5 Ways To Turn Your Average Home Into An Isolation Retreat - Sally Gibbs
With the latest government restrictions around the world, we are in a season of staying home! Working, studying, homeschooling from our houses, apartments and units. It’s the perfect time to do some revamping of your space, to set the atmosphere and create a place of comfort during this time! Here are 5 quick ways to turn your average home into an isolation retreat.
1. Reorganise your home
I think this is a good place to start. Now that you’re at home, it’s time to declutter, and reorganise. Go through your pantry, linen cupboards, clothes cupboard, and drawers all around your home and begin to reorganise these areas.
Throw out things you haven’t used in 6 months (or donate them to someone else who could make good use out of it!)
Bring some fresh order to your rooms, cupboards, and drawers so that everything feels clean, fresh and ordered. This will help you to declutter your mind, create new spaces and allow you to feel better about staying at home.
A great way to do this is to purchase some boxes that you can store things in and label them clearly. Why not try and replicate this in your home, it will feel and look amazing!
2. Choose colours that calm you
Take a browse through some books, materials or search for some home inspirations on Google, and look at a variety of different colours, shades and textures. Find what calms, relaxes you and gives you peace. What makes you feel good?
Once you’ve figured it out, I encourage you to bring these colours and textures into your home. Perhaps you could purchase a new bed cover and pillows in that colour, buy some new rugs for the lounge, or even replace some furniture items.
It’s nice to have some cohesiveness to your home, and using colours that will make you go “ahhh…” If your house is small, dark or dim, I encourage you to use white and light colours as it makes the space feel larger and open. Ensure you also open up your windows during the day to allow natural sunlight in and fresh air.
If you’re working with a small space like me, even adding a large mirror to a wall can open the room right up! I am currently really into light and airy colours, whites, light wood, rattan, burnt orange and a neutral, comforting look.
3. Find your perfect aroma!
Smells can change your mood and the atmosphere of your home! Seriously, it’s time to invest in some good candles or an oil diffuser. Go out or order some candles online that you absolutely love the smell of.
I am really into clean, fresh smells that remind me of being by the beach, or the scent of coffee and salted caramel that make you feel like you’re totally indulging!
Oil diffusers are also a great thing to get for your home to purify the air! They can have benefits when paired with the right scented oil such as eucalyptus, lavender, chamomile, lemon grass, and mint. Some benefits from the air diffuser include; promoting good sleep, improves respiratory health, eliminates odor, elevates mood, reduces stress & anxiety.
If we’re going to be at home a lot, it may as well smell incredible right? You could even make some home made candles for fun!
4. Surround yourself with scriptures & positive words!
With all that's going on in the world, we need to make sure God's Word is the loudest voice in our ears and the most frequent words we are reading!
More than ever, it’s time to surround yourself in His Word…literally! Find what your favourite verses are in this season. Maybe it’s a scripture God is putting on your heart right now, perhaps it’s a prophetic declaration from the past that you’re now clinging too, maybe it’s some lyrics from a worship song. Whatever it is - why not print it out, frame it and put these words around your home. Not only are they decorative and beautiful, but they are promises and truth you can read and see every day in this season!
5. Bring plants inside!
Who doesn’t love a good plant these days!? It’s time to bring the outside, inside! You may not have a green thumb, but all of us can grab some plants or greenery and bring them inside our homes.
We always feel better once we’ve been in nature, because being in nature has so many benefits for our physical and mental health. In the same way having indoor plants is amazing because they clean the air by absorbing toxins and producing more oxygen. They can also help with concentration, productivity, and reduce fatigue.
You can completely change a space by adding some plants, they can bring life to a sterile environment, create privacy, and even reduce sounds all whilst cleaning the air in our homes!
During this season we are all required to stay indoors and stay home! So, why not try some of these steps and turn your home into your perfect retreat, a haven to abide in. You won’t even miss holidays and vacations once your home feels like a holiday destination in itself!
Written By Sally Gibbs
Sally is married to Jonny and they are on team at Kingdomcity.