5 Tips for Converting your Home into a Wellbeing Sanctuary in 2021

With the pandemic setting in early last year, we've all had to adjust to spending more time in the house. From it being your place of work, to the children's classroom, it's not uncommon for many to feel a stressful environment in their home as a result in this lockdown. Here, David Knight from RW4Y shares his top tips for transforming your home into a wellbeing sanctuary that will keep you positive and uplifted.

For most of us, 2020 was the year spent in the house. With two national lockdowns and plenty of regional restrictions in place, we had to find ways to fit our needs around our home. Whether you had to quickly adapt the kitchen table to become your office or had to turn into the role of teacher for the kids, there's no doubt the past year brought some additional stress. So much so, that you may not have felt too relaxed.

But it doesn't have to be this way going forward. Though you’re sure to be spending more time in the house for at least the next couple of months while the pandemic plays out, it's important that your home still remains a place you can relax and unwind. Here, I will be sharing my top five tips for converting your home into a wellbeing sanctuary that will boost your mood.

Separate spaces for work and play

If you didn't already have an at-home office, you've no doubt had to improvise with whatever room you have spare — this might be the box room that's tucked away, or even the kitchen table. Wherever you'll be based, it's important that you can divide up the spaces for working and for relaxing, to ensure your home does actually feel like home when your day comes to a close.

To ensure you can achieve this, I'd recommend having a home office that has a door you can close behind you as you leave. This will mimic the action of ending the working day, and hopefully mean you can wind down for the evening. If this isn't a possibility, for example if you have an open-plan study and living room, consider dividing up the zones. You could do this with rugs, or even placing a makeshift wall between the two, such as a bookshelf that holds your work folders and important paperwork.

However you decide to separate your work and play zones, it'll also help to ensure you tidy up any mess at the end of your working day. This will clear your mind before you leave your office, as well as making sure you go into it with a clear mind the next day. The same will go for whatever space the kids use for their home learning.

Make the most of natural light

If you've found yourself feeling a little more irritable than normal, or just rather sluggish and unmotivated, it could be due to the lack of natural light in the house. In fact, research has found that sunlight exposure has positive effects on both your mental and physical health, so it's important you're getting enough every day (Verywell Mind).

If your family sit at desks all day, I'd recommend ensuring they are facing or adjacent to a window where natural light can flow in and they can absorb it. As we're still in the midst of winter, it's important to take advantage of the scarcer sunlight in your home. So, consider switching any heavy and thick blinds and curtains for more lightweight and translucent versions so the sun can shine through your home for longer.

When it's dark outside, you will need to turn to artificial lighting, such as lamps. But it's important that you choose ones that can be dimmed as the night draws to a close, so they're in sync with your circadian rhythm. Doing this will ensure you feel sleepier closer to bedtime, rather than making you feel awake.

Choose relaxing interiors

Your interior style is personal to you, but you should always make sure you select elements that will work together to create a relaxing environment. Houseplants are ideal for this as they welcome in nature and freshness, and come in all different shapes, sizes, and colours. Plus, as you can get plants that help to purify the air and can be used for healing, such as Aloe vera and spider plants, you can ensure your home always has a cleansed feel. Just make sure you choose a beautiful, colourful plant pot to help boost your mood, too.

Now might also be a good time to assess your interiors and see if they make you feel positive. If you feel the colour scheme within your living room is too dim for these dark winter months, consider adding some bold scatter cushions or throws that will add a pop of colour. If you're missing relatives and friends, why not also take advantage of your bare walls and create a DIY gallery wall to remind yourselves of the good times and the memories yet to be made?

With your bedroom being your main sanctuary where you go to rest and refresh yourself, it's important that it's a focus of your project. Luxury bedding can help, as well as pillows, duvets and mattresses that have been bought specifically with your sleeping style in mind. So, if you frequently are up tossing and turning, it may be time to replace these.

Invite your hobbies in

With gyms, exercise studios and libraries all having been closed on and off, you may find you've been unable to enjoy your hobbies as you usually would. But, with the UK likely to be under restrictions for more months to come, it would be a good idea to invite your hobbies into your home instead.

If you're passionate about keeping up your fitness, then turning your garage or a spare room into a home gym will mean you don't have to lose out on all of the progress you've made — plus it'll do wonders for your mental health while we're under lockdown. If you used to visit a yoga studio weekly for a relaxing class, don't let the pandemic stop you from doing this at home. All you'll need is a yoga mat, some YouTube videos, and a quiet room where you can truly unwind.  

You might even have just loved visiting the library for a little quiet reading time. So, why not create your very own at home? Your office may be perfect for this, or you could enjoy reading in the sunroom where you'll get the additional benefit of natural light.

Ensuring you can still do the things you love while encouraged to stay at home will be essential in boosting your motivation, concentration and making sure your home is a relaxing sanctuary you love spending time in, even through a global pandemic!

Remember to unwind after work and chores

With so much time spent in the house, it can be all too easy to finish the work you're employed to do, and then start on something else, whether it's your side hustle or tidying up after everybody else. But, it's important to give yourself some downtime each evening so that you can properly rest and recharge for the day ahead.

In order to do this, it might be good to set yourself a certain amount of time you'll spend being productive after work whether that be to clean and tidy, or simply go for a run or do some other form of exercise. Once this time has elapsed, it's time to relax for the evening.

During these strange times, it's essential that your home feels like a relaxing space to be in, with it being the place you'll spend most of your time. By following my top five tips you can ensure your house is a sanctuary that boosts your mood and keeps you positive through 2021.