How does your home feel? Is it your personal sanctuary where you enjoy spending time? Does it bring you peace and contentment especially after a long day? With a few mindful changes, your space at home can drastically affect your mood, in a very positive way.
Here are eight ways to update your living space that will help you usher out old vibes and invite positive energy in. These suggestions will transform your space into a place where you will look forward to spending time in and where you will noticeably breathe deeper and more fully as you let the everyday stresses of life melt away.
DECLUTTER YOUR SPACE
Spring is the perfect time to clean out your home! If you are like me, I can’t stand seeing piles of stuff everywhere, and I definitely cannot function in a messy room. A cluttered space promotes stress, leads to the inability to focus and impedes the flow of positive energy. That’s why it is important to declutter your home and get rid of things you don’t need.
If you find it hard to let go of physical items, just use the Marie Kondo method. According to this method, the first thing you have to ask yourself when getting rid of items is: “Does the item spark joy?” If the answer is no, then you should donate it or give it to a friend.
However, if you have an item, such as a piece of clothing, that doesn’t spark joy but is well used, you can change the way you think about the item. Those items can stay. You’ll probably be surprised by how much you can eliminate to help organize your living space, by using this method.
Once you get rid of all the clutter, you’re ready to organize your house. Put all the things in their place and sweep around your floors with sea-salt water. It is believed that mopping the house with salt water, will increase positive vibrations. Finish off your big cleaning round with some scented-home spray for a nice fresh smell and extra positive vibes!
MAKE YOUR BED
It sounds like a little thing, but making your bed can have some great benefits that you may have never considered. In a commencement speech at the University of Texas, Former Commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, Admiral Bill McRaven , who authored the book “Make Your Bed: Little Things Can Change Your Life… and Maybe the World,” told students that the importance of making your bed every day was one of the most powerful lessons he learned during his time as a Navy Seal.
“If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride, and it will encourage you to do another task, and another, and another. And by the end of the day that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed.”
By completing a single chore that you don’t have to do later, you will set the tone for the rest of the day. And nothing feels better than coming home and see your made bed as welcoming and reassuring as a hug, waiting for you. So, stop giving excuses and get fluffing those pillows!
GO GREEN! ADD SOME FLOWERS OR PLANTS THROUGHOUT YOUR HOME
It’s no secret that being in nature is better for your well-being than living in concrete jungles. Yet, most of us have to choose the latter to survive. So, if we can’t bring ourselves to nature, then why not bring nature to us?
Flowers and plants are instant mood boosters and the closest thing to nature you can put inside your own home. They radiate harmonious energy. Not only will their colors, promote focus or bring calming and positive vibes, they will also remove the toxins from the air in your home. According to a study by NASA, plants can reduce the number of toxins in your home by 87% per hour!
Besides, fresh flowers and house plants have aromatherapeutic properties, some similar to the benefits of essential oils. So, if you love the smell of fresh flowers, just put a fresh bouquet on your desk or at the dining table. Similarly, when you’re looking for a better night’s sleep, consider getting some bedroom plants that help with falling asleep to place next to your bed. Introducing fresh, green life or flowers into your home will feel more peaceful, energetic, and organic. So why not start today?
BRING IN SOME POSITIVE ENERGY WITH HEALING CRYSTALS
Another way to bring nature into your home is through healing crystals. They can make your living room or bedroom a holistic sweet home by transforming the energy and mood of your entire space.
As described in the Gemstones Guide, it is important that you recognize which crystals you naturally gravitate toward. In particular, you need to pay attention to the color of the stone as color holds important clues about the stone’s energetic vibration. So if the color, but also the shape and size of a certain crystal jumps out at you, get that one!
You can also figure out which stone is connected to your month of birth, called your birthstone.
My favorite crystals to cleanse and raise vibration, are rose quartz, amethyst, and citrine.
Rose quartz is all about love, joy, and selflessness and will create a loving and nurturing environment. I use this crystal in my kitchen, my family room, and my kids rooms.
Amethyst supports balance and peaceful energies that can help you connect to your higher spiritual self. It will help you to relax, clarify and open your mind. I set this in my bedroom by my mindfulness corner where I do my devotionals, meditation, and prayer time.
Citrine is connected with wealth, prosperity, and abundance. It's a good crystal to use if you're looking to attract success. It is known to boost confidence, inner strength, and courage. When I first opened the studio, I placed Citrine around the studio to help give me the courage to believe in my vision and keep going. If you look, you will find crystals all around the studio that I have picked up along my journey.
USE NATURAL LIGHT
Artificial light can have a negative impact on our health. It can change your sleeping pattern from the natural rhythm of two four-hour phases broken by an hour of wakefulness to a single eight-hour phase each night and disrupts your circadian rhythm.
That’s why it is important that you use as much natural light as possible. Open up your windows and curtains and light darker areas of your home with lamps that emit natural light.
I am a big fan of Himalayan salt lamps, as they do more than just look good. They emit a soothing, soft, calming, natural glow, which helps you to relax and make you sleep better. And because the light is amber-colored, they work great as low light lamps or night lights.
They also blend in very nicely with virtually any home decor. Besides, the salt lamps will increase your energy level and purify the air. They counteract with positive ions which when at high levels, can cause headaches, insomnia, and general fatigue. By removing static electricity, they neutralize electromagnetic radiation and other factors that affect the energy level in our environments.
ESSENTIAL OILS TO IMPROVE ENERGY
Essential oils are one of the best ways to clear negative energy and vibe up your space with a fresh fragrance. As each essential oil has its own qualities, and characteristics, you can choose the oil that fits your needs. Are you looking for an uplifting and cleansing vibe, take sweet orange, lemon, or grapefruit.
Oils improve your energy levels, decrease stress, and help reduce any mental fatigue you may be experiencing. Lavender and frankincense are more calming and help to relieve stress, anxiety, and insomnia. My absolute favorite one is lavender oil. I put it on pillow cases, the bottom of my feet and in the diffuser in my bathroom. I feel like I’m in a spa when I use my diffuser - it releases molecules of the essential oils into the air that you inhale and come into contact with. I breathe deeper and feel a noticeable difference when the oils are in the air around me.
PALO SANTO
Another favorite item for clearing my space from negative energy is Palo Santo. Palo Santa is a sacred wood that comes from the magical Palo Santo tree, native to the coast of South America. In Spanish, its name literally means holy wood, and it is just that. It has an incredibly nice fragrance and is especially useful on an everyday basis to refresh your home.
You have to light the Palo Santo stick and allow it to burn for about 30 seconds. Then gently blow it out. When it is burned, the smoke is believed to have both medicinal and therapeutic healing power. Some of the most well-known uses include inspiring creativity, evoking protection, infusing blessings and bringing both love and good fortune.
USE COLOR PSYCHOLOGY TO ENHANCE YOUR MOOD
Did you know that certain colors can ruin your appetite if you use it in the kitchen? And that choosing the right color can improve your quality of sleep? Research has shown that colors can greatly affect our moods and behavior.
Therefore, it is super important that you have the right colors for the rooms and decor in your home. So before considering a new paint color in your home, think about how you want a room to feel.
Bright colors like vibrant shades of green and blue, yellow, and orange, normally will give an expansive feeling. These are considered to be friendly, happy colors that boost communication and are therefore especially welcome in the dining area and kitchen.
Dark colors, such as red, purple, blue, and dark shades of green, will give a constricting and gloomy effect. However, when you use them in the right place or as accent elements, they can create comfort and security.
Cold Colors, like icy blues and greens, create a serene, calming and joyful space. They are especially well-suited for bedrooms, as they will help you to go to bed relaxed and wake up refreshed in the morning.
LIGHT SOME CANDLES
I love the light and energy produced by candles as well as the calming feeling of reading by candlelight. Therefore, I couldn’t ignore lighting the so-called fire in your home. Unfortunately, the traditional paraffin candles, when burned, release two highly toxic carcinogens, benzene, and toluene. Many also have wicks that contain heavy metals (i.e., lead).
But hey, here is some good news! There is an alternative:) This brings me to soy candles. They are an amazing natural alternative to normal candles: environmentally friendly, less messy, and normally burn longer. This is the type candle I buy for my home and the studio. You can find them almost anywhere candles are sold. My favorite scents are Rosemary for the spring/summer and Pine for the Fall and Holiday season. One of my favorites scents all year round is the fresh all natural cedar wood and eucalyptus candle made by HHI.
Whether you choose one of the suggestions above - or all of them, I hope you enjoy lighting up your space and ushering in good luck to your home!
While you cannot see increasing positive energy in your home, you can certainly experience and feel it. The positive vibes live in the walls, in the plants, and in the breaths of each human living in your space.
Positive energy makes you feel good, keeps your mood charged, and will possibly unlock the potential we all have within. Just remember that good vibes remain, and can always be recharged, cleansed, and powered up again. You can never do any of this too much. Keep it going, and keep it energized. Love your space, and love the life you create!
With much love,
Allison