No matter where you live or what you do for a living, everyone can relate to feeling a little stressed at the end of a hectic day. Whether you’re cramming for an exam, rushing to meet a deadline or simply exhausted from being on your feet since the wee hours of the morning, stress is a universal language we all speak.
Typically, we head home to strip ourselves of our worries, kick back and relax. But what if your apartment is not the sanctuary of peace and tranquility you’ve been day-dreaming about since the 2 p.m. lull? If your apartment is as much of a hot bed for stressful energy as the hustle and bustle of your work day then kick off your heels, throw down your bag and take a look at these tips Rent.com has provided to help you create the comfortable apartment oasis you need at the end of a long day:
- Smells like home: Lavender is known to calm and sooth anxieties when it is inhaled. Light a candle or drop some lavender oil on your pillow before climbing into bed to insure a restful night’s sleep before another big day.
- Harness your chi: Creating good chi for good feng shui isn’t the easiest task (especially with an overcrowded apartment) but the payoff is definitely worth it. Be sure to position all of your furniture in a way that allows for smooth transitions from space to space. This is also a good way to separate work areas of the home from play areas.
- Color me calm: Cool colors are known to evoke a sense of calm in the home. Painting a room purple, green, blue, gray or white can have a drastic effect on the mood you have when you enter that room. Pick faded, muted hues to get the full effect. If you can’t paint your walls, think about adding cool colored accent pieces or wall drapes!
- Keep it quiet: You may live in a high traffic area or have noisy neighbors. You can’t exactly pop your head out the window and ask the cars to stop driving by or hound your neighbors without creating even more stress! However, by adding bulky curtains to your windows, putting down area rugs and decorating your walls you will be able to cut down on the noise flow to your serene place.
- Clean up your act: De-cluttering your home is essential to creating serenity. Clean up your dirty dishes, pick up the outfit you decided not to wear this morning and give away that old chair you never sit on to Goodwill. Attack the clutter and your mind will thank you for it.
- Sway to the music: Listening to music is a great way to hang loose. Listening to something with a slow tempo can promote calm but even a pop song can decrease your agitation if you love it. Music lowers blood pressure, increases optimism and eases muscle tension.
- Get cookin’: Some people cook or bake to alleviate stress. Even if cooking isn’t your passion, preparing and eating certain foods can help alleviate tension and increase serotonin levels such as broccoli, complex carbs, dark chocolate and omega-3 fatty acids.
Keeping your home a stress-free environment is crucial to your attitude and your physical well-being. So leave the turmoil of the office at your desk and bask in the tranquil serenity of your calm and inviting home. Because before you know it—you’ll be back at it tomorrow! Check back for more tips on how turn your apartment rental into a stress free space.