Happiness is difficult to put your finger on. It’s a combination of your overall satisfaction with your life as well as your feelings about your current state. One of the best ways to create a happy life is to create a happy home. Your home should be a place that you retreat to every day for restoration. Instead, many people feel anxious and unsatisfied with their current environment, drastically reducing their quality of life. Creating a home that promotes daily satisfaction and moments of joy is key for pursuing a happy life.
There are many simple things that can make you smile. From seeing a picture of a puppy to listening to a funny podcast during your commute, we all have those specific go-tos that add joy to our lives. It’s helpful to implement these happy habits where we spend the most time.
We have put together a list of things that can help you to achieve this have a read and why not try and implement a few in your daily routine.
1. Make Your Bed
Your parents probably nagged you daily about making your bed throughout your childhood. Why do you have to make your bed if you just mess it up again the next night? Though it seems like a waste of time, the simple act of making your bed can increase productivity and boost happiness. If you ditched the habit once you reached adulthood, you may want to reinstate the chore in your routine. Making your bed takes no more than a few minutes and can set you up for success from the minute you wake up.
2. Don’t Let Dishes Pile Up
The sight of a mountain of dirty dishes in the sink after a long day can be a huge stressor. A full sink can take an hour or more to clean, and the bacteria that accumulates is unhealthy. The best way to avoid the build up is to rinse a dish as soon as you use it and stick it in the dishwasher. If you don’t have a dishwasher, wash the dishes by hand and set them on a drying rack. It might feel like a chore in the moment, but a clean kitchen is sure to boost your happiness and protect your family from sickness.
3. Keep Surfaces Clutter Free
Too much stuff can be one of the biggest sources of stress for people who live in a cluttered home. Your home should be a peaceful place for you to retreat to every day. If your home is filled with excess stuff, it’s harder to recharge. One of the easiest ways to keep your home tidy is to get into the habit of keeping surfaces clean. Though it’s tempting to throw your mail and keys on the table, put those things in designated spots and you won’t have to pick them up later.
4. Return Your Room to Its Normal State
One of the best practices to get into is putting a room back to normal before you leave it. Christmas is the perfect one for this. All your beautiful gifts that you received for Christmas start by putting them away instead of leaving them in a pile in the corner of the room. This practice can be difficult to make a habit but the happy feeling you get when you enter a clean room is worth the extra effort. So start with the pile of presents 🙂
5. Add Some Natural Elements
House plants are not only beautiful, but they also help reduce toxins in the air, boost your mood and improve productivity. If you don’t want the commitment of a houseplant, try adding a bouquet of sunflowers to your counter for an instant mood boost. Greenery makes an excellent addition to any room. Try incorporating plants in your bedroom for better sleep!
6. Make some space
If your house is busy all the time, you could benefit from creating a designated space for unwinding. The best way to create your personal zen den is to pick a spot that’s comfortable — it could be a small corner or a spare room. Decorate your space with cosy items that make you happy, like pillows and candles. Set aside time every day to go to your zen den and meditate, practice yoga or read. These moments will help you start your day on a positive note.
6. Let the Light In
The brightness and colour of light directly affects mood. Blue light can increase productivity, bright light can heighten emotions and natural light can boost happiness. Unless you build or renovate your home, you don’t have much control over the amount of natural light that comes in — if you live in a dark space, add lamps and dimmers to boost the brightness.
Smell is the sense that is most closely related to memory. Have you ever smelled a perfume that reminded you of someone? Try filling your home with fragrances that remind you of good memories. Whether you light cinnamon candles to remind you of Christmas or diffuse essential oils to remind you of your childhood friend’s house, filling your home with pleasant fragrances is sure to lift your spirits.
So why not give a few of these a try and see how you go. January doesn’t have to be blue it can be inspiring!
