Being self-employed has its perks.
When the majority of Americans found themselves unemployed or working from home at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, I was chugging away on my computer, sending emails to and fro to clients, happy and grateful to be able to work online in such a tumultuous time.
On the other hand, working from home can be incredibly boring. Day after day, the same routine and no other faces besides your own–it gets lonely after a while, no matter how grateful I am to be safe from infection due to my choice in job.
One of the things that has been helping me during this time is giving my house a little facelift. My boyfriend and I live in a very small, 500 square foot one-bedroom apartment, so our budget for decoration is outweighed by the lack of space we have.
That hasn’t stopped us from covering the walls in art, however–posters and canvases and prints decorate almost every inch of our living room, as well as our bathroom and bedroom.
But spending all of my time inside all day, without human contact, has given me both the inspiration and the opportunity to make this space even cozier. While I won’t claim to be an interior designer by any means and some might find my design choices suspect, I’ve found that redecorating my work space and living space has allowed my mind to thrive more easily within these four walls.
Instead of feeling bored and tired when I sit at my desk each morning, the energy of my house allows me to feel cozy, comfortable, and 100% at home while I work on thriving within my career each day.
I’m not alone in this either. In fact, there are a few simple things that you can do to improve the energy of your own home to influence positive changes in your mind. If you’re looking for a way to beautify your space and your brain at the same time, check out the tips below to give yourself a simple home and mind makeover.
Plants Are Vital to a Thriving Indoor Space
One thing you’ll notice if you browse r/CozyPlaces or even interior design forums: plants abound.
This is because adding in a plant is really easy way to liven up a space. For just a few dollars and a little bit of water, plants will add color, vibrancy, and energy into a dull and boring room. Plus, there’s the mental health benefits of being surrounded by greenery–studies have shown that having indoor plants and interacting with them on a daily basis can improve stress levels, both psychologically and physiologically.
There are many different types of easy, no stress plants to get started with, but they will vary depending upon the climate you live in and the amount of sun your home gets.
I’ve found that pothos and aloe vera plants both grow incredibly well no matter where I’m living–these are 2 low-cost plants that will grow quickly and improve the energy of your indoor space without much need for care. In fact, most aloe and pothos plants thrive on neglect, so try not to pay too much attention to these plants or you may find you’ve killed them with love.
Unique Objects Will Inspire You
When I was a kid, my great-grandma used to take my sister and I to endless amounts of thrift stores, garage sales, church sales, rummage sales, yard sales, and every other kind of sale you could think of. She grew up during the Great Depression and always retained her frugal habits, which she passed down to my mother and to my sister and I. One of my favorite pieces that she handed down to me an old iron door stop in the shape of a Native American Chief–she probably found it at a garage sale in her early days, as it was one of her favorite treasures.
One perk of this early education into thrifting allowed me to find unique and sundry objects. As a child, these would often be stuffed animals or painted music boxes or an old plastic toy still in its box from the 80s, but as I grew older, these unique objects became decorations for my home. Sometimes they still come from thrift stores or yard sales while others are hand-me-downs or found objects.
No matter what calls to your soul, be it a painting, a sculpture, or a piece of furniture, taking a break from mass-produced items to find something unique to decorate with is an easy way to help your house feel more like home.
Gifts and Souvenirs from Friends For Good Vibrations
I moved across the country in 2017, leaving behind a large group of amazing people in my home state of Florida when I relocated out to Colorado Springs, Colorado. Before I left, my family organized a going away party for me, and several of the parting gifts that I received that night are decorations in my house.
My best friend made me an incredible painting that says, “When it is dark enough, you can see the stars,” that features a palm frond and twinkling stars against a blue background.
These mementos and trinkets that hold memories are incredibly important to me. Even so far from where I am from, they help ground me and allow me to feel like the love and support of my friends is with me wherever I go.
Decorating with items that are special or sacred to you will give you a daily reminder of what’s important in your life. It’s not the possessions or the amount of money you earn–it is the people that you love and the memories that you have made together.
Change the Lighting to Change the Mood
My boyfriend is obsessed with lightbulbs. I think it began during our brief courtship, when he would come into my work each day on his break from the restaurant where he worked across the street. The vape shop I was employed at during that time was gorgeous–custom wood-paneled walls and floors gave it a unique and modern energy, while the hanging light fixtures with Edison bulbs hearkened back to the Coloradan past. I always found it ironic to have Edison bulbs in a city that once housed Edison’s rival, Nikola Tesla.
But my boyfriend was fascinated with them. They were one of his favorite topics of conversation while we attempted to awkwardly flirt with one another, and after we moved in together, he was determined to order some for our space. He found a website that sells them for a fairly cheap price and within a few weeks, we had transformed our home just by changing up the lighting.
We found the bulbs that were installed in our home were far too bright for two vampires like us, so he ordered a few lower-watt Edison bulbs that help to give our home a softer glow. Recently, I also bought a strand of outdoor fairy lights to string up above the couch, adding in another lighting element to the mix that softens the room both during the day and night.
Whatever your lighting preferences are, cater to them! Bulbs are easy to find and typically not expensive, so no matter what your budget is, you should be able to find the right one for you. Changing the lighting in your home is a simple and easy way to make it more cozy and help you to feel more at ease.
Bonus Tip: Keep It Clean!
There’s no point in attempting to liven up your living space if it’s just going to be destroyed by clutter the next day. If you’re like me and have trouble cleaning on your down days, forming a simple routine each day to keep your space looking bright and beautiful will allow you to enjoy your decorations and loving additions without the stress of chores weighing on your mind.
Making Over Your Home is Only a Few Steps Away
You don’t have to be a wealthy homeowner or interior designer to make your space feel more like home–all it takes is a bit of creativity and adding in the spin of your own personal style to improve the energy that flows between these four walls.
After all, if we’re going to be forced to spend our summers quarantined or at the very least social distancing, we might as well enjoy the spaces that we’re stuck in. You deserve a clean, lovely space that is full of light and happiness–create that for yourself. It is within you reach.
Total Panic Meltdown 