Your home is supposed to be the place where you feel safest. Where you instantly relax. Where you hang out with your favorite people. Ideally, it’s a place where guests feel welcome and calm. With that in mind, the following will explore a handful of home improvements that can make the biggest difference when it comes to how you feel within your space.
Structural Integrity Improvements
Before you dive into major changes in your home, it’s important to figure out if there are any structural issues. It doesn’t matter how lovely your living room renovation is if moisture gets in and things start to swell and mould or if cracks appear due to foundation issues. You’re going to be working and reworking repairs for the rest of your days if you don’t focus on larger elements like the foundation and the roof. This is also an excellent time to figure out whether the materials used in your home are safe by today’s standards (older buildings can have lead in the pipes, for instance). You might also want to consider environmental elements like solar roofing or green roofing. When taking on these larger projects that are vital for your home’s integrity, always get a professional opinion. Look for someone or a team with stellar reviews; visit www.sandiegocountyroofing.com/ for an example of a well-reviewed home improvement business. You also want to ensure that the proper certifications are present for your area, as this can be a major boon or problem when it comes time to sell.
Proper Sealing And Insulation
While this isn’t necessarily the snazziest of improvements, it can dramatically improve your experience of living within your home. Making sure things are properly sealed and insulated can help reduce the risk of pest problems, mould, and mildew. It can also drastically improve your utility bill, as heating or cooling a house full of holes is incredibly expensive. Lower bills can often mean lower levels of stress. Look into properly sealing your windows and doors and deal with any holes or cracks that are present. When it comes to insulation, take your time and read about the options available. Just like with the rest of home repairs and improvements, there are some major environmental and health toxin discussions going on regarding what types of insulation are safe. If you’re doing work yourself, always follow ventilation suggestions and never cover up gross smells with fragrances. A bad smell is your body’s way of telling you that the air you’re breathing is bad for your health. Covering up the smell doesn’t make the air safe to breathe.
This step also really helps when it comes to cleaning and maintenance. A properly sealed and insulated home is easier to keep clean as dust and dirt aren’t seeping in from all directions.
Bigger Windows
When it comes to more aesthetic changes to your home, nothing makes a bigger difference than having bigger windows. Vitamin D is a vitamin you get from natural light. It boosts your mood and your immune system. Studies have even found that spending a lot of time in dark places or in artificially lit spaces with no natural light increases your risk for depression. Big windows let in lots of light, and light not only makes you feel good but natural light makes everything look good. The reason everyone in a movie looks so lovely is that the lighting crew studies and recreates flattering lighting—natural lighting, that is. Ideally, you want enough windows of a good enough size to not need to turn the lights on during the day. Humans, as much as we pretend we aren’t, are animals and were created or have evolved (depending on your view) to be outside in the light during the day. The mood and health impacts of natural light cannot be stressed enough.
If bigger windows aren’t an option for you, do what you can to maximize the natural light you do have. This means finding window covers that are easy to pull completely away from the windows during the daytime (or going entirely without curtains or blinds if you live somewhere where privacy isn’t too much of an issue). It might also mean placing mirrors opposite the windows you do have. This will reflect the light you’re getting and make the space feel brighter with that lovely natural light glow.
Air Filtration
One particularly easy and inexpensive way to really improve your lifestyle is to get an air filter. It’s hard to believe, but the air inside our homes is filthy, particularly compared to the air outside our homes (even if you live in a very polluted city). Cleaning products, beauty products, candles, cooking, incense, fireplaces and woodstoves, pets, new furniture, and things like paint and varnish can fill the air with all manner of toxins, allergens, endocrine disruptors, and volatile organic compounds. If you or anyone in your home regularly struggles to breathe out the nose, this is a sign that the air in your home could use some filtering. Similarly, if you notice children or adults sleeping with their mouths open, this can also indicate high levels of congestion which might be a result of dirty air. You can get an air filtration device or fill your home with plants as plants clean the air and reduce symptoms of depression. Beeswax candles with no other ingredients, as well as charcoal packets, can also help clean the air. Regular candles add particulate matter to the air.
Colour Psychology
It’s no secret that colors come in and out of fashion. What is lesser known is that all colors have a psychological impact on people who look at them. This means the bigger color swatches in your home (the walls, the floor, large pieces of furniture or art, etc.) can affect your mood and mindset without you knowing it. Yes, grey is all the rage right now, but it turns out that it can dampen your mood. Take the time to research the psychological effects of the colors you’re considering before you make big changes or purchases.
The above information should have made it clear that there are several changes that can be made to improve your experience of being within your home. Of course, your personal tastes and preferences need to be considered, as do the feelings of those you live with before you make any choices. Even if you absolutely love a particular rug, if your partner hates it, it’s going to negatively impact their mood, and this, in turn, will likely have an effect on your mood as well. It’s a good idea to take into account everyone’s thoughts and feelings.
