Simple ways to make your home a health sanctuary
The COVID-19 Pandemic has forced many people to spend more time in their homes. According to Cape Town interior design specialist and entrepreneur, Kim Williams, it is the perfect time to focus on making the most of the spaces in their home. Williams explained that there are ways in which people can turn an unused corner of their home into a sanctuary for health and wellness.
“How we look at our spaces has changed forever. The psychological impact of the Coronavirus on our lives has forced us to look at our homes very differently.”
Williams has followed her example by decorating her home with soft furnishings from other spaces in her home such as cushions and an old picture from a past holiday home, finish off her space as if they had been made for it.
Here are some of her simple tips for turning a home space into a health sanctuary.
Convert your lesser-used areas into a shared wellness and exercise space.
Williams explained that the area should be designed to create an environment that promotes mental and physical health. The area should also be a place where you can retreat and exercise. She added that it is important to find a space that allows you to meditate and recharge.
“As we seek to make our homes more functional for our changing needs, we must remember to section off spaces specifically dedicated to allowing us to focus on and be grateful for our good health.”
Be mindful of how you use technology in your wellness routine.
In today’s world, you can find an App for anything you need on your phone from an instructional CrossFit app to an app that provides guided meditations. Williams explained that you should only use them in areas where you have enough space to move and won’t risk damaging your phone.
“After the pandemic, we will no doubt see technologies evolve and grow so that we won’t have to touch any devices or equipment, to further to assist us with exercising in our home environment.”
Go outside whenever you can
There have been several studies that show spending time outside and in nature is good for you. Even spending a small amount of time outside can have a positive effect on your mental health. Spending time outside can help provide a calming environment.
Williams believes that there will be an increasing trend of people finding ways to bring nature into their homes.
“Certain plants can even filter odours which is very useful in a home gym. We have already seen a big comeback of plants in our home environments.”
In Williams own home, she has plants hang from the ceiling and sway whenever there is a breeze. She added that this added height and dimension to her space.
Reduce, reuse and recycle is not only good for the environment but your wallet too
During these stressful times, people have been looking for sustainable ways to improve their living environments. Recycling and reusing what you have is not only environmentally friendly but also puts your own personal touch on your home decor. Williams added that handmade items have an indicator with high quality and you can also get satisfaction in creating something from scratch.
“As we make more with our hands and become more mindful of the special opportunity for the sentimentality handcrafted items give us, we should expect to see crafts and hand-made products appearing more.”
Williams added that she has used old baskets for storing towels. To practice yoga, she added an old mirror in a dark corner to reflect light and had two carpets pushed together to create a warm floor during cold weather.
Williams explained that the pandemic has made people more aware of their health and has inspired us to find creative ways to maintain our mind, body and soul.
“It has helped us pin down exactly what we want from our spaces. Our limited access to the outside world has inspired our creativity and pushed us towards a minimalist mindset in the most unlikely and pleasantly surprising ways.”