Houses, in a way, are extensions of ourselves. They are a part of our identity. If we have our own house, we also have the liberty to shape it almost however we will it. In that way, it also manifests our tastes. They protect us from the elements and outside threats. Precisely because it’s so vital to us that our house also shapes how we feel on a given day. In order to avoid a grim and sorrowful aura every time we walk in through the front door, steps need to be taken.
Housing Situation
It’s not a coincidence that cleaning your house reduces anxiety and improves your mindset. A dusty and filthy house is correlated with higher feelings of depression. So if you’re feeling down, cleaning up your house has proven to fix your mood. A similar research published in 2015 has shown that there’s a strong correlation between poor rental housing and emotional sickness like depression.
“Homes with problems weigh on residents. Rodents, holes in the walls, broken windows, lack of heat take their emotional toll. “Those who live in neighborhoods in disarray, that have vacant lots, troubles with vandalism, trash, etc. will grow a sense of hostility towards their fellow men. While those who live in more well-kept neighborhoods will have a higher degree of satisfaction, stability, and willingness to help others.
Change up the Color Scheme
The colors you choose to have in your home will have a significant effect on your daily mood. Lighter colors like blue and green are better for your mental well-being, they make a relaxing and serene atmosphere. Colors like orange, brown, and gray are generally the least appealing and can turn your mood to sour and even make you irritated.
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a form of depression that hits usually in fall and winter when the days are shorter. The best way of treating it is light therapy (exposure to daylight or some equivalent form of light as a treatment). Improving the color scheme improves your mental well-being and thus will improve your behavior. A neutral color scheme will set your mind at ease, and creates a sense of calmness, while a lighter green type will make you feel a sense of tranquility.
Declutter
A cluttered house filled to the brim with trash and unnecessary things is harmful to the people living in those conditions. They can cause severe stress, anxiety, and tension. Nobody can be at ease if it takes them five minutes just to find their keys. So, stand up and get cleaning. Get rid of all the stuff you don’t need. Sell it, give it away, recycle it, whatever, just get rid of it in a lawful manner that isn’t throwing it in the neighbor’s front yard…
Scents
Surrounding yourself with pleasant smells boosts your happiness. If you get some scented candles or mood-boosting oils in your home, you are bound to feel happier. Of course, you need to actually test it out and see what smell is more pleasant to you. Everyone has different tastes, so what’s good for another person might not be the best for you. It would be unwise to put some scented candles that you hate the smell of in your bedroom just because it’s known to improve mental well-being.
Plants
A study from RMIT University and University of Melbourne has shown that in order to remove indoor pollutants you need to have 1 medium-sized plant per 2.2 square meters. Removing pollutants also improves the air quality of the room, which then improves the happiness of the person. Breathing clean air always makes a person feel healthier (and also become healthier). Nature always has uplifting effects on us, so plant a few fresh plants indoors, maintain them and see the effects for yourself.
Unique Tiles
It can happen easily for you to get too comfortable with a certain style, pushing it to the limits and using it for everything. If you like black and want to use it, be careful not to turn your house into a dungeon. The tile layout is an everyday part of your life and also in direct synergy with the color scheme tip.
Changing the layout of a room brings a breath of fresh air into it. With this, you can always walk into a room and have a unique outlook. Mosaic tiles are for the creative to feel like true patrons of the arts. The options are only limited by your ambitions and creative outlook. With more liberty, you are able to manifest your creativity with unique mosaic tiles. Truly being able to personalize your living space turns a house into a home. Admirers of the sea can take cover their walls with rich blue colors to calm them, while more forest-oriented people can cover them with lush green colors. Here are some other unique ideas:
- Putting tiles in unique places to have a fun and new look on the items (it’s also a good way to get rid of excess materials)
- Going with a bold color scheme in certain rooms to show off a sense of style and daring approach
- A sea of dimes used as tiles
- A managed set of mismatched tile schemes is for the people who like a bit of chaos. As long as it is not thrown at random, and belong to the same color family, it can work out
- Like with the previous one, playing with textures offers a daring sense of style. Adding a few unexpected shapes here and there will make the room stand out in a positive way if handled well
Lighting
Lighting has a large part to play in your mood when entering a room and what to expect of it. If you want to create a soothing, calming, and even romantic ambiance in your room, use dimmable lights. These lights are also best in the bedroom because you would normally want to avoid too much light. It also goes hand in hand with night readers. While dimmable lights are better in bedrooms, in living rooms you want to have a much higher degree of illumination. A less lit-up living room offers a much hazier and bleaker atmosphere.
Setting the Mood
How you surround yourself is a big factor in dealing with depression. It can relieve or worsen the symptoms. A warm and cozy sitting area will make you feel more at ease and safer. This is another reason why color schemes are important. You should designate the rooms in which you want to feel energetic with uplifting colors while the ones where you sleep should be in a calmer and darker tone.
People usually know that there is some form of connection between their mental health and their living conditions. The issue is that they do not act on it, nor try to actively improve. Sometimes you aren’t even aware of how much of a difference it makes. These little changes aren’t hard, nor expensive to make. So, we hope that reading this article has helped you understand the importance of taking care of your house and surrounding yourself with things that make you happy and healthy.