proudly displaying your credentials somewhere in your office space could also be a great idea. If you’re looking for a top-quality diploma frame, you could go on a site like diplomaframe.com. They offer a wide range of diploma frame styles, and you can use their online design tools to create your very own custom degree frame. This would make the perfect addition to any room and can really accentuate some of the furniture in the room as well.

You could also add greenery to the room if you’re a nature lover. Adding a few water features could provide your room with a soothing backdrop. Or you could also add a sound system and play soothing music or nature sounds.

How to Turn Your Space into the Perfect Work Environment

Work on Lighting

Lighting is another essential aspect when building a home office. Natural light is best. If you can, try to find a room that allows natural light in during the day. But make sure that it’s in a quiet area or you might get distracted by street traffic or noises in your backyard. Also, make sure that you pick some good window treatments to prevent glare.

When picking out lighting fixtures, try to avoid harsh direct light coming from the ceiling. Instead, use dimmable lights so you can limit the intensity. Also, make sure that you have indirect lighting around the room. This way, you’ll be able to work at night while maintaining a calming environment.

Do Not Skimp on Furniture

You’re going to be spending a lot of time in this room, so it needs to be comfortable. It’s worth it to purchase a sturdy desk that is not only attractive but is also ergonomically supportive. The desk should also fit the room and your personal style. And make sure that it is positioned in a way that will allow you to get a view of the exterior.

Creating a positive work environment from home shouldn’t be difficult. If you follow the few simple tips outlined in this article you should be able to create the home office of your dreams in no time.

This post was written in collaboration. Collaborative writing means that while I have contributed to this post and edited its content and formatting, I am not its original author. By posting this content on my blog, I may receive financial compensation. Want to guest post for Jihi Elephant? Learn more here.

4 Ways Cleaning Is Good for You

When Better Homes and Gardens asked its readers to rank their least favorite household chores, cleaning did not come out well. A whopping seven out of the top 10 were a cleaning activity, whether it be vacuuming, dusting, or cleaning the toilet. Most of us don’t enjoy cleaning and see it as something we have to do. Maybe if we understood how cleaning benefits our physical and mental health, we’d be less hard on it.

It Reduces Allergens

You’ll notice that dusting and vacuuming made it to that list, but do you understand why you put so much effort into getting rid of dust? It’s not just because it looks a bit gross (although it does). Household dust is harmful to our bodies in a variety of ways, and it can often contain allergens that make your home a nightmare for anyone sensitive to them.

And it’s not just dust. Cleaning your bathroom and kitchen regularly is one of the best ways to prevent mold, which is another dangerous contaminant. It is essential to know how to spot a mold problem and to know what products can get rid of it.

It Gets Rid of Toxins in the Home

To some extent, dust and mold are natural occurrences and are easy to spot and get rid of. However, you also need to watch out for the airborne chemicals and toxins that can contaminate your air and which are much harder to notice. VOCs (volatile organic compounds), pesticides, and phthalates are all common in American homes, and the best way to fight all of them is to keep your home clean and well-ventilated.

It’s Good Exercise

While it’s not likely to become an Olympic sport anytime soon, cleaning chores burn a surprising number of calories. A half-hour cleaning windows can burn about 167 calories, while a mere 15 minutes on the tub can burn a respectable 90 calories. It’s not enough for a complete body transformation, but a few hours of cleaning once a week can help you stay in shape without leaving the house — and in your comfiest clothes.

If you want to boost your exercise levels during your cleaning, there are a few simple ways to do that. From doing lunges while you vacuum to blasting loud music to keep you in rhythm, treating your chores as a workout can help make the whole process a lot more fun.

It Helps Us Relax

It may be hard to believe for someone who’s just spent their Sunday morning scrubbing a bathtub, but cleaning is a great stress reliever. Some people find the process itself relaxing — if this is the case for you, congrats! A study has found that you are likely to be 25 percent happier than those who hate it.

However, don’t worry if that’s not you. You can still benefit hugely from a clean home, even if you don’t enjoy it while you are doing it. A messy house is inherently stressful since it is a permanent visual reminder of all the things you still have to do. Once your home is tidy, you are likely to be in a much better mental state. Think about it — don’t you always feel great after a thorough spring clean?

Conclusion

It may be time to stop giving cleaning such a hard time. Sure, it’s not always the most fun way to spend a weekend, but it keeps us and our homes healthy. What’s more, there is a wonderful paradox to it: the more regularly you do it, the easier it will be to maintain everything and the less grueling and time-consuming it will become. In other words, the more you clean, the less you have to clean.

3 Home Hacks That Help Put You In A Positive Mindset

Self-care should start in the home. If you have a home that makes you feel positive, then every day will begin and end on a positive note. A lot of people struggle with self-care because their home is a manifestation of negative energy. Then, the negative energy keeps piling more and more negativity on their shoulders every day. We want to stop this, so here are a few very simple home hacks you can try that will put you in an extremely positive mindset.

Get More Sunlight In Your Home

Sunlight is incredibly beneficial, and it works in more than one way. We know that we can get some Vitamin D from the sun, but unfortunately, it’s not possible to absorb this through windows. However, the main benefit I’m concerned with is how the sunlight makes us feel. It instantly puts us in a good mood when sunshine/daylight is entering our home. This isn’t some crazy scientific discovery, it’s common sense! You will feel far more positive when you let sunlight into your house compared to if you have all the curtains closed and live in darkness.

So, I have two tips for you. Firstly, open the curtains or blinds in every room as soon as you wake up. Secondly, think about maybe getting some replacement windows so you can upgrade them to bigger and wider versions. This will help your home bring in more light, putting you in a much better mood. You could even consider those windows on the ceiling that really bring loads of natural light into your home. Trust me, this little trick will definitely help you get into a more positive mindset while you’re at home.

Use A Diffuser To Create Relaxing Scents

The smells in and around your home will play a significant role in how positive you feel. This is something that you perhaps don’t think about until you actually make efforts to create nice smells. My idea is to help bring relaxing scents into the home, so you smell them and feel a lot calmer and more chilled out. Get a diffuser of some sort – it could be an electronic one or a classic reed diffuser – and pick your favorite smells. Place the diffusers throughout your home to really bring it to life and make it smell a lot nicer and more relaxing. Slowly but surely, your house becomes somewhere you actually like being in, and you become more positive.

There are other ways of bringing nice smells into your home – such as candles and incense. However, I prefer diffusers as it means you don’t have to burn anything and let smoke into the air. Plus, the oils you use with diffusers are often used in aromatherapy practices and when people are meditating. You don’t need to have one in every room, but I think the bedroom and living room are great places to create these relaxing and soothing smells.

Bring More Space To Your Home By Decluttering

I think too many of us create negative energy in our homes by letting them become overcrowded and cluttered. It’s hard to feel positive and upbeat when your house is a bit of a mess and you feel very claustrophobic. Every morning will begin with you wanting to get out as soon as possible, being stressed that you can’t find the things you need, and creating more clutter in the process. In your head, every day will be the thought that you have to clean your home at some point, and this lingers all the time adding more stress. So, why don’t you tackle the problem head-on and have a massive decluttering session?

Yes, it can take a few days, but the benefits outweigh all the effort that goes into doing it. I’d genuinely suggest taking a day or two off work so you can declutter your home thoroughly. You will get rid of any junk and mess that you don’t need, freeing your house up and creating loads more space. The result is quite staggering; it will feel like you’ve moved into a new home. With more space, more room to breathe, and increased organization, your house becomes a much more positive place to live.

Etsy Ad Printable Downloadable Quotes Inspiring Decor

I’ll end how I started by saying that self-care starts in the home. If you can get yourself in a positive mindset at home, then this will generally help you live a more positive and happy life. You need to have a base where you can relax and feel satisfied, not somewhere that adds to your negative feelings. With these three ideas, you will turn your house into an ultra-positive place!

This post was written in collaboration. Collaborative writing means that while I have contributed to this post and edited its content and formatting, I am not its original author. By posting this content on my blog, I receive financial compensation. Want to guest post for Jihi Elephant? Learn more here.

Improve Your Well-Being With These 4 Home Hacks

Our home is a place that is always there. We come back to it at the end of each day, and we spend years raising our children in it. But, it is quite often a place we take for granted, and we shouldn’t. You might not be aware of it, but your home can actually have a huge bearing on your health and well-being, and this is why it is so important to look after it and care for it.

In fact, the condition of your home can do a lot to impact on your physical and mental health, your confidence, and your drive and determination. There are so many things you need to consider at home, and self-care is one of the big ones. Turning your home into a place that promotes self-relaxation and self-improvement is so important. Check out these 4 hacks that will help you improve your well-being by enhancing your home.

Have a Mood Wall

A mood wall is a fairly uncommon concept for a lot of homes, but it’s one that can have a profound impact in yours. You’ve likely heard of mood boards, and this is a similar concept, except that you are choosing one entire wall in your home and making that the mood wall. You can do this with color, pictures, and writing, and it all combines to give you the best possible outcome. A striking mood wall can improve mental health, and make you feel more happy and confident.

Introduce Some Plants

One of the most important aspects of improving your well-being is to introduce some plants into the home. There are a lot of ways to make the home a better place, but plants are excellent because they breathe life into the place, and improve air quality as well. Plants can transform your property into a greener, healthier, happier place, and that is so important. Start shopping around for some great houseplants – they will make all the difference to the way you are feeling.

Make Sure You Sleep Better

Getting a good amount of uninterrupted sleep is so important for keeping your fresh and alert and making sure you are operating at the best possible level every day. There are so many things to keep in mind in this respect, and you need to look at getting the best pillow you possibly can so it feels like you’re sleeping on air. A mattress topper might also be a good idea in order to improve comfort and support in bed.

Get a Pet

It’s amazing what a profound impact a pet can have on the home. Even if you already have kids, introducing an animal into the mix can really make things much more impressive. There are so many ways in which you can benefit from a pet, and having that relationship will improve your sense of purpose and self-care. Definitely, think about getting a cat or a dog for the home right now. If you do not have the time or finances for these animals, a fish is a solid substitute! Elizabeth, the blog founder actually has a gecko and has had bearded dragons as her home pets!

These are some of the best things you can do to improve the home going forward and enhance your mental well-being as well. So many people overlook the correlation between the home and our personal health, but you need to do what you can to improve this as much as possible.

This post was written in collaboration. Collaborative writing means that while I have contributed to this post and edited its content and formatting, I am not its original author. By posting this content on my blog, I receive financial compensation. Want to guest post for Jihi Elephant? Learn more here.

Improve Your Kitchen, Improve Your State of Mind

Could your kitchen be causing you to feel frustrated? A chaotic kitchen can cause a chaotic state of mind. Whether you need an entire kitchen to remodel or you simply need to get your kitchen into a more organized state, achieving this will help you to feel much more at peace in your home. Let’s take a look at some of the signs that your kitchen needs to be improved so that you can unlock a greater sense of happiness and satisfaction in your home.

The Dated Design Is Dragging Down the Value

Is the dated design of your kitchen dragging both you down and the value of your property? If you are planning on selling your property any time in the near future, this could hold you back. Not only will it drive down the value of your house, but also it could put a lot of buyers off because they do not want to fund a kitchen model themselves. Instead, you would be much better off upgrading your kitchen yourself and reaping the rewards when your property does go on the market.

Improve Your Kitchen, Improve Your State of Mind

Your Electricity Bill Is High

If your electricity bill is too high, your kitchen could be the culprit. If you have old appliances in your kitchen, they will be consuming huge sums of energy, and you will be paying for this every month when your utility bills come in. Investing in energy efficiency appliances now can save you a lot of money in the long run. After all, we all know that there is nothing like money worries to cause concern. Eliminate this worry with new appliances.

Cleaning Your Kitchen Is the Definition Of Hell

Another sign that you need to invest in the services of a kitchen remodeler is if cleaning your kitchen is nothing short of a nightmare. Some of the main culprits are mottled linoleum floor tiles that never quite look clean and deep grout lines.

The Layout Is Awkward

An awkward layout is something that plagues many kitchens, and many thoughts, and it is a reason to consider a new kitchen. Not only is this important in terms of making your life more convenient and more peaceful, but some of the layouts that were popular 30 or 40 years are dangerous! Sit down with a contractor and find out what you can do to make the layout of your kitchen more functional!

You Have No Storage Space or Counter Space

Last but not least, do you feel like your kitchen is always chaotic because you simply do not have any room left for your appliances and kitchen items? As mentioned, a chaotic kitchen makes you feel like you have a chaotic life, so changes need to be made. A remodel can help you to maximize space and get more from your kitchen.

So, there you have it: some of the most common signs that your kitchen needs some TLC and requires a bit of renovation. If you have noticed any of the indicators that have been mentioned above, you need to give your kitchen the upgrade it deserves. Not only will this make your life easier and cooking more enjoyable, but it will bring you inner peace and boost the value of your property by a considerable degree in the process too.

This post was written in collaboration. Collaborative writing means that while I have contributed to this post and edited its content and formatting, I am not its original author. By posting this content on my blog, I receive financial compensation. Want to guest post for Jihi Elephant? Learn more here.

Create Bedroom Bliss for a Peaceful Sleep Every Evening

At the moment, you toss and turn as soon as you climb into bed; you dread the evenings, and it makes you anxious to even think about falling asleep. You haven’t been getting your recommended eight hours recently, and you haven’t been able to pinpoint the problem yet. You have worked hard in creating a functional space throughout your home, but the comfort levels just aren’t quite up to scratch. You want your bedroom to feel like a blissful haven that you can truly relax in. Take some of these handy hints on board and create the ultimate snuggly sanctuary for your room.

Beautiful Bed

Your bed is one of the most important items of furniture in your entire house. If you don’t have a super comfortable bed, then you won’t be able to get the good night’s sleep you really deserve. Most of the time your actual bed frame won’t be the problem; it will be your mattress that needs changing up. Look online at zinus mattress reviews so that you can find the mattress that truly suits your individual needs. You might need extra support because of back pain, or maybe you’re pregnant and are struggling to find comfort in your old mattress. Whatever your personal preference is you will be able to find the perfect tailor-made mattress to suit your needs.

Create Bedroom Bliss for a Peaceful Sleep Every Evening

Photo by NeONBRAND on Unsplash

Ambiance and Atmosphere

The ambiance of your bedroom is also going to contribute to the quality of your sleep. You might need to invest in better lighting solutions, blinds or drapes in order to solve your sleepless nights. If you work shifts, then you might need to sleep more during the day. If so, you will need high-quality blackout blinds which will allow you to rest well and block out any natural sunlight. Equally, when you do get up to go to work, you want as much natural light streaming through your window as possible so you can get up more easily. Open up your curtains when you wake up so that your body knows it is time to start the day.

Inspirational Home and Furniture Changes to Make in 2018

Scents and Smells

Discover a scent that makes you feel calm and relaxed so that you can drift off to sleep without a care in the world. Lavender and chamomile are proven smells to help you switch off to consider lighting a candle or spraying a natural scent onto your pillow just before you go to be. Make sure you don’t fall asleep when the candles are lit as this could be dangerous. Your bedtime routine is also paramount to a good night’s sleep, so turn off your mobile phone, dim the lights and read a book to relax you before bed.

So many people suffer from terrible sleep, and they don’t know what the underlying causes are. The ambiance in your bedroom, the coziness of your bed and the correct evening routine will set you on the right track. Try to relax before you go to bed and don’t make it a stressful situation in your mind. You will soon be able to get a high quality sleep as long as you make these tweak to your boudoir and change up your habits.

This post was written in collaboration. Collaborative writing means that while I have contributed to this post and edited its content and formatting, I am not its original author. By posting this content on my blog, I receive financial compensation. Want to guest post for Jihi Elephant? Learn more here.

Tips for Creating a Functional Space for Kids

The models of kids’ rooms we see in most glossies or furniture stores are all well and good, but often they prioritize aesthetics over functionality. If you have children, we don’t need to tell you that in the battle between appearances and utility, the latter always wins out! However, you don’t have to totally let go of the interior décor of your dreams – it’s just a case of maneuvering to create a space that works for kids and their parents alike. Here are some easy organizational tips you can follow to strike that perfect balance.

This post was written by Johanna Cider, scroll to the bottom to learn more.

Repurpose A Room

Let’s start with the first and biggest hurdle: finding space in the first place! Chances are that in the average bustling family home, there won’t be much spare room lying around – but the good news is that there are plenty of solutions to a lack of space.

The first is to repurpose an existing room. You might, for instance, find that younger children might prefer to have a playroom rather than separate bedrooms, in which case you can move the kids together in one room and repurpose the free space. Another great option is garage conversion (you’d be surprised how much space there is to play with once your mancave or she shed is decluttered). Lastly, consider building a new structure altogether as another room in the house or a separate area in the backyard. Shipping container structures are a low-cost way to create a whole new house extension.

Make ‘Space’ Your Mantra

The three-word organizational mantra for kids is ‘storage, storage, storage.’ To create effective storage, you need to make intelligent use of your space. This means ensuring that seats and ottomans double as chests for toy storage, as well as utilizing vertical space (think bunk-beds and tall shelving units).

Divide The Room Into ‘Stations’

Kids have various interests, and their dedicated space should reflect that. Setting up stations in each corner of the room for different activities or purposes (such as Play, Homework, Arts and Crafts, and Reading) is a clever way to cater to your child’s – or children’s – diverse set of hobbies. Creating stations is also an organizational winner, as you can ensure that each station has its own defined ‘zone’ from which items cannot stray.

Utilise The Walls

Covering the walls in chalkboard paint or fun wallpaper (with a world map on, for instance) both facilitates play and pleases the eye. Plus, you can then write clean-up checklists on the blackboard to ensure that the kids take care of their functional space!

Simplicity Is Key

We parents can sometimes be tricked into thinking kids need an expertly-decorated, gadget-filled space for them to have any fun. But modernity hasn’t changed the experience of childhood that much. Kids still find the best fun in their imaginations – which means that if your functional space is airy, spacious, and most importantly, reserved exclusively for the kids – you’ve already done an ace job as an organizer.

Johanna Cider is a New Zealand-based writer who loves discussing travel, home and lifestyle topics. Home design and organization are two of her greatest passions, and she spends many of her weekends working on new DIY projects. Find more of her work here.

How to Make Your Home A Happy Place

If you care at all about your own mental and physical health, then making your home a happy place should be high up on your list of concerns. The truth is that it is relatively simple and straightforward to make your home happier to be in. As long as you know what you are doing, it is always entirely possible to ensure that you are going to be happy within it if you are careful about making that happen. In this article, we are going to look at some simple yet powerful things which can easily make your home as happy as can be. Consider these if you want to be happier in your life, and you are keen to start in the house.

Animals

If you don’t yet have many animals, you might sometimes feel that the home feels a little empty. The truth is that animals are often great for feeling happy, and if you want your home to be more welcoming and better for you then having one or two is a great way to get the ball rolling on improving your mental health.

If you’re not sure about pets, you can still bring more animals close to home by tending to your garden. For a start, this will help to bring pollinators close by – and even that can help to make you feel better. But you could also get hold of a birdbath from garden-fountains.com and attract some birds that way. With more animals visiting your garden, you will find that you are likely to be much happier on the whole when you are at home – and this will bleed over into the rest of your life as well. Not interested in animals? Try getting a houseplant! If you are not a fan of plants, you can try to get some flowers to your living room or even kitchen. There are many benefits of having flowers at home according to this website.

5+ Ways to Promote Relaxation At Home house plants houseplants

Colors

Brighter colors really do make an enormous difference in your mood, so this is worth thinking about if you want your home to be a much happier space to be in. changing up the decor or the pain will ensure that you find it easier to be at home and that you will be happy being there, so consider this if you want a fairly easy and risk-free means of improving your own happiness at home. Changing the colors is easy and simple, and something which you will find makes a surprising difference to your mental health. For more on this, see http://www.colour-affects.co.uk/psychological-properties-of-colours.

Company

Of course, one of the best foolproof methods to be happy is to make sure that you have plenty of good people around you, and this is something you can make happen in your home pretty easily too. By bringing more company over, you will certainly feel better most of the time, and you will be able to ensure that your home has a better atmosphere about it as well. Remember this if you are not sure what is missing – as the company is generally the answer there, and in any case, it will always help you to feel better about yourself and your home.

This post was written in collaboration. Collaborative writing means that while I have contributed to this post and edited its content and formatting, I am not its original author. By posting this content on my blog, I receive financial compensation. Want to guest post for Jihi Elephant? Learn more here.

Get Stress-Free Living at Home With These Tips

You may not realize it, but the environment that you live in plays an awfully big part of your wellbeing too. If your home is an unpleasant, messy place to be in, then your mind is going to pan out that way too, and that’s the last thing you want. So make sure that you put some energy into ensuring your home is what it needs to be. If you’re not quite sure how to de-stress your home, here are a couple of ideas to get you started.

Oh, stress… We all experience waves of stress in our lives, yet, it can cause us so much harm. Often people don’t realize the severe impact stress can have on our bodies. Stress can really take its toll. What may start out as a generally bad day, can quite easily turn into a bad week, a bad month, and then all of a sudden you find yourself with some serious health conditions and mental health struggles.

Depression is no joke. It’s a very slippery slope to go down with no easy way out. This is why it’s so important that you take care of yourself and make sure that you seek help when you need it before you end up too exhausted and low to even get out of bed in the mornings.

Repair the Damage

If you’re aware that something isn’t working as it should, this is bound to make you feel worse. This is because you will get the impression that nothing seems to function properly. But rather than allowing yourself to drown in those negative and harmful thoughts – find a practical solution. It can be as simple as calling in a plumber to fix the constant overflowing shower, or vacuuming. While it seems like such a nightmare for you to do simple things like taking a shower – it’s a very easy job for the professionals, so never refrain from giving them a call when you need an extra set of trained hands. It’s perfectly okay to ask for help.

5+ Ways to Promote Relaxation At Home couch living room

Declutter the Chaos

Mess is never a good thing to have around you. Little by little it will build up until you come home one day and realize that you can barely see the worksurfaces anymore because there is so much junk filling up any blank space that you originally had. This can make you feel trapped or claustrophobic in your own house. That is not how its supposed to be, so don’t let your home get to this stage. Have a big sort out and get rid of anything that you no longer use or look at. Make separate piles to help you organize your things. The first pile should be things you’re keeping, the second is things to throw out, and last are things to be sold or donated. As difficult as it may be, sometimes you just need to let it go.

This post was written in collaboration. Collaborative writing means that while I have contributed to this post and edited its content and formatting, I am not its original author. By posting this content on my blog, I receive financial compensation. Want to guest post for Jihi Elephant? Learn more here.

How to Organize and Decorate a Minimal Home Office

If you’ve decided you want to start the move towards a more minimalistic and organized lifestyle, a good place to start is in the home. For those who do a lot of work or projects in the home, a great place to start is in the home office. A home office is a place that needs to be an environment where you feel relaxed and productive (or if you’re me, it sometimes turns into a place of clutter…oops!). Anyone who has ever dealt with a cluttered home office knows it’s almost impossible to feel relaxed and productive when you’re working in a cluttered space. The accumulation of “stuff” can leave you feeling like you’re drowning in post-it notes. So how do you achieve this organized yet appealing minimal home office space? Read on below to find out!

Step One: Decide Purpose

Think about your main goal for the space. Different types of jobs may require different furniture, and only you know what the goal of your home office is. Do you just need a desk and computer? Do you need a craft table? Do you need extra chairs? Think through what you will actually use the space for, and make sure you keep it that way. This will also help you keep clutter or extra furniture and decorations out to maintain the minimalistic look. Stick with the basics, and only the necessary items and décor.

Step Two: Establish a Workspace

The workspace should be the most important focus of a minimal home office. Try and find a desk with extra drawers and storage, that way you can put extra things in the drawers rather than on top of the desk. Desk organizers can also help, as well as possibly trying to go paperless. You will also want to find a simple but comfortable chair, so be sure to browse around for one that matches your color scheme as well as makes you actually want to work. Sometimes minimal designs of chairs tend to be “too” modern and consist of sleek and plastic materials with a little cushion. Opt for something that falls in between, because who wants to work in an uncomfortable chair!? Find your workspace cluttered? Learn how to declutter your desk!

Step Three: Decorate

Now that you’ve established the basics, the fun begins. Decorating a minimal home office should reflect your personal style while still keeping a simple and organized look. Perhaps you may add in pops of color, or you would rather keep it neutral. Whatever your look is, some decorations that shouldn’t be overlooked are area rugs, a lamp, and some simple desk decorations. Some ideas for tabletop décor can include unique paperweights, cups for writing utensils, small plants, and photos in frames. Wall decorations could include a mirror, a geometric wall hanging, or a bulletin board to post inspiration and ideas for your work. Framed prints are a great way to add color and variety to brighten up space and make it inviting.

Overall, the ultimate goal in this space is making sure the space is somewhere that relaxes you and helps you feel productive and at ease.

Now, time to get to work!

This post was written in collaboration. Collaborative writing means that while I have contributed to this post and edited its content and formatting, I am not its original author. By posting this content on my blog, I receive financial compensation. Want to guest post for Jihi Elephant? Learn more here.

Promote Relaxation At Home With These 5 Tips

Does your home make you feel relaxed? Is it a haven you long to retreat to at the end of a frantic day? For many of us, our home is the place we feel happiest, but it doesn’t always provide relaxation. If you’re on a mission to promote relaxation and calm at home, keep reading!

Decluttering

Clutter can affect the aesthetic of your home, but it can also interfere with the vibe and ambiance. If you walk through the door to be confronted with stuff everywhere, you’re not going to feel relaxed. Clutter makes your home look small and cramped, and it can contribute to stress. The best course of action is to have a clearout.

Let Go Of What You Don’t Use

Most of us are guilty of hanging onto things we don’t really need or even want. Over the course of time, molehills can become mountains. If you’ve got piles of boxes, or shelves and racks stuffed full of clothes or shoes you haven’t worn for months, now is the time to pull your sleeves up and get organized.

Go through each room one by one, and create separate piles. Make one mound of items you want to keep. Then, make one pile of the things you could donate or sell. And finally, make one pile for the trash. Box up anything you plan to sell or give away and then find a home for everything you want to keep. Fold clothes and keep them in a wardrobe, chest or closet and store your shoes on racks or in boxes.

Next, move to another room and repeat the process until your home is free from anything you no longer want. Gather everything you want to dispose of and take a trip to the dumpster.

Storage

If you’re short on storage once you’ve tidied up, it’s worth considering your options. You could put up some shelves for books, DVDs, games, frames or ornaments or you could buy a new chest of drawers or wardrobe to store clothes. If you don’t want to buy new, you could save money by upcycling a second-hand piece of furniture. You might even try storing items meant for a different season in a garage or storage space out of sight. Decluttering isn’t a fun job that most of us look forward to, but you’ll feel a lot better once you’ve ticked this task off your list.

Setting Up Relaxing Spaces

There are certain parts of a home that are geared towards activity and engagement, but sometimes, you need peace and quiet or time to reflect, chill out, and spend a bit of time alone. Your home should cater to your every mood. You may want a kitchen that is a thriving hub of the house or a relaxed and peaceful office space. Just as you want your living areas to deliver when you’re cooking or socializing, you also want other rooms to satisfy your needs. Where do you go when you want to read a book, listen to music, draw, paint, or knit? If you haven’t got any places where you can just kick back and unwind, you need to. It’s a good idea to think about how and where you could set up relaxing spaces in your home.

Using Space

There are various options you could consider. If you’ve got a spare room you never use, why not convert it into a reading room, a creative studio, a tranquil office space or a music room? If you haven’t got a ready-made space, you could section off an area of an existing room. Consider a guest room, for example. If you rarely have visitors staying over, you could create a dual-purpose room. This room could cater to guests, but also give you the space you need to relax or pursue your hobbies. If you enjoy writing, for example, you could place a desk and chair in the bedroom or swap the bed for a sofa bed. Likewise, if you love reading, trade the desk for a bag chair and fill your shelves full of your favorite books.

Space & Value

Alternatively, if you’re looking for ways to add space and value, it may be possible to convert the loft or the basement. If this is an option that you’d like to pursue, get some quotes, talk to real estate agents, and create a budget. If the numbers add up, you can then turn your attention to interior design and start styling your relaxing new space.

5+ Ways to Promote Relaxation At Home bedroom

Getting Your Bedroom Right

The bedroom is the most important room in the house for relaxation. If your bedroom isn’t a comfortable space, you may find it difficult to switch off which could affect your sleep patterns. For a serene, soothing boudoir, stick to light, neutral shades or pastels. These shades are proven to have a calming effect. Add textures to create a cozy vibe, and avoid bright lights. If you like to have a lot of light, for example, for applying makeup, fit a dimmer switch so that you can soften the mood when you’re ready to get into bed.

When you walk into your room, you should feel your shoulders relax, and tension leave your body. If your bedroom isn’t delivering at the moment, consider a mini makeover. You don’t have to spend a fortune or hours painting and decorating. Altering the colors, adjusting the lighting and adding throws, blankets, rugs, and cushions could make all the difference.

Lighting

Lighting has a real impact on the feel of the room, as well as the way it looks. When you’re shopping, think about the kind of mood you want to create. Do you want bright lights that will illuminate a large space and perk you up? Or maybe do you want soft lighting that adds a romantic vibe?

Lighting by Room

In rooms like the kitchen and study, you probably want a lot of light, but in the bedroom, reading room or snug, it’s best to go for softer options. Dimmer switches are a great idea for multi-purpose rooms like the living room. You can adjust the lighting to suit your mood at the touch of a button. For the ultimate in relaxation, switch off lamps and wall lights and light some candles. Scented candles are particularly beneficial, especially if you’re running a bath or you’re getting to ready to curl up and chill out with your bedtime playlist or a book. If you have children or pets, and you’re worried about safety, use LED candles.

Choosing The Right Colors

Let’s pretend you were presented with a series of colored flashcards. Then, somebody asks you to choose a word that represented how you feel when you see that color. You’d probably find that you have different words for every shade. Color has an impact on our mood, and it can also affect our energy levels. Bright shades of yellow, for example, make us feel energetic and happy. More subtle tones like pale blue and gray can make us feel calm. When you’re decorating or planning a room-revamp, think about how you use color. Additionally, think about which shades you use in each room. If you’ve got garish colors and prints in your bedroom, for example, you may find that swapping them for more understated tones will help with relaxation.

De-stress with Plants

If you’re a fan of interior design, you may be aware that the natural look is popular at the moment (I am obsessed with it). This is great news for plant lovers, not just because potted plants look fabulous, but also because they have calming properties. Studies show that plants can help to make you feel less stressed. They also purify the air.

You can use plants of all shapes and sizes to decorate rooms. Don’t be afraid to bring the outdoors in, and add a fresh, clean feel to your home. There are hundreds of different types of houseplants, but popular options that are proven to de-stress include aloe, English ivy, rubber trees, peace lilies, bamboo and spider plants.

If you have pets, take care when choosing plants and flowers to display indoors, as some plants are poisonous to cats and dogs. Ask your vet for advice. Many people assume that it’s hard work to keep plants alive, but most houseplants are very low maintenance. All you need to do is find a sunny spot and water your plants on a regular basis.

Conclusion

Most of us dream of a home that makes us feel safe, secure, happy, and relaxed. If your house doesn’t quite feel like a homely haven yet, there are lots of ways you can set the tone and create spaces that enable you to unwind and chill out. Before you turn your attention to a revamp, declutter and clear some space. You can then think about changing colors, furniture, and adjusting lights. Use the space you have available to indulge your interests and enable you to enjoy some time out.

Focus on creating the right atmosphere in your bedroom. Think about how different colors affect your mood and don’t be afraid to try and hone your green-thumb skills and introduce some greenery and foliage.

This post was written in collaboration. Collaborative writing means that while I have contributed to this post and edited its content and formatting, I am not its original author. By posting this content on my blog, I receive financial compensation. Want to guest post for Jihi Elephant? Learn more here.

Spring Cleaning | A Guide to All the Little Places to Remember

It’s the season for cleaning! Around this time of year, everyone is cleaning out their homes, putting away winter clothes, planting their gardens. Spring cleaning can be a daunting task, and it is easy to forget to clean various little places. Read on for tips when you complete your spring cleaning. This post may contain affiliate links

Kitchen & Dining Room Cleaning

It’s relatively common to wipe down the dining room table and the kitchen counters, clean the moldy leftovers out of your fridge and call it good. However, there are a ton of other little places in these rooms that need to be attended to. Cleaning out appliances like the blender, microwave, toaster, and oven are essential more than once a year, but spring is the perfect excuse to do a deep clean of them. Wipe down all the food residue, empty the crumb trays, refresh batteries, clean out fans, etc.

In addition to the appliances in the kitchen, I highly recommend cleaning under the table, inside the cupboards, and under the countertops. These are places that don’t get much attention and like to collect spider webs.

Mental Health, Physical Health, and Your Home

Living & Family Room Cleaning

The living or family room of any home is generally the most used room in the house. Because of this more dust and debris is likely to collect here. Every spring move your furniture to clean the carpet or floor underneath. You might also try cleaning beneath and between the couch and chair cushions. Fluff the carpet under any tables or chairs. Additionally, I highly recommend doing a thorough carpet or rug vacuum and clean at least once a year—perfect for spring cleaning season! Getting your furniture professionally clean might also be a good idea. It would also go without saying that dusting all surfaces in the living room is essential regularly.

Bedroom Cleaning

You spend nearly every night in your bedroom, but it can often be the most neglected room in the house. Springtime is the perfect time to take care of your bedroom. Go through your clothes and donate all the clothes you have not worn in a long time, organize your closet and dresser drawers, donate or sell old jewelry. If you keep appliances such a dehumidifier, humidifier, or diffuser in your bedroom, you might also thoroughly clean them out.

The last spring cleaning item I recommend that might often be forgotten is to clean sheets. It’s good practice to toss old worn sheets and invest in a clean new set of sheets on a yearly basis. Not only should you change and wash sheets regularly, old sheets should be tossed once a year or so to keep your room clean and health intact.

Bathroom Cleaning

It is easy for dust to collect in the bathroom because cleaning supplies and other stored supplies don’t get touched regularly. I recommend going through all the supplies in your bathroom, throwing out expired products and dusting all the other ones off. Clean your mirrors, drawers, countertops. Scrub your shower curtain, all grout in your tiles and tubs, and toilet. Keep your bathroom clean this spring!

Other General Spring Cleaning

In addition to regular spring cleaning and the tips mentioned above, there are several other places that should be cleaned this spring. These other items include vents, windows, and storage closets. Getting a professional to clean your vents is the most ideal, however, if you are unable to do so, do your best to clean out the dust and debris that collect here. Removing the vent top is essential for a thorough clean.

Windows also need attending to. The corners and crevices or small hidden areas in windows collect dirt and grime and will need a deep scrubbing each spring.

Similar to the bathroom and bedroom closet cleaning mentioned above, all other storage and closets need to be dusted, organized and cleaned. Throw out anything expired, broken, or unused. Look in all storage boxes for signs of animals, bugs, dust, or mold and clean them out if need be.

Keeping your house clean has a huge influence on allergies and general health. Doing and deep and thoroughly clean each year can have a huge positive impact. Follow this guide when you are cleaning this spring to keep your home in tip-top shape.

Spring Cleaning | A Guide to All the Little Places to Remember

How to Make Your Home Zen

Your home should be a peaceful sanctuary. It should be a place where you can relax and de-stress. If this is not the case, it is time to make some critical changes. But, where should you begin? Read on to discover some mindful ways you can make your home more Zen.

Eliminate Clutter

There is only one place to begin, and this is by getting rid of clutter. Clutter makes it impossible to unwind. Start with one room at a time, and get rid of as many items as possible. Only keep the essentials. Everything should have its own space – and this space shouldn’t be a random corner of the room or the coffee table. To stay on top of this Zen-like clutter-free space, operate the one in, one out rule. Whenever you buy something new, something else has to go.

Add Some Plants

Indoor green plants are a must. Not only does their soothing green color look amazing, but also plants provide oxygen. They improve the indoor air quality, which ensures a more comfortable living environment. However, choose your plants carefully. Don’t go for plants that emanate disturbing scents or those that need special maintenance. Good options are hanging terrariums and bonsai trees.

Keep Decorations & Ornaments To A Minimum

Simplicity is key when it comes to wall decorations. Avoid overly congested collections of photos and paintings and don’ fill your shelves with decorative statues.

Focus on All Senses

To create a state of Zen, you need to focus on all senses. It’s not just about what you see. It is also about what you smell and what you feel. Layer a room with different textures. Also, make sure your house has a relaxing, sweet yet subtle smell. Vanilla and lavender are good choices.

Keep Furniture Natural & Simple

Clear and simple lines characterize Zen style furniture. Avoid excess ornamentation and complicated detail. Also, avoid a plethora of patterns and styles, keep it plain and simple.

Let in the Light

Natural light is a feature of any Zen home. You cannot expect to relax if you are merely relying on one harsh overhead in a room. Changing your window or investing in a skylight may be a significant investment, but it is well worth it. You can read this home renovation e-book for more advice. Regarding artificial lighting, make sure you have numerous sources per room, rather than lighting a space with just one overhead bulb.

Go for Earthy Colours

Last but not least, natural colors that are in soft tones are a must. Suitable examples include beige, dusty pink, white, and grey. Choose harmonious colors that have the power to induce a sense of calmness and relaxation. Everything needs to tie together naturally. Each room should have a good flow to it.

As you can see, there are many different ways you can make your home completely Zen. From buying some indoor plants to eliminating clutter, it does not cost a lot to make your property more relaxing.

This post was written in collaboration. Collaborative writing means that while I have contributed to this post and edited its content and formatting, I am not its original author. By posting this content on my blog, I receive financial compensation. Want to guest post for Jihi Elephant? Learn more here.

Easy Steps to Create a Stunning Home Study Space

I don’t know about you, but I always found it easier to concentrate when I’m in a pleasant environment. In fact, being comfortable, and having an organized and personalized space around me seems to help me keep my mind focused and get much more done. With that in mind, you may be considering creating a space dedicated to study and work in your home. However, before you do check out the advice below for some help.

Choose A Location

Before you can put in a study space, you need to pick where it will go. You have to be pretty smart about this as well. You want to be smart because you don’t want to be stuck getting distracted all of the time. To this end, an area such as the attic or basement can be the perfect spot. These secluded spaces make it more difficult for people to find you and distract you. This more private space means you will get left alone most of the time to concentrate.

However, before you go ahead with installing your study space, you need to ensure that the area is suitable for long periods of time. That can mean installing basement waterproofing, heat, and light into a subterranean space, or cleaning out an attic room. Also, remember to make your that the floor is sturdy enough to hold the furniture you need.

Easy Steps to Create a Stunning Home Study Space

Pick Furniture

The next step on most folks’ lists when creating a study space is to pick out the furniture that the will need to get work done. Usually, this is a desk and chair and sometimes some books shelves and draws to keep things organized as well. Find your space becomes cluttered fast? Check out these tips.

Make sure that the items you pick are not only fit in with the decor you want but are also comfortable and sturdy. After all, you will spend quite a bit of time in that space. So, the furniture you pick needs to fit the space.

Otherwise, you could end up with a painful back for being in a chair that isn’t supportive of your posture, or even developing RSI if you don’t have your desk at the right height for your computer keyboard.

Add Personal Touches

To finish off your study areas and make it your own it’s nice to include some decorations and personalized touches. What you pick is entirely up to you of course, and many folks are happy enough with a few photos of their family and pets on the desk.

However, if you want the space to have a more cohesive look, you could choose colors that fit in with the broader scheme. Plants in metallic pots are in style this season. Additionally, hanging decorations like the paper pom poms that you can DIY are an easy decor choice.

Follow these tips and you will have the perfect study space to encourage productivity in your studies.

This post was written in collaboration. Collaborative writing means that while I have contributed to this post and edited its content and formatting, I am not its original author. By posting this content on my blog, I receive financial compensation. Want to guest post for Jihi Elephant? Learn more here.

5 Ways to Ensure a Harmonious Home

We each have a unique idea of what our perfect home environment looks like and the aesthetics get a lot of attention – but what about how home feels from an emotional perspective? Our home affects our mental and physical health a lot more than we realize; it’s an imperative aspect of our lives and a large component of the first base of Maslow’s triangle regarding human need psychology.

The saying “tidy house tidy mind” describes this well, but the concept shouldn’t be limited to cleanliness or home organization. Like the engine room of a ship, some things need to be taken care of to ensure a consistent feeling of harmony within your home – as niggling concerns which are left unattended can quickly snowball.

This article looks at how to ensure a consistent feeling of “home” by taking care of some of the less glamorous ‘behind the scenes’ tasks that are necessary to create a harmonious home environment that allows you to nurture your mental, physical and emotional health.

1. Budgeting & Bills

Keeping up with household bills can be stressful if money is tight, but you want your home to feel like your castle – a sanctuary from financial stress – not a situation where each time you go past the mailbox you dread receiving another bill. The best advice is to set up an affordable payment plan with each of your creditors to lessen the financial stress or even better, look into no interest credit cards that you can transfer existing debt onto and pay off each month within the interest-free period.

2. Gardening

If you come home each day to an overgrown garden, paint peeling off the fences, and rubble in the yard – it can create a feeling of chaos. Though you don’t need a white picket fence with begonias growing in the garden, however, a garden that feels “well kept” will help you feel calm; like your life is in order.

3. Organization

Do you ever find yourself searching for car keys or having to empty out your closet to find the outfit you’re looking for? If you live in physical clutter and chaos, it affects your mental state and creates an inner sense of clutter and chaos too. Keep things organized within your home so that you can feel more at peace and calm within yourself.

4. Clean & Tidy

Keeping your home clean and tidy sounds simple enough, but often, this can snowball out of control when left for a few days, becoming such a chaotic mess, that you don’t know where to begin. The trick here is to either employ a cleaner that undertakes a moderately deep clean, each week, or for you to do it yourself, little and often.

5. Neighbors

No matter how hard you try, not everyone is getting to get on with you, and some people are just plain difficult. However, if you can get on with your neighbors you can build a sense of warmth and community between you. This warmth will pay dividends on facilitating the feeling of “home” you crave.

In summary, your home is there to provide you with a place of harmony that supports you throughout the storms of your life, yet it’s important to maintain your home to receive the harmony you deserve from your home.

This post was written in collaboration. Collaborative writing means that while I have contributed to this post and edited its content and formatting, I am not its original author. By posting this content on my blog, I receive financial compensation. Want to guest post for Jihi Elephant? Learn more here.

Mental Health, Physical Health, and Your Home

We all know the importance of looking after ourselves both physically and mentally. When we are stressed, not eating well, and overworked we end up in a productivity slump. Feelings of sadness and generally feeling overwhelmed which is not a great way to live. It makes sense that the place we retreat to each day and spend a significant amount of our free time in can either positively or negatively affect the way we feel. So, it is essential that our homes are a place of relaxation. If you know that something needs to change in your life, then this could well be a great place to start. Here is how you can improve your home which in turn can improve both your mental and physical health.

The Living Room

The living room is a space to entertain friends, socialize with family, and relax. Your best bet here is to make sure there is plenty of comfortable seating for everyone, and that you have a good entertainment system. Comfy sofas that you can wrap yourself up in a blanket and enjoy a movie gives you a chance to spend quality time together. You could play games with your friends if you have a big screen tv, computer system, and good sound.

Once you have chosen furniture that is comfortable and suits your style, load up with soft furnishings. Rugs, beautiful curtains, throws, and cushions will all make space feel cozy and inviting. If you go with vertical blackout blinds, these let plenty of light in when you want the room to feel bright and airy, but block out the sun when you are watching a movie on a sleepy Sunday afternoon. Make your living room all for relaxation and socialization. We all need friends and family in our lives. Life can get busy but having a nice space you can invite people back to can certainly make it easier.

The Bedroom

The bedroom should be a place of peace and serenity. It is your own personal space, your retreat from the world. Having somewhere quiet, safe and relaxing you can go to at the end of each day can help you to rejuvenate and unwind which is essential for both your mental and physical health.

Tidy Up

Aim to keep the bedroom very clean and tidy, clutter and mess have been shown by psychologists to influence sleep; a tidy room really can help to maintain a tidy mind. If you have a lot of possessions, have a declutter and then find decent storage to keep whatever is left. Use very soft colors- light neutrals and pastels are good options here. Avoid very bold and bright shades, color has a strong impact on the human brain so make sure you are tapping into the right frame of mind by choosing relaxing colors. Invest in a decent mattress which will support your back and maintain your spines health.

Upgrade the Old

Replace your duvet if it is over five years old and your pillows if they are over two. Not only will new ones feel fresh and fluffy but old bedding can harbor dust mites. If you have any black mold in your room, purchase and antifungal cleaner and get rid of it ASAP. Mold spores can cause respiratory issues and allergy symptoms, and are especially harmful while you are trying to sleep.

The Bathroom

A hot bath or shower when you are exhausted from work or just feeling stressed can work wonders. The hot water can ease tense muscles, and it can even lower blood pressure. Plus it is a pleasant, quiet environment where you can just kick back and unwind. If your bathroom is worse for wear then upgrading it is a worthy renovation. It will add value to your home if you sell. It is also something you can enjoy in the here and now. A new suite, fresh tiles, beautiful flooring, and some decorative accessories can turn the bathroom into a great space.

Upgrade Old Stuff

Buy yourself some new fluffy towels, a nice bath mat and some pampering products that you can treat your hair and skin with. Proper storage to put products and kids toys away will help to maintain a very peaceful and calm looking space. If your current bathroom is not too bad, simply refreshing accessories and grouting the tiles. Either way, a bathroom with a shower or bath you can relax in can help to put you in a calm frame of mind.

The Dining Room

Research has shown that children from families who eat together more than three times a week are less likely to grow up and get pregnant young, take drugs or get involved in crime. This seems like a bizarre connection to make. However, it makes sense. When we eat together it secures family bonds. Eating together can help children to feel closer to their parents, and in turn, they might confess things like peer pressure. Eating together as a family is also linked to children being a healthy weight. It is through positive reinforcement that you can teach children the value of good food. Let them see you fill up on healthy, home-cooked meals, and their attitudes will mirror yours in time.

Invest In Your Dining Room

The dining room is a space for you to enjoy your own delicious, healthy meals, and also somewhere you can entertain guests. A solid dining table is a good investment. You could buy chairs that you like the look of and merely replace these every few years when trends change. If you choose well, your dining table will work well with just about any style of chairs. Good lighting above the table is useful for shorter winter days and later meals, look into lighting that is specifically designed to hang over the dining room table.

The Kitchen

The kitchen is such an essential room in the home. It is somewhere where you are likely to spend a lot of time. From sipping your coffee in the morning to preparing packed lunches, cooking dinners, and entertaining friends, you need a room that is practical and enjoyable.

One of the critical features for doing this is making sure there is enough storage space. Having enough storage space allows you to keep everything organized. In doing this you are not having to rummage or get stressed out looking for what you need. If an entire kitchen renovation is off the cards, look into smart ways to organize. For example, could you turn an old boiler cupboard into a pantry and free up space in your kitchen cupboards? Could you install some shelves to create more space that frees up the worktops? There are tons of great ideas on Pinterest for this.

The Garden

In addition to the house itself, the garden is also an area to focus on, primarily regarding your health. Sitting outside and getting some fresh air, meditating or just soaking up some vitamin D in the sun are all useful. Create an area where you can relax with a drink and a good book, that you could enjoy when the weather is warm.

A decked area makes a lovely patio, you can find decking builders online if you do not have the skills to do this yourself. A comfy outdoor corner sofa, a garden swing or even a swinging pod chair would all be relaxing places to sit. If you purchase a water feature, the sound of trickling water could help you relax, and tonnes of pretty flowers in baskets and bedding make the area aesthetically pleasing.

The act of gardening is good for your health since weeding, digging and even pushing a mower is all good exercise. And once you are done, you have a stunning spot to sit and enjoy all of your hard work.

Conclusion

When you improve your home and make the very most of each room, it allows you to properly enjoy your time there. It allows you to relax and unwind, both of which are good for mental and physical health. Keeping a clean and tidy home that is free of clutter, pests, and danger helps you to avoid health hazards. A home that you love can lead you to be more inclined to invite loved ones over. Being more social is great for your health! Put in the work to transform your home into a relaxing haven, both your mental and physical health will thank you for doing so.

Had you considered improving your home as a way to improve your general well-being? Which rooms do you think are the most important to focus on when it comes to this?

This post was written in collaboration. Collaborative writing means that while I have contributed to this post and edited its content and formatting, I am not its original author. By posting this content on my blog, I receive financial compensation. Want to guest post for Jihi Elephant? Learn more here.

Pintest

How to Organize When You Are Overwhelmed

The New Year is that time of year when everyone begins setting goals. Some of the most common goals for the New Year include losing weight and getting organized.

As someone who loves to organize this puts a big smile on my face, however, many people don’t feel the same way I do about organizing. In fact, they find it dreadful.

A common problem people have when it comes to organizing is they are overwhelmed and don’t know where to start. When you feel like this, you have no motivation even to get started. Then, just like that one of your goals has gone down the drain.

You can stick to your goals for the New Year, and you can get organized! Here’s how you can start:

Start with Highest Traffic Area in your House

The entryway is typically the highest traffic area and is usually the best place to start. Analyze what you use every single day. For example, I need my handbag and jacket every day. Our kids need their jackets every day right now as well since it’s winter. We have created a hook system on the wall where it’s easy to hang up our daily items. The kids’ hooks are lower so they can learn to hang up their own jackets. Wall hooks are a great organizing tool to use because they are very easy to use and don’t take up too much space.

Where to Organize When You Are Overwhelmed

Create a Command Center

After your entryway has been updated, work on creating a command center that fits you and/or your family needs. Create a central place where you can manage your mail and calendar. Use a chalkboard or dry erase board for a calendar. Having a visual calendar will help keep your life organized. Even if you only use a digital calendar, establish a visual calendar for your household so that it’s always in front of you. Our household uses the following:

Calendar Dry Erase Board- We write out our calendar on a dry erase board so we can see every day what is going on for the month. It’s easy to update when needed and color code it so it’s organized and easy to read.
Tack Board- This is where we keep photos, kids’ art pieces, important coupons that we want to use.
Magazine Holder– This is used to store magazines that come in the mail.
Hook Holder With Tray- The tray keeps the dry erase markers stored there, so it’s easy to update the calendar. The hooks are used for the kids to hang their jackets there. These hooks are great for key holders as well. Our kids are too young right now to store them there; we’d never find our keys 😉

https://www.etsy.com/shop/JihiElephant?ref=seller-platform-mcnav&section_id=23141829

Create a Household Binder

Paper still exists in our lives. Creating a binder will serve as a resourceful resource. The binder will become your go-to guide. It will be your Home Bible. It will keep you organized and allow you to become more productive because all of your important resources will be in one place. Time will no longer be wasted searching for documents or wondering what the password is to an account. You’ll want to place it where it can be easily accessed every day, like the inside of a kitchen cabinet or on an office desk. Keep it in the same spot, so you always know where it’s located.

Declutter Your Kitchen

The kitchen is the most commonly used and gathered area of the home. Having an organized kitchen makes things more enjoyable and perfect when an unexpected guest stops by. Depending on the size of your kitchen, break it up into sections: Drawers, Cabinets, and Pantry.

Start each section by decluttering it first. If it hasn’t been used in the past year or it’s broken, get rid of it. Once you have finished decluttering each section, then you’ll want to analyze that space and figure out organizing products to use for that space. If you are organizing your drawers, make sure to use drawer organizers to help keep items in their appropriate space.

Acrylic clear drawer organizers work the best because they give you the best-organized look and feel. They also match well with many different drawers. For the cabinets and pantry use baskets where necessary and label them. Use the same bins for a consistent look and feel. Wicker baskets or white bins work very well. Also, get rid of any type of dishware that doesn’t match your current set-up.

Declutter Your Closet

We wear clothes every day. You should love every single piece of clothing you own; it should make you feel good. When you feel good, you put your best foot forward whether that’s in your work or other areas of your life. Here are some tips to help you with your closet:

Get rid of something if you have not worn it in the past year.
If it doesn’t make you feel good, get rid of it.
If it’s too small or big, get rid of it.
Anything that needs repair (button needing to be sewn, etc.) and it’s been longer than six months, get rid of it.
Color coordinate hanging items starting with the red and move through the rainbow.
Use felt or wood hangers that are all the same to give you a consistent look and feel.

Now you might be overwhelmed by this list and where to start. Start with the first point and then move to the next one. Give yourself a week for each point, and in a month, you will have made a good dent in getting your household organized in the New Year! For more organizing resources, you can visit Organized Marie.

Meet the Author

Marie is an innate organizer and planner. She is a working mom to two with a third on the way and a veteran of Corporate America for ten plus years. Marie is a Fargo native and sports lover.

The Organized Planner was designed for the working mom to help manage and organize personal and work life.

Organized Marie is a place for working moms to create simple, everyday organizing solutions for their home. Every working mom can have an organized, stress-free home.

Want to read more from Marie? Check out these links: The Organized Planner, Organized Marie.

How to Organize When You Are Overwhelmed

How to Boost Productivity Working from Home

More and more people are choosing to work from home. Whether you have a home-based job, you run a business from home, or your employer offers flexible working options, it is important to be as productive as possible. There is an assumption that working from home is easy, but this should not be the case. Working from home suits many people, but others prefer the structure and formality of an office. If you are switching to a home office or you are spending more time at home, here are 3 simple ways to fulfill your potential and maximize productivity away from the office.

Establish A Routine

When you have an office job, you know that you have got to sign in and sign out at certain times. With a home-based role, there is more flexibility, but that does not mean that you should throw routine out of the window.

Most of us work better when we have set patterns in place. Establish a routine that works for you. If you are an early riser and you are more productive in the mornings, start early and tick off the most arduous or complex tasks first. If you do not feel alive until 10 am, consider a later start and work until later in the day.

You may also need to factor in time zones. If you negotiate with clients in different countries or states and the other person’s schedules. Similarly, if you participate in meetings or catch-ups with colleagues on a regular basis, take note of time zones when establishing your routine. If you are not used to working at home, it may take you a few weeks to figure out what works best for you. But you may find that this more flexible approach to working hours suits you perfectly.

Get Your Working Environment Right

When people say they are working from home, it is easy to envision them lying around in loungers with a laptop balanced on their knee and the TV on. The reality is that you are not going to be able to make working from home work for you unless the environment is right. No matter what you do and how much time you spend out of the office, you need an area that is geared towards work. This space should be a place that affords peace and the ability to focus, concentrate, and enjoy some privacy. Spare rooms, attic rooms, and garages can all work well as home offices.

Once you’ve chosen a space, think about how you want to decorate and present it. Choose furniture that will provide comfort, as well as a style. Add touches that will help you feel relaxed, but also energized. You might add houseplants or a scent diffuser machine. If you can, position your desk close to a window, as natural light is proven to increase productivity. It is also a lot more pleasant to look out over fields, ocean waves, or a garden than it is to stare at blank walls.

3 Ways to Boost Your Productivity Away From The Office

Be More Organized

When you work from home, you need to be organized. You can use the same scheduling tools as you do at the office, or you can use a wall planner or an in and out tray system that will enable you to keep track of what you have done. Establish a list of tasks and jobs every day and work on them. For more information about office organization check here, and for more information about time management check here.

It is perfectly possible to be as productive at home as you are in office. Simply apply these tips, and you will be cruising through your to-do list in no time!

This post was written in collaboration. Collaborative writing means that while I have contributed to this post and edited its content and formatting, I am not its original author. By posting this content on my blog, I receive financial compensation. Want to write a post for Jihi Elephant? Learn more here.

Is Your Home Office Bad for Your Health?

There are loads of benefits of working from home. When you work out of your home office you no longer having to commute to work and you are more able to spend quality time with your nearest and dearest. But is it really always this great? Do you want to make sure that your home office isn’t bad for your health? Then you need to use these great tips.

If you ask anyone who works from home what the negatives are of working in a home office are, then I’m sure that they might mention their health and fitness. Now that they work from home, they rarely need to leave the house so their fitness can quickly decline. But there are some other health issues that can rise up as well. Keep reading to learn some ways to combat these health concerns.

Have an Ergonomic Workstation

One of the main health complaints by those who work from home is back and neck pain. This is from sitting in front of their computer all day. If they slouch over the screen, then this pain will be even worse. One way around this is to create an ergonomic workstation. You can easily do this by buying an ergonomic desk and chair. These pieces of furniture are designed in such a way that they don’t encourage you to put excess stress on your back or neck while you are sitting working.

Read here about more ways to upgrade your home office.

Is Your Home Office Bad for Your Health?

Keep It Clean

If you use your home office every day, then you should keep it as clean as possible. Germs could build up on surfaces that you regularly touch, such as your keyboard and office phone. You can buy sanitizing wipes to clean this and remove any germs and bacteria. It’s also worth buying a lightweight vacuum so that you can quickly clean up any spills. If you end up treading any crumbs or spilled liquids into your carpet, they could become breeding grounds for germs!

Sometimes clutter can also attract germs and dust. Try decluttering your desk or home office.

Take Regular Breaks

Did you know that sitting for long periods of most days can lead to some pretty serious health conditions? It is thought those who have very sedate jobs are more likely to suffer from diseases such as diabetes later in their life compared to those who have active jobs. So, it is really worth planning for a ten-minute break every hour. Even if you just get up and walk around your house, you will be doing your health some good!

Ventilate It Well

Bad air in your office can cause breathing problems for those who have a weak immune system or have suffered from respiratory problems in the past. Even if you don’t have these kinds of health concerns, it is still necessary to keep your home office well-ventilated. Otherwise, the air will get quite stuffy and stale. You just need to open your window for an hour or so each day to give the room a quick refresh. Obviously, if it is cold outside then you don’t have to keep it open for too long.

As long as you stick to the tips mentioned above, you shouldn’t have to worry about your home office draining on your health. Try implementing one at a time, adding one new tip each week until you are doing them all regularly!

This post was written in collaboration. This means that while I have added to this post and edited its content and formatting, I am not its original author. By posting this content on my blog, I receive financial compensation. Want to write a post for Jihi Elephant? Learn more here.

Secrets to Designing a More Tranquil and Relaxing Home

Your home should be your tranquil sanctuary, your escape from the world. However, if you don’t take steps to ensure that your home is a relaxing place for you to relax and unwind in, then you won’t be able to make the most of the space.

When you look around your home, how do you feel? Do you feel relaxed and calm or do certain areas of your home make you feel anxious and stressed out? If it is the latter, then the chances are that your home is lacking some vital features, and it is time to change that.

Want to know how you can transform your home into a more relaxing and tranquil space? Read on for everything that you should know to create a home that has a more relaxed and tranquil vibe to it.

Secrets to Designing a More Tranquil and Relaxing Home

Be Choosy About Your Home’s Color Scheme

Did you know that the color scheme of a space can have an impact on how relaxing it is? That is why spas, and other relaxing places, tend to stick to a certain color palette, to help ensure that they are as relaxing and tranquil as possible. When it comes to using relaxing colors, natural tones tend to work well, as do neutral colors. Think seafoam blue, sand yellow, moss green, and stone grey, as well as cream and white shades. For a more relaxing home, stick to muted, pastels and neutrals, and avoid using bold, bright colors. For inspiration and ideas, Pinterest is an amazing tool!

Incorporate the Right Relaxing Scents

How relaxing and tranquil a place feels is often linked to scents. You see, when it comes to how relaxed we feel, our senses, particularly our sense of smell, are a vital part of the process of relaxing. That’s why incorporating certain scents into your home can have a big impact on how relaxing the space is, and how easy it is to unwind there. There are lots of ways that you can incorporate scents into your home, from using wax melters and potpourri to investing in an HVAC scent system or dotting reed diffusers through the house. Make sure that whatever scents you choose to incorporate, they are smells that you find relaxing. While lavender relaxes some people, it does not work for others – everyone has different tastes.

Lead A More Minimalist Life

When it comes to more stressful home atmospheres, often the number one cause is clutter. A cluttered home is a stressful home, which is why it is so important to take the necessary steps to lead a more minimalistic life and have a less cluttered home. Take the time to have a clear out and get rid of any junk that you no longer need, and your home should become a more relaxing space.

There you have it, all the best kept secrets about designing a more tranquil and relaxed home where you can switch off at the end of a long and stressful day.

4 Simple Ways to Upgrade Your Office Space

Whether it’s a whole room in your house or apartment, a carefully proportioned square in an office building, or something in between, odds are you’re spending a substantial portion of the day in your office. Because of that, your office space – like you – has a lot of work to do. It has to be a productive space, but also one that inspires, keeps you healthy, and is generally as pleasant to be in as possible.

There’s no reason to spend 8 hours a day in an unpleasant space. So, if you feel like your workspace isn’t all it should be, read on to find out a few areas you can look to for improvements.

Hang It Up

First things first: No matter how big or small your office is, one thing you’re always in absolute control of is what’s on your desk. And if that’s a bunch of clutter, it could actually be hurting your productivity. Learn more about decluttering your desk here.

One way to fix that is adding storage, of course. But if you’ve got limited space, and no room for shelving? Try hanging things up – keys, headphones, and similar items can go straight onto hooks. Get a hangable container for your pens and other writing utensils. Anything that helps you get the random items off your desk immediately improves your workstation.