Your home can drastically affect your mood. When we're seeing, hearing, feeling, smelling, and tasting things that we like, we feed good. When we're surrounded by things that are aesthetically displeasing or trigger painful memories, we feel bad. So, it's possible to bring more positivity into your life simply by rearranging your living space.
"The energy of organized things (clothes, furniture, rooms) is bright and light," Milana Perepyolkina, author of Gypsy Energy Secrets: Turning a Bad Day into a Good Day No Matter What Life Throws at You, tells Bustle. "The energy of clutter is dark and heavy. But you don’t have to be consciously aware of this energy. Most people pick up on this energy subconsciously. For thousands of years, people knew that clutter was connected to sickness. This is how we learned to be drawn to organized things: order was connected to health."
Whether you're looking to bring more positivity into your life or just boost your mood through your surroundings, a few small changes to your room or apartment can go a long way. Here are some ways to update your living space that will help you usher out old, negative energy and invite positive energy in.
1Decorate With Your Favorite Color
"Color is a powerful influencer, and the way we feel when we see a color we dislike can affect us physically," Moll Anderson, author of Change Your Home, Change Your Life with Color, tells Bustle. "We may suddenly feel exhausted, anxious, or angry, and although we may not understand why, it’s definitely a strong aversion. You may have known you hated a color, but didn’t realize the color was actually adding to your anxiety."
On the flip side, putting up art, decorations, and furniture that are your favorite color or complementary colors can keep you feeling positive.
2Make Your Bed
Your parents may have annoyed you when they told you to do this, but a made bed really can help you feel ready to start your day and go to sleep at night. "An organized environment sets the tone for the day," wellness coach Maureen Lake tells Bustle. "Try it — you’ll be amazed at its power, especially when you walk into the bedroom at the end of the day, and it looks inviting and comfy. You can’t wait to jump into bed at night and get a good night’s sleep!"
3Clean With Intention
There's a reason people make such a big deal out of spring cleaning: Clearing old stuff out of your home can also clear out old energy. To give your cleaning extra meaning, Perepyolkina recommends the following process: "Start by cleaning your entire house; pay attention to every inch of space including walls, ceilings, carpet, doors, and windows. As you clean the walls, stroke them with love. Spread sea salt around the bedroom and leave it for the next 24 hours to absorb the negative energy, then vacuum it all away singing joyful songs. Open all windows and go around the house clapping your hands, moving the negative energy out of the windows and inviting positive energy in through the doors. After the house is clean, it is time to fill it with beautiful music, songs, laughter, lovely things, and an abundance of soft fabrics."
4Fill Your Bedroom With Things That Make You Feel Safe
Our bedrooms are where we do the most vulnerable things, says Perepyolkina: sleep and sex. Therefore, it's important to feel as safe and secure as possible in them. "The fewer possessions you have in your bedroom, the better," she says. "Don’t store anything under your bed; make sure your closet has only the most valuable clothes that you cherish and wear often; keep only one or two items on top of the night stands. ... Filling your bedroom with the items that you love the most insures that you get an additional protection from negative energy. Think soft and subtle fabrics (nothing bright or dark), eliminate all sharp corners, remove plants. Talk to your pillow before you go to sleep — trust me on this — your possessions absorb good energy and then share it with you while you sleep."
5Use Bright Colors
There's a reason we sometimes use the word "bright" to mean "happy" — bright colors really do increase our happiness. "Brightening up your living space can have a remarkable effect on the energy and zen of you and your home," Caleb Backe, health and wellness expert for Maple Holistics, tells Bustle. "Brighter homes with more exposure to natural light are linked to a more positive state of mental health, whereas dim or ill-lit homes are generally found to be linked to depression and low-energy. Add more lamps, open up the shades, and purchase brighter, more powerful bulbs in order to transform and enhance the positive energy in your living space."
6Adopt A Pet — Or Plants
There's nothing to lift your mood like caring for another creature, even if it's just a plant. "There is a reason that house plants are the most popular housewarming gift," says Backe. "Introducing fresh, green life, flowers, a fish tank, or an herb garden gives the home a more energetic and organic feel. Replace dull decorations with living, practical decorations and feel the positive energy flow!"
7Make A Vision Board
A vision board is a collage of images and words that depict how you envision your future. This gives you "a visual reminder of the things you want to manifest in your life so that you can learn to be present and allow more positivity," Chanelle Henry, author of Muted Nation: The Skeptics Quick Guide to Tackling Depression, Anxiety and Other Soul-Sucking Ailments in a Distracting World, tells Bustle. All you need are some magazines, scissors, glue, and a vision.
8Leave Affirmation Post-Its Around
Another way to motivate yourself to stay positive is to leave post-its around with inspirational quotes or affirmations. "Having reminders around the house helps to erase old narratives and welcome new ones that subconsciously stick because you keep seeing it," says Henry.
Make these changes to feel more positive in your home, and you'll carry that positivity with you wherever you go.
