You read that right! ‘Design for Wellbeing’ is an actual approach and philosophy. Applied to your home, this all-encompassing conceptualization of space design strives for improved functionality, reduced stress, necessary privacy, and increased happiness. With many of us spending more time at home, and now possibly working permanently from a home office, it’s a great time to consider utilizing intentional design to improve how your home spaces are functioning for your family.
Get In the ‘Zone’
Your home may now combine workplace, gym, and school as well as (hopefully!) space for leisure and relaxation. When these uses overlap or collide, it can create frustration, stress, and short tempers. Creating separate zones can restore your sense of order and control. You may need to mitigate noise or creeping clutter between your zones.
If you can’t actually close off the space, consider rearranging large pieces of furniture or bookcases to create a ‘pod.’ Screens or large plants can create a visual barrier as well as a cozy space. This is especially helpful if your home has an open floor plan.
Balance Your Work and Leisure Space
Considering our lives have changed during the pandemic, this may be the most important redesign you can undertake. It’s important to be able to isolate your workspace as much as possible. Remember that earphones help enormously to cancel distracting and intrusive noise. If you can’t literally ‘shut the door’ on your home office at the end of the day, design that zone or pod to create the feeling that you’ve left work. Now, it’s time to relax.
Keep your leisure space work-free. Don’t give in to the temptation to cart your laptop to the kitchen table or the coffee table in front of the TV. Open up eating and leisure areas to natural light as much as possible. Sunlight positively impacts mood and mental wellbeing, particularly if you’re spending a significant amount of time indoors.
Battle Clutter
Clutter can be overwhelming, depressing, and impossible to ignore if you’re home 24-7. Rethink your organization systems from laundry to school supplies to what’s taking up counter space in your kitchen. Take a hard look at your
knick-knacks, collections, or even what’s crowding the top of our dresser or the bathroom countertop. What can be put in drawers or boxed and stored temporarily? Simplify, simplify, simplify to create calmer more restful spaces for your overall well-being.
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