Happy Apartment, Happy You!

What does your apartment feel like? Does it generate some positive vibes in you? Walking through your front door, you should to be met with a sense of happiness, pleasure and relaxation. If your apartment is a bit lacking in spirit, we have some ideas on how your home can help improve your mood.

Surround yourself with things you love

We’ve talked before in this space about how it’s the little things that count when decorating. Sure, a stellar sofa is great, but it’s the accent pieces that make an apartment a home. Sit down and take a look at what’s on your walls. Are they things that make you smile? Photos of friends and family, a pastel drawing from your travels, a poster you fell in love with? If not, spend an afternoon rearranging your walls. Take down the ho-hum and put up some wow. If you don’t want to physically hang anything, get some open shelves to make a little happiness shrine, filled with items that make you smile.

Surround yourself with comfort

Do you have a comfort food? Something that sends you back to childhood with fond memories? Find yourself some comfort furniture. This could be a chair, couch, bed, doesn’t matter, but it will enfold you in happiness every time you climb in. On a related note, how’s your mattress? Getting a good night’s sleep puts a completely different spin on the morning you wake up to, so spend a little extra money and invest in a quality mattress that fits your body. Don’t forget about the lights. If you suffer from winter time blues due to the short, grey days, invest in some phototherapy light bulbs. Whether the weather affects you or not, use a mix of overhead and floor lights. You can turn them on or off according to the mood you want to create. And candles – they not only provide soft light, but an illusion of warmth. Light them liberally!

Surround yourself with mood enhancers

It’s no secret certain colors project certain feelings; blue is supposed to be soothing, while red is stimulating. If you want to update your color scheme think about what mood your want your room to project. Dark blues and greens give off a sophisticated vibe; light blue should be calming and a soft yellow will make the room feel warm. Go with your gut and if you smile when gazing at a particular shade, choose it. If you are happy with your current color palate, add some life to your rooms. Buy a few plants and put them in beautiful pots. Hang wind chimes and glass prisms in your windows to bring the freshness of the outdoors inside.

Surround yourself with pride

You probably aren’t out to impress anyone with your apartment, but having a warm inviting home does reflect positively on you. Having friends tell you how much they like you house, how comfortable they feel in it will boost your self-esteem. And of course, feeling good gives us a positive outlook on our lives. New year, rejuvenated apartment, happy you! Ahhh…I’m home!