Setting New Year’s resolutions can be daunting, and most people opt to go for “go to the gym” or “eat healthier”, and then give up those resolutions only a month or two in. But there are other resolutions that you can make that can dramatically improve your mental health and happiness, and some of them don’t even require a huge time commitment. A big change you can resolve to make is updating your interior design, reducing clutter, and helping you have a nicer workflow as well as living space. These can have a dramatic effect on mental health.
The link between mental health and interior design
It’s no surprise that good design can improve mental health and help you feel like you’re living in a nice place. Mental health facilities, when well designed, can contribute to a healing environment. After all, what does it mean when you are apathetic to being surrounded by clutter, mess, and broken down items and appliances? Typically, a hoarder’s house doesn’t bode well for the resident’s mental health. Cleaning and clearing can help start the healing process — and give plenty of room to do so.
How you can plan for a better interior design
There are loads of tips and tricks you can use to help improve your mental health using design tips. We’ll talk about a few of the easiest tips — many of these you can complete in a few hours or an afternoon. Take some time to make a checklist of things you want to do, and set aside some time to do them. Your interior design will thank you!
#1: Check for flow
Is there a table that you’re always tripping on when you walk around the couch? Maybe there’s a rug that gets stuck whenever you open the door, or perhaps the refrigerator is a little too far away from your cooking space. Small layout changes, including replacing a rug, removing a table, or reorienting a piece of furniture can dramatically change the look and feel, as well as flow, of your home. Removing annoyances can help you avoid the “snowball effect” — when you’re frustrated and everything seems to be going wrong, snowballing into a massive ball of frustration.
#2: Reduce clutter
Are there things that you don’t use on a daily basis that you can put away into closets or cabinets? If you don’t have much in the way of storage space, it may be time for you to go through the things you do have and give away, sell, or throw out things you don’t need or want anymore. Consider this: You may use the thing you have in your hand “someday”, but will it cost less than $10 to repurchase that item when you do, and is it easily available to get? Might be worth tossing. Remember to go through your closet and clothes too, and donate what you don’t wear.
#3: Change up your walls
Do you have blank walls, or scarcely decorated walls? It may be a great idea to hang up flat or hang-able items that are otherwise collecting dust in storage. If you have a small handful of vinyl records you don’t listen to but can’t bear to part with, consider framing them and hanging them on the wall. Even grandma’s special collectible plate can be hung on the wall and artfully placed within a mosaic wall. Consider what you can hang up and make more space for clutter to be tucked away!
#4: Big changes…
If you’ve done everything else, you may be in for some bigger changes, including a kitchen renovation, addition, or whole home makeover. Consulting with a professional interior designer like j. ellen Design, LLC can help you get ideas for what will work best in your home. When you’re ready, we’re here for you! Contact us today to get started on your interior design renovation or project.
