Between the constant connection our phones provide and the ever-growing list of places to go and things to try, it seems like we’re busier than ever. And while some families might thrive on the activity, it’s important to have a relaxing space that offers a break from it all.
And what better place to relax than your own home?
Unfortunately, our homes sometimes become the vessel for more stimulation like smartphones and video calls. But don’t worry! There are simple ways to make your home feel relaxing in spite of your hectic and seemingly hyper-connected daily life. Let’s explore a few ways you can make different rooms in your home more welcoming and relaxing places to be.
Living Room
The living room (or family room, or den, or whatever you choose to call it!) is typically where your family spends most of their time together. Whether it’s to watch a television show once a week or for a regular family game night, this is a space for connecting face-to-face. That being said, it can also be a little bit hectic if you’re not careful! Here are a few ways to make this space more relaxing:
- Consider Your Focal Point – More often than not, there’s just too much going on in your living room. To avoid sensory overload, pick a single focal point and arrange your furniture around it in a close, social manner.
- Choose Natural Colors – The more natural and earthy your colors are, the more relaxing your space will be. Bright colors and big statements are okay in small doses, but don’t clutter your space with them.
- Let Light In – Above all else, there should be natural light coming into your living room! Sunlight is a natural mood booster and a great source of vitamin D. Why do you think over 30% of families say they’re happiest on vacation?
Kitchen
After the living room, the kitchen is the most communal space in the home. After all, nothing brings a family together quite like food. You have a bit more luxury to bring bold colors into this space, but here you’ll learn how to do it in a way that keeps things cozy and not overstated.
- Keep Everything Organized – In the kitchen, disorganization means stress and chaos. Take some time with your family to actually organize all of those spices and kitchen utensils! It could save everyone some time and frustration in the long run.
- Create Customized Spaces – Do you and your spouse enjoy coffee in the morning? Do you children enjoy fruit? Set up separate stations for each, and keep them well-stocked. Then if someone is feeling stressed, they know exactly where their comfort food is.
- Keep It Warm – In the average home, almost 38% of heat loss is through windows and doors. And of course, these are two things a kitchen has in abundance. Cold spaces lead to cranky campers, which means investing in some new windows and good insulation may help your family stay relaxed in this room.
Whether you decide to try one or all of these tips, make sure you’re getting everyone in on the fun! After all, family-wide relaxation starts when everyone agrees to create a happier, healthier place.
For me keeping things organized is key. I get so stressed when I see a mess everywhere and I can never relax when everything is not put in its place.
Keeping things organized is SO IMPORTANT. It is really easy to get off track with it though. I just find that I get so stressed out when there is clutter everywhere. It makes me want to scream!
I’ll admit I’ve gotten much more lax with messes the older I get. However, I still have those days where I get stressed out because there is a mess on the table or floor. These are some great tips.
I am all about natural light! It’s actually been really hard this winter because the sun hasn’t been out enough and so my plants in all my windows are not doing well. But light is everything and I am glad I have huge windows. I love making cozy places in my home and so glad that each space is designed for comfort.
I had no idea that using natural colours would make your home a relaxing place although that definitely makes sense. I love the idea of letting natural light in as well to create a natural atmosphere too.
This year, I am hoping to make our bedroom a little bit more relaxing. It has become a dumping ground and I hate it. Thank you for the tips!
Good point. A room being airy and light is really important to me. Love how it makes the room feel
I love making the living room a welcoming place and these tips that you have here are perfect. The lighting does so much to a room, no matter what room you’re working on!
Thank you for these ideas. I absolutely must focus on making my home a more comfortable place, and these tips are a great place to start, especially choosing a focal point! Happy Monday!
Definitely something i’m working on in my new home to make it more relaxing and comfy like a great living space. I love your ideas especially choosing s focal point. Keeping things organized is for sure something i want to stay on top of. Thanks.
You rooms definitely do look relaxing, I want to come hang out there! My living room is extremely hectic during the day, but I swear it’s put together after the kids go to sleep. 🙂
Our livingroom really has the option for a lot of natural light and we don’t keep windows open. My dog barks non-stop!
I couldn’t agree more about the disorganization in the kitchen causing stress and chaos. Love how nice it is when I walk in and the counter tops are free from clutter.
Let light in! That is huge for us right now. Our house was built in the 1980’s – everything is so dark. We are installing new lights to really add some more light in our home. Great tips!!
Take a guess where my “R&R” spot is in my house? If you guessed my closet, you would be 100% on the money!
I need to become more organized. It’s difficult when you have a little tornado in the house!
For me to stay organized, I have to reduce the amount of stuff I own. So I am following the rule of “throw out two when I bring one in!” That’s been super helpful!
Organisation is my downfall but after reading your post I’m eager to follow some of your tips and make my living space as tranquil and organised as yours!
The living room part has such great ideas, our focal point is definitely the television, as we all love rewatching TV shows together and of course, watching football during the season!
I love this! I have been working on cleaning, de-cluttering, and re-organizing my home and the lack of clutter and natural light really make big differences.
I reorganized a bunch of drawers in our house this holiday break and it makes me feel so good. And when I feel good I can get a lot more done. Amazing how it snowballs.
We are trying to teach our kids the value of organization. There are some really great tips here I can’t wait for us to try.
I love keeping all my spaces organized. The less clutter the better! I also love using light colors and allowing a lot of natural light in.
I love all your ideas! Being organized makes such a difference in how you feel!
Really great tips! I love that my living room has a pretty large window. Natural light makes me feel so relaxed. As for my kitchen – I can’t stand a messy one and clean it a few times a day just to keep my sanity!
We just moved into a new house a few months ago. I’m working really hard this year to make it amazing and cozy for everyone that comes in
Organization makes me feel so much better and definitely comfortable in my own space. Having organization in the kitchen makes it such a pleasant place! We just moved into a new house and I had big plans to put things away full organized….TIME TO ORGANIZE. 🙂