Do you ever find yourself in a bad mood for no particular reason? Do you feel sad, angry, lonely, or just kind of “blah”? Most of us do. If these bad moods are your default, it’s probably a sign that something is wrong in your life or that you need some additional professional support. But if these bad moods are only occasional and somewhat mild, they probably aren’t anything to worry about.
Still, most of us would be happier, more engaged, and more fulfilled if we could consistently be in a better mood throughout our lives. One of the best ways to ensure this is to optimize your house to support better moods.
But how do you do it?
Get a Fireplace (or an Insert)
One option is to get a fireplace or an insert for your existing fireplace. Building and enjoying a fire regularly has the potential to heat your home, dazzle you with brilliant visuals, and give you an excuse to have people over more frequently. It’s hard to be in a bad mood if you’re relaxing comfortably by a roaring fire with people you love.
Another advantage of having a fireplace with a mantel is that you’ll have a beautiful centerpiece for your living room that you can decorate to your liking. Include some of your favorite pieces of artwork, décor elements, or collectibles to make the room pop and make you smile every time you enter it.
Allow in More Sunlight
People underestimate just how much our mood is tied to our exposure to sunlight. Most of us are familiar with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which sets in specifically because of less exposure to daylight in the winter months, but this isn’t an effect exclusive to winter. If you want to make your home happier, warmer, and overall capable of supporting better moods, consider allowing in more sunlight by keeping your curtains drawn, trimming your trees, and optimizing the layout of your home to take advantage of sunbeams.
Create More Open Space
Another good way to make your house happier is to create more open space. Even if your instincts tell you otherwise, having open space is probably beneficial for your moods and mental health. It makes you feel more comfortable, it makes your space feel bigger, and it gives you more freedom and flexibility.
Use Calming and/or Exciting Colors
Depending on the nature of your bad moods, you can choose to paint your favorite rooms more calming or more exciting colors. If you frequently feel anxious or irritable, a calming blue might help you relax more easily. If you frequently feel depressed and unmotivated, an invigorating yellow or red might help you find more enthusiasm to greet the day. Experiment to see which colors work best for you.
Take Care of Some Indoor Plants
Plants make us happier, and there’s some debate as to why. Some argue that it’s simply because humans are biophilic, gravitating toward nature due to a genetic predisposition to do so. Some argue that it’s because plants breathe in carbon dioxide and emit oxygen as a waste product, oxygenating and filtering the air to make the environment more comfortable for us.
Whatever the case, adding more plants to your house can measurably boost your mood on a regular basis.
Create a Home Gym Area
Physical exercise is one of the best ways to stave off depression and generally feel better about yourself. It relieves stress and anxiety and keeps you in better physical shape. Consider designating a space of your home to be a home gym area; even if you don’t have enough space for a full home gym, you can at least set down a yoga mat or set up a stationary bike. Whenever you feel bad, head here and spend just 10 minutes exercising.
Invest in More Storage – and Get Organized
You might feel like you’re perfectly acclimated to the clutter around your house, but clutter can actually hurt your mood, even if you don’t immediately notice it. Every day, make it a point to clean up small messes, like the pile of junk mail you leave at the counter or dirty mugs around your desk.
Every week, make it a point to give your house a thorough top-down decluttering, returning all foreign objects to their proper places. If you feel clutter exists because there aren’t enough homes for your objects, invest in more storage options to flexibly accommodate your possessions.
If you can make these changes to your home, and perhaps a few more based on your personal tastes, the environment is going to be much more conducive to a good mood. That doesn’t mean you’re going to be in a good mood all day, every day – nobody is – but you’ll see a noticeable difference in how you feel.
