Home environment
Your home is your castle - create a space that improves well-being and productivity.
As we embark on a new year, many are making resolutions, intending to make changes to their lives to reach certain goals. Considering most people spend between 50 and 62% of their time at home, it is the epicentre of everything else in your life.
The Greeks were the first (at least documented) to build a home. It was constructed for Athena, the goddess of wisdom, rationality and harmony, in 420BC. The oldest archaeological evidence of house construction, however, comes from Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania, around 1.8 million years ago.
A home, the place where one permanently lives, is more than a combination of floor, walls and a roof. Your home is a reflection of self. Not only is your home a gathering space for loved ones; but having a home that you love also has a significant impact on your health and well-being, including
Safety - both physical (security and privacy) and psychological (a place of refuge/sanctuary)
Increased mental, emotional and physical happiness (including reduced inflammation) - natural light can counter depression and create a connection to nature; an inspired kitchen leads to a greater likelihood of eating well
Reduced risk and incidence of anxiety (organised tranquillity)
A sense of peace, through grounding
Motivation, including career advancement
Prosperity - if you love where you live, you are more inclined to put in the effort to maintain or improve it thereby maintaining or increasing the value of the property
Love - where you spend time with the people you care about most
A home is also
A place to create memories
Fosters neighbourhood/sense of community
Cultural connection through the traditions we uphold
Sense of identity - it reflects who you are (or who you are aspiring to be)
Where dreams become reality
So, what can you do to improve your home environment?
Keep it clean (this includes making your bed in the morning) and avoid harsh chemicals. Most things can be cleaned with the use of bicarb and vinegar; your oven with halved lemons or lemon juice in a baking tray of water
Organise, organise, organise - a place for everything and everything in its place (see Marie Kondo's The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up). A decluttered environment reduces waste (both physically and in terms of time), is visually appealing and makes it easier to keep clean
Add green life - indoor plants not only purify the air we breathe but also serve our innate love of nature
Create routines that help not only with time management but with the upward spiral of your life - open the windows in the morning to improve air quality, have dinner together at a set table, set up a solid sleep routine
Separate work - having a single space for work (whether it is a corner of the living room or a dedicated office) helps delineate between the two parts of your life. If you can avoid it, never work from your bedroom.
Stimulate the senses - decorate your space in colours you love and with artwork that matches the mood you want to create (uplifting, calming, vibrant), use an oil diffuser to add scent, incorporate different textures through cushions and other soft furnishings, open the windows to let in the sounds of birds chirping (or simulate this with a playlist)
Maximise lighting - while natural light is best (notably improving sleep quality, reducing stress and boosting focus), you can also manipulate your surroundings with artificial light. Use window coverings, lamps and light fittings to help create the mood you want to emulate
Open/close windows and doors to regulate the temperature (choosing a house that faces north in the southern hemisphere or south in the northern hemisphere will help with passive solar heating and reduce energy consumption, and therefore costs)
Invest in quality blackout blinds/curtains for bedrooms to remove light pollution
Invest in a water filter tap
Regularly clean out your pantry and fridge (I do the fridge about once a month and the pantry about quarterly)
Don't forget your outdoor space - whether it is a balcony or a full garden, your entryway sets the tone for your home
