This is one of my favourite topics. I spend 99.9% of my time at home, so the relationship I have with my space really has to work well. This week I am happy to share some of my favourite ways to make a soothing home.
What Making a Soothing Home Means
Although there are many things that do contribute to creating a soothing atmosphere, making a soothing home is not really about owning a list of special objects, because we all have different tastes and needs. Some people find the noise of trickling water soothing in a home and it really helps them to relax if they have a little fountain near them. While I love the sound of water in nature, I would not find it soothing to have a fountain in my house.
For me making a soothing home is about being clear in my preferences and purpose, what each room is used for and what my needs are. It might seem obvious that a kitchen is for preparing food, but in my case it is also my painting studio, and as long as that purpose is very clear and honoured, the space can remain welcoming and soothing. If I happen to forget the dual purpose of my kitchen and let either side of things take over, then it becomes chaotic and not soothing at all.
Decluttering Helps to Make a Soothing Home
To me having a soothing home is primarily about being organised and prioritising that so that I don’t have to waste too much energy for practical things. I simply can’t function in a mess, and knowing that helps me to keep myself balanced day-to-day. I am very mindful of what enters my house and only keep things I love and use, so that everything is easy to access, less things get broken and my possessions are always enjoyed and easy to find.
Lights Make a Soothing Home
This is purely a matter of preference and sensitivity, but I find overhead lights really draining so I never use them. I have several low lamps dotted around each room and lots of fairy lights. All these combined give me sufficient visibility but they are not overwhelmingly bright. They make the space, warm, welcoming and very soothing. At night it is my preference to use candle light in the bathroom. This prepares me well for sleep as it allows my eyes and brain to relax and offers a deeply soothing moment of self-care.
Reducing Screen Time
This is tough for many because we use computers for everything. I find that being mindful about my screen time is essential to enjoying a soothing home. In my experience, screens seem to attract way too much attention and to deflect my focus from the lovely things and spaces around my house. I don’t have a TV and never wish for one.
Again and again, I find it’s in my best interest to deliberately step away from the laptop or phone and forget about them, giving my full attention to the atmosphere of my house, and to myself. This is something I love to do throughout the day, and it really makes the soothing quality of my home more obvious and enjoyable, also giving me more space to create freely.
Books Make a Soothing Home
Whenever I see a big castle or manor I always think the library is the most inviting and soothing room in the house. Books just have that effect on me, they immediately invite me to slow down, relax, settle and enjoy the universes they contain. They truly have a soothing presence: have you noticed the difference it can make to just have a few books nearby on a table or by the bed? How attractive recipe books can be in a kitchen, forming a little corner all of their own, full of magical treasures! I actually sleep right next to my bookshelves, literally surrounded by a nook of books. It is one of my favourite spots in the house, and one of the most soothing.
Cosy Corners for a Soothing Home
I always invite people to go as far as they wish when creating cosy corners, whatever makes the heart sings and invites the body and mind to slow down. Because they don’t have to be that big, we can liberally sprinkle cosy corners all over the house and surround ourselves with what makes us feel calm and peaceful. I have them everywhere. The smallest one is just a few inches squares on my dining table and contains a small quartz orb, a small wasp’s nest and a tiny book which I made with tea bags! Every time I look at this mini cosy corner, I almost feel my heartbeat slowing down, it brings a soothing, joyful feeling that I can bathe in for a few moments.
A Soothing Home is Warm
Here on the Scottish West Coast, it is really soothing to be able to keep the damp cold at bay. I keep the whole house warm with only a little stove, so it is natural heat which does not make me and the plants feel dessicated! I benefit daily from the warmth of sheepskins, which make a huge difference to my pain levels.
At any time if I sit in my armchair I am wrapped up in my pure wool blankets. I love to make these with yarn from small Scottish producers; working with wool is just about the most soothing activity for me, and when the blanket is complete, keeping it all around me is a lovely way to look after myself while honouring the beauty of this land. The effect that wool has on me is always soothing and comforting, I use it all over the house, in my bed; most of my clothes are made of wool. It is a huge boost to my quality of life, and that in itself is very soothing.
Humour Plays a Big Part in a Soothing Home
There was a point in my life where I was so focused on trying to get better, trying to recover from trauma and trying to find my path that I was leading a very serious life indeed. I realised I needed more humour in my life. Being light-hearted is a wonderful tonic and makes a space even more soothing, because when we laugh and smile, we instantly relax without consciously trying to. We are taken out of our heads and back into our bodies on this earth through the physical act of laughing and smiling. This can look any way, as we are all amused by different things.
I love enjoying books that I find funny, and in my space, what amuses me most is innocent cuteness, like animals and miniature things, so I tend to have reminders of that throughout the house. I find that having things around me that make me smile creates a more welcoming and soothing space. Find what amuses you and keep it close.
Home Cooking
Few things are more soothing to the spirit than the smell of a nutritious meal being prepared, and the anticipation of sitting down to enjoy it. I have to be quite careful with what I eat, but it means that everything will be very nutritious and honour the lovely flavours and pure goodness of real food. The colours, smells, textures, and even the noises of cooking, can create a very soothing home full of atmosphere and caring love.
Whether we have someone to share the meal with or not, we can honour it as a time of deep nourishment and relaxed self-care. I love lighting a candle at dinner and take my time to taste the food, enjoy it and allow it to sustain me. I love to remind myself that when I eat, I am nourishing my blood, and that helps me to feel it as a very profound act of self-care and soothing love.
Enjoying Natural Elements to Make a Soothing Home
“Bringing nature in” almost sounds like a cliché now as we hear it everywhere, but for me it’s so true. Without my plants, I don’t think my space would be soothing and welcoming. Plants have such a lovely calming presence and unite the best of both worlds, being the loveliest ornaments, and also friends that I get to hang out with and look after.
Spending time with them is soothing, looking at them is soothing, and talking to them is soothing. I absolutely love them all and they often lift my mood. At some point I was keeping a lot of shells and pebbles in the house because they are so beautiful and evocative, but I realised I love them best when they are wet. Now they are outside just by my window: I can settle there and enjoy them looking their best in the rain.
Making the Most of a Soothing Home
A soothing home is here to hug us when things get a bit much. It can be an extension of ourselves, a bubble where we can recuperate and recharge so that we can continue to contribute to the world. No matter what happens it will be here to hold us, give us time to breathe and be refreshed, offering us a space where we can be our real selves and get creative. How do you love to make a soothing home? I wish you much enjoyment!
