The question of what you want to own is actually the question of how you want to live your life. —Marie Kondo
For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been decluttering like crazy using Marie Kondo’s tidying method on and off (which feels ah-mazing by the way).
As I’m deciding what to keep and what to part with, I’ve been thinking about how I’d like to feel when I walk into my apartment.
I don’t know about you, but I feel weird when I walk into a cluttered or messy room.
For some reason, I’ve always been that way. I get all antsy, my stress levels rise a bit, and just want to get out as soon as I can. Considering the fact that we can relax in places like the pool, beach, mountains, etc., I think it’s safe to say that the environment we put ourselves in actually dictates how we physically and mentally feel.
If you’re a homebody like me, check out what I do to make the environment of my home more relaxing and healthy:
- Natural light — One big thing I’ve always been a fan of since I can remember is natural light. I don’t think there’s anything that makes a home environment more beautiful than natural light. When I get married someday, this is my one major request my husband would have to keep in mind when we build our home, haha! To bring in lots of natural light, I prefer to use sheer curtains. For the colder months, I like to use black out/energy-saving curtains. I’m totally eyeing this set of blackout curtains.
- 1-for-1 — When I buy something new, I always swap it out with something I already have. That way, I don’t have growing random stacks of stuff and don’t have to do much cleaning when seasons change. I like to use my rolling clothes rack (this has survived many, many, many moves!) for pieces I have on heavy rotation.
- Scents — I’m a huge home scents kind of person. Give me all of the candles and I’m a happy camper. The way my home smells when I walk through the door really sets the mood. Speaking of, I’m still enjoying my crackle candle Rachie got for my birthday. I’m pretty sure I’ll end up getting a diffuser and essential oils soon too!
- Soft textiles — Let me tell you right now. There is nothing better than a soft, cold pillow and an ultra soft blanket to snuggle in. Nothing. Whether I’m watching television or turning in for the night, the comfort of my throws is more important than the design. I’m loving this pillow and this blanket right now. And these are my favorite house slippers. EVER.
- Splashes of color — I loveee a white and grey color palette. To keep things from being too boring/bland, I like to add punches of colors that make me happy. Right now, it’s mixing metallics like gold and silver with shades of blue and marble accents.
- Greenery — Live plants and flowers bring so much life to a room. I don’t know why, but having real plants and flowers in my home just lifts my mood instantly. If you’re looking for affordable greenery, I like to buy my plants at IKEA and my flowers at Trader Joe’s.
- Less is more — I’m really trying to get rid of a lot of stuff within these next two weeks. As I get older, I feel like I can breathe the less stuff I have in my home. Hence, why I’m all about quality over quantity these days.
- Favorites only — Speaking of, as I’m getting rid of things, I want to only keep things I’ll use and that they are my absolute favorite things. I’ll share my favorite nooks that hold my favorite pieces in a future blog post.
- Organization — I hate junk drawers! I’m trying my best to keep my drawers clutter-free so I’ll be buying a few drawer organizers for my kitchen and bathroom.
- Sounds — Music is life. I’ve grown up around music my whole life and it continues to be the one thing that changes my mood instantly. I bought this Sonos speaker last year during Black Friday (well, Sarah went out and got it for me, ha! Thanks, bff!) and it was quite possibly the best technology purchase I’ve ever made! I like to use it while I’m cleaning the house or just put it on when I wake up in the morning. The sound is AMAZING!
Stay tuned because on Friday, I’ll share some more interior inspiration for the upcoming holidays!
How do you make your home environment feel more enjoyable and relaxing? What are your must-haves when it comes to your home? Let me know in the comments below!
Image via Anna Leena