Happiness Abound

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7 WAYS TO FEEL LESS STRESSED IN YOUR HOME

One of the biggest contributors to happiness is where you spend your down time, where you come “home” to.  But in some cases, our homes can become stress dens that we don’t want to clean or even come spend time in. If that is the case, its time to bring happiness home and engage in these simple yet effective tips:

1. Clean the Mirror

I know that this may seem like an odd first tip to being less stressed but whenever I clean my mirror, everything seems to be clearer and cleaner. This one small task takes almost no time at all and can make you feel better in your home. It also is an encouraging step to cleaning the rest of the house.

2. Make the Bed

Making the bed has several benefits to your happiness. It makes your home feel more organized instead of disheveled like the mess of sheets that would be waiting for you otherwise. Making the bed can also offer a sense of accomplishment first thing in the morning, inspiring you to get more done throughout the day. Last but not least, it makes your bedroom look cleaner and more like the haven it should be instead of a stressful mess zone that bedrooms tend to become.

3. Make Time For Hello’s

We tend to bring home the stressors of our day. They come through the door with us and can infect the whole household. If you take the time to give your dog a happy greeting or to give your husband a hug, it causes you to detach from your stress and focus on the people in your life that bring you joy.

4. Do The Dishes

Instead of feeling the stress of needing to clean the whole house or even just the kitchen, start with the small task of doing the dishes. An empty sink can do wonders and hand washing those non-dishwasher safe dishes can be a great stress reliever.

5. Have An Exercise Routine

What does this have to do with being happier in the home? We’ve all seen the studies that exercising helps reduce stress but having a routine when you come home makes working out a double stress relieving whammy. Do you ever dread coming home because you have a million and one things to get done and don’t know where to start? Or you dread coming home because you don’t know what you’ll need to do once you get there? Having a come home exercise routine not only helps you break away from work stress but it also helps you know what to expect.

6. Do Something In Your Home That Brings Flow and Joy

What brings you flow and joy is unique to you but I’ll tell you what I do that makes me happy in my home. I create a monthly tablescape. I spend a few hours planning out and collecting what I want to do and use. Then I pull it all together on my kitchen table and create a theme for the month. I get a great sense of joy in creating the tablescape, collecting several items to make it all pull together and in seeing it every day when I come home. I also love taking care of several houseplants on a day to day basis. I enjoy seeing them grow, rotating them in the sun spots of my home, watering them, and tending to them.

7. Pour Yourself a Drink

Not that kind of drink. Come home and pour yourself a tall glass of water (not soda, lemonade or any beverage other than water). Then slowly drink it. The five minutes it will take you to drink the water will help you calm down from your day and prepare for a calm evening at home. Plus the water hydrates you and can make you feel great.

What do you do to feel less stressed in your home? Share in the comments below!

Photo by Ewa Stepkowska