Happier at Home – A Great Aim!
Most of us spend quite a lot of time at home, so it makes sense to be happy there – it is, after all, supposed to be your sanctuary.
Even if you don’t live in your dream home right now, there are always ways to create happiness where you live.
So, here are 10 easy ways that will help you to be happier at home.
I’ve been inspired by – and borrowed content from – Mary Lauren’s blog and also Apartment Therapy., and (of course) I’ve added green and eco-friendly tips in as well.
1. Make Your Bed
It’s so simple to do, and it doesn’t take long at all. When you walk into your bedroom after a long day, the last thing you want to see is a messy bed. Always make the bed as soon as you get up – make it a habit.
Interestingly, according to the book The Happiness Project, this task is one of the simplest habits you can adopt to have a positive impact on your happiness at home.
2. Bring Every Room Back to “Ready”
We all know it.
Clutter and mess cause stress.
When you’re stressed, you’re not happy.
When you are about to leave a room, take 3 minutes – yes, just 3 minutes – and tidy the room. Enlist help from your partner and kids if applicable. No one minds spending 3 minutes, and it brings big rewards – you will feel happier at home when you walk into a “ready” room.
Related: Clutter challenge – yes, you can be clutter-free even with kids!
Coming home to a clean house is key. If you walk in the door to a giant mess, it just creates more stress.
Get into a routine of tidying up each day to keep things looking good for sanity’s sake.
Use green cleaning products to keep harmful toxins at bay, and a spritz of your favourite essential oil in a room with also make you feel happier at home.
3. Add Living Things
Plants and flowers around your home can improve indoor air as well as make your home more welcoming, more cozy, more home-y, and of course more green and eco friendly.
Related: Be happier at home with 6 plants that will grow anywhere (green fingers NOT required)
4. Display Sentimental Items Around Your Home
Experiences – and the memories they create – make us much happier than material things (and of course it’s much greener to consume less and reduce what you buy).
So make your home a gallery of positive memories.
A few well-chosen pieces will add personality to your home without adding clutter, and will increase your happiness when you remember the experiences.
5. If You Can’t Get Out Of It, Get Into It
This is a great concept from The Happiness Project. Housework won’t do itself (unless you can outsource it of course).
So, if it has to be done, get on with it and enjoy it. For example, when you’re doing the dishes, feel the soothing warm water on your hands. Enjoy the tickle of the tiny bubbles. Play your favourite album at an unusually loud volume and enjoy the moment.
6. Stay Organized
Knowing you can find something when you need it without wasting time is another way to create a sense of calm and peace in your home.
7. Give Yourself A Break
With all the information and images of new ideas and beautiful spaces we are bombarded with, it’s easy to think that what you have isn’t good enough.
Try not to let everyone else’s world get in the way and make you feel overwhelmed.
Learn, strive and improve on your terms, with a sense of calm and a positive outlook on change.
8. Start a one-line-a-day gratitude journal.
Before bed, simply jot down one happy memory from that day.
If you have children, you can ask them, “What was the best part of today?”.
Reflection is an important part of happiness, and pausing to reflect on a positive event from each day cultivates gratitude.
9. Random Acts of Kindness
Do things that others will appreciate – but don’t expect anything in return.
Mow the lawn, do the ironing, help with a report or presentation – just because.
The ability to cultivate strong, healthy relationships is one of the biggest contributors to health and happiness, but when you start to keep score, the benefit is lost. (No! It’s YOUR turn to clean up the dog mess!)
It’s a well-known fact: When you do good, you feel happier.
10. Connect
Humans are social beings and studies show that even when we don’t feel like it, socializing with our loved ones makes us feel better.
You can do this while you clean, make the bed, or while you walk the dog. Make an actual phone call to a loved one, just to chat and catch up.
All of these 10 tips are great ways to make you happier at home.
Start with one that you’re not already doing, and see if it makes you happier at home.
Then try another.
Is your home your sanctuary? Let me know in the Comments below, and please spread the word (Sharing buttons below and right) about being happier at home – it could make a difference to a lot of people!
Clare these are great ideas. I can’t stand not having my bed made it just feels messy plus it helps to keep the bed a bit warmer to get in during winter. 🙂 One trick I have used over the years when feeling dissatisfied with my home is to sit in a room with a notepad and list all the things I dislike about the space. It’s usually simple things such as clutter or maybe a paint color. I then make a plan to tackle that one room and make it what I want and move on to the next space that doesn’t feel like my sanctuary. Often we think we need to move, that we’ve outgrown a space when we simple have been ignoring the spaces for too long. It’s those things we see every day that we don’t notice, yet can rob us of our comfort, that are the problem.
I love your idea of writing down what you’re dissatisfied about in a room! I’m sure it’s often things that are relatively easy to fix, like a quick paint job as you say, and gosh what a difference that can make! You’re absolutely right, we think we’ve outgrown a house, but in fact if we just look at it “with new eyes” we’ll see all sorts of opportunities and options that could vastly improve it without the cost, hassle and stress of moving. A much greener alternative, thanks Lois!
Fabulous tips, Clare! I especially like #5. I read, once, that any activity can become a zen moment … that we can enjoy anything by focusing on the actions and how we feel. It’s really all about attitude. A friend of mine hated weeding the flower beds but he loved beer. So, he simply made an agreement with himself that at certain points (the end of the flower bed or so many feet) he could take a beer break. To get started, he placed his beer bottle at the first point and when he reach it, he took a swallow or two and relaxed for a minute. Then he moved the bottle to the next “milestone”. It worked for him. I’m not advocating the use of alcohol to get chores done but I always admired his creative way of making the activity more fun.
“Any activity can become a Zen moment” – that’s so true, it’s all about attitude. I love your example of your friend’s creativity, that’s a super idea, and it illustrates the concept perfectly. Thanks so much for sharing it Small!
I love this list, Clare. So many of the ideas are on target. I open my bed fully for the hour or so while I have my coffee to air out. Then make it so it feels fresh at night. I have been writing a one line gratitude journal since 2012 and the last part of my regular journal each day has more gratitude’s. There are almost no jobs I hate doing as most end up meditative. Like dishes and ironing.
My home is not yet a sanctuary. I’ve been here less than a year and had 2 family members move in and one move out in that time. We are in constant flux right now. But just going into the bathroom to wash my hands had me organizing a cupboard and tossing things out. Little by little, we are making progress. Orderliness is vital to me so if it has no home, it has to go or find one quickly.
My son just bought 2 orchids to make things pretty even though I get little natural light in here. He has a bit more in his room. They do cheer me. Need to add more random acts of kindness to my list. Thanks for the list and the food for thought.
I’ve only just started my gratitude journal and already I’m feeling the difference it makes, so I’m delighted it’s been working for you for so long. Constant flux does make make life difficult, but you’ve definitely got the right idea with doing a little bit often and making progress. I’m not very good with orderliness, so good for you to be so organized! Orchids are so beautiful, they will continue to bring you joy. Thanks so much for letting us know that the happiness tips work so well!