As we wade into another week of quarantine (end date: pending), the initial thrill of “staying at home” is wearing off. Staying positive about our living space, however, is a key element for keeping the cabin fever at bay.
For example, have you ever noticed how a clean room motivates productivity? Or how a vase of bright flowers can lift the mood of a room? Our environments greatly impact our emotions and caring for your home during this stressful time is an important form of self-care.
If you’re feeling cooped up in your house, a few simple hygge tips may revitalize your spirits — hygge is a Danish word to describe feeling cozy at home. Try these hacks and turn your home into a cozy oasis you’ll be happy to be quarantined in.
1. Organize & rearrange
A clean and organized environment will help you enjoy being home. If the past two weeks of self-isolation has your room in shambles, the first thing to do is clean. Make a day out of it and throw on some cleaning tunes! Not only will you feel productive (a rare feeling these days), but you’ll also make your home a place you want to actually spend time in.
To spice up your space, consider re-arranging your set-up. Shifting your bed to another wall, re-organizing a bookcase, or creating a reading nook by your window can transform your room. Suddenly, it’s not the same old place you’ve been wanting to escape.
2. Put up string lights
It may not be Christmas, but string lights are the quickest way to create ambience. The warm bulbs will evenly distribute a soft glow all around your room, making you want to snuggle up or hunker down, whichever the case may be.
Purchase a strand on Amazon or simply make a trip to your basement and dig out a string or two from your Christmas box. Drape them around your doorway or wrap them around your bed frame — you’ll be surprised at how easily these lights change the vibe of your entire room.
3. Light candles
Speaking of ambience, the quickest way to a cozy evening is candles. Candles invoke two crucial senses: sight and smell. The warm light creates a calming atmosphere and the smell similarly inspires an environment of serenity. If you don’t have any candles, consider ordering something online with notes of apple, lavender, frankincense, vetiver, lemon, sandalwood, and sage. These are smells connected with reducing stress and anxiety. (Just remember to practice fire safety!)
4. Extreme makeover: bed edition
Let’s be real: we’ve been spending a lot more time in bed lately — we’re reading, working, and watching movies in bed all day long. Why not take this time to create the bed of your dreams? Comfort is a must, so claim those guest bedroom pillows as your own and consider ordering a fluffy mattress pad. Put on freshly cleaned sheets and an extra throw blanket for that “new bed” feeling.
5. Fresh laundry
Your quarantine experience is only as cozy as your clothes. Pajamas and loungewear are now everybody’s WFH uniform, but it’s easy to burn through your favorite sweats when that’s all we’re wearing. Schedule specific laundry days during the week to make sure your favorite items are in constant rotation. Having clean laundry to put on every day will help you feel refreshed and inspired, even when you’re hanging around the house.
Eventually, this period of self-isolation will be over and we’ll be back to our normal social and work schedules. We may not want to be home for a few months, but knowing how to create an ideal cozy environment will always come in handy, quarantine or not.
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