We’ve all heard it before, home should be your “quiet place” or your “sanctuary”. While this should be true, it’s not always possible. However, there are some things you can do to improve the quality of life you have at home. In this article we suggest four completely achievable ways you can do so.
1. Create some extra space
We’re not all blessed with huge spacious houses so making the most out of the space that we have is really important. Just by creating a little more space at home we can create a more relaxing atmosphere in which to come home to.
A great and often under-utilized way to do this is by creating a raised “platform” floor area in a room. We’re not talking removing or changing the existing floor here, just adding another platform on top with storage space within it. By raising a portion of the room by a foot or two (with storage space within) you can make use of the “dead” overhead space in a room. This creates more storage space without sacrificing floor space.
Another often overlooked space that’s ready to be made use of is the area under the stairs. Adding shelves or drawers here is a great way to free up space elsewhere.
2. Use the power of plants
Besides the visual beauty of plants they offer a while load of other benefits. Research conducted by NASA indicates that household plants drastically improve the quality of air inside a home. They are incredibly effective air filters of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are particularly hazardous to human health.
Research also suggests that plants can actually help make you smarter. The presence of plants in a space has been shown to improve concentration levels and the ability to maintain attention.
Plants like ivy and cacti are great ones to get started with as they are almost indestructible and really cheap.
Plants make your home look prettier, they clean your air, they help you to concentrate and they cost…peanuts.
3. Make your home quieter
Sadly, you can’t choose your neighbors and sometimes their noise can have a real negative impact on the quality of your life. It affects your ability to sleep and also your ability to focus.
Noise pollution is an increasing problem as we live in more densely populated areas than ever, but there are a few things you can do to reduce it.
Airborne noise like that from busy roads or people talking outside tends to enter your home through your windows. Despite being one of the most expensive surface coverings in your home, windows are notoriously bad at keeping noise out.
Improve the sound insulation of your window areas by sealing any air gaps (sound travels easily through air), and using thick “blackout” curtains. Hanging two sets of these curtains would be even more effective.
4. Stop watching so much TV
These days almost every living room is centered around the TV. The whole design and layout of the room is based on the location of the TV and the most comfortable way for the whole family to view it.
Now, I’m not saying get rid of your TV, just think about how how much time you and the kids spend watching it. Meaningful family time should be spent interacting and engaging with each other, not focusing on the television. By increasing the quality of interaction we have with the people we are close to we can feel more fulfilled about our daily lives.
Reduce the time you spend watching TV and spend more time talking, debating or doing something new. In 20 years time will you fondly remember all those nights spent watching TV or will you be proud of that new skill you learned?
