How to Change the Atmosphere of Your Home

When it comes to our homes, our interiors don’t have to be perfect to be good. While a cluttered home has a negative effect on our outlook, a clutter-free and well-appointed home can likewise have a positive effect on our attitude. Being at peace in your home is a high bar to achieve, but with a few simple methods, you can change the atmosphere of your home from chaos to calm in no time.

It’s easy to get overwhelmed with our homes. We have so much to do every day that finding time to devote to our personal spaces can be last on our list. If your home is making you feel less than optimal, a few minutes a day can go a long way in helping you improve your home, and your outlook.

Here are a five easy steps to help you improve your surroundings, today!

Make Your Bed

The act of making the bed typically takes less than five minutes. In busier times of life, when our children were younger, I often thought I didn’t have time for luxuries such as making my bed. Then I heard someone say that the act of making your bed takes approximately two minutes of your day. Sceptic that I am, I decided to test that theory. Turns out, they were right! Making my bed took me all of two and one half minutes to complete.

The feeling that it elicited, however, lasted throughout my day. I felt I had accomplished “something” of worth. Each time I entered my bedroom, I was met with a calm surface that motivated me to improve other areas, as well. At the end of a hectic day, it truly felt luxurious to crawl into a bed that had been cared for and wasn’t a complete jumble of tangled sheets.

Jordan Peterson has a great theory on the importance of cleaning your room. If you struggle with finding calm in your space, the simple act of making your bed can change the atmosphere in your home each day. I’ll link Jordan’s video in the resources at the end of the article.

Let There Be Light

While I love a good cozy aesthetic to my home, I also recognize the benefit of great lighting. This doesn’t mean you have to turn on the overhead lights. In fact, there is an unspoken rule in our family that we always use the cozy lights. That means, table lamps, up lights that create atmosphere, and candles. I’ll link a few we use in our own home.

Soft, warm toned lighting is one of the most important elements that can change the atmosphere in your home. We prefer the warm white lights because it’s not as hard on our eyes, but you should use whatever color tone you prefer. Adding light to a dark corner of your space with up lights can change the atmosphere of your home. Lighting a room brings clarity to the space, and can encourage you to make additional improvements as well.

Organize Something…Anything

When our homes feel chaotic, it’s usually because things are out of control, disheveled, and unorganized. While I love a good organization project, it can be overwhelming to others. If this describes your reaction to the word “organization,” then I would encourage you to find one small area you can improve. Set a ten minute timer and make your goal simply to make the space 1% better than you found it.

It could be a drawer, a closet, a shelf, a box of stored papers, a tabletop or counter space. Your goal is simply to make some improvement. Ten minutes will fly by before you know it – and your efforts will pay off in a big way. The tiny act of 1% improvement has exponential effects over time and can help you change the atmosphere in your home.

Find Your Vibe

Music can have an intangible ambiance and goes a long way to set a mood.  If you are looking to change the atmosphere in your home, music is a simple and FREE way to start. If things feel chaotic, try something soothing. When there is a feeling of dread or anxiety, go for something more uplifting. If you or a loved one are feeling overly stressed, try soothing sounds of nature.

Just as lighting can transform your space, music has definite qualities to sooth the senses and change the atmosphere of your home. I have some definite favorites I’ll link for you in the resources below.

Practice Gratitude

Sometimes we get into a habit of focusing on all we need to do, change, update, clean, organize, and accomplish. All of this can have an overwhelming effect. When you begin to feel this way, practicing gratitude will realign your thinking to focus on all you have and not all you have to do. Practicing gratitude shifts our internal focus to the good things we are already blessed with, even if only momentarily. However, the daily practice of practicing gratitude has long-term benefits that have the power to change the atmosphere in our homes and transform the outlook of our lives.

I have a favorite playlist I listen to each year around this time. I always have grand illusions that I will start listening on November 1, but I rarely make it past October. It’s a great vintage playlist that has a feel-good vibe to it, and always causes me to think about the blessing I have. I hope you’ll be encouraged by it, too.

One Step at a Time

If you’re looking to change the atmosphere in your home, I hope you’ll find some inspiration and motivation in these five easy steps. Even if you pick just one, I think you’ll feel a shift in your space and will a lift in your spirts!

Here’s to one small change at a time, and don’t forget to Forward Your Mail!

Cheers, Everyone!

Additional Resources:

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