Happy Homes and Happy Lives: How Designing Your Home Can Boost Happiness (and How to Do It)

Did you know that your home could be affecting your mood?

If you’ve ever walked through the door and just felt your whole demeanour shift, you’ll know what we mean. A well-designed house can make you feel happy, positive and safe, while a poorly designed space can leave you feeling lethargic and disheartened. 

As one of the places you’re going to spend the most time throughout your life, it’s vital you design your home to be happy! You want to walk through your door or wake up in the morning and feel lifted by what’s around you, and happy homes do that.

Find out more about how your space can become a happiness booster in this guide. 

Does Your Space Really Affect Your Mood?

It might sound a bit far-fetched that your house could be the cause of your emotions, but it’s true! Of course, not all of your mood shifts will be dictated by the design of your home, but it can certainly have an impact. For example, it’s been found that homes with high ceilings that feel more spacious can increase creativity and stimulate the brain, lifting your mood.

If you’re someone who finds they can’t work or relax in cluttered, messy spaces, there’s a clear sign of your space affecting how you feel! Or, if you find you’re more productive when you work in a room with more natural light, there’s another example.

It’s really not that strange that how your home is designed can affect your mood. When you think about it, you can probably find little examples everywhere. So, let’s move onto the really important part of this guide; how can you design your home to actively make you happier?

Reduce Clutter and Add Open Spaces

If you want to improve your quality of life when you’re at home, get rid of clutter. Too much stuff can lead to a whole host of problems, including increased stress and anxiety and poorer mental health in general. So, when designing your space make sure you don’t fill it to the brim with objects. 

Try to stick to only having as many belongings as you can store in your home, and make sure there’s a neat and tidy place for everything.

It’s also good to make sure you have a lot of open spaces. For example, a living room that has a large open space in the center is much better for your happiness than one that’s filled with couches, coffee tables, bookshelves, and a massive TV. Learn to value empty areas of your home and know that they could be reducing your stress. 

Increase Natural Light

Did you know that increased natural light can reduce depression and seasonal affective disorder, boost productivity, and improve your sleep? If you’re designing your home, make sure that you maximize the amount of natural light you’re letting in.

Opt for large bay windows, or floor-to-ceiling windows if you can. If you’re worried about privacy, opt for skylights in rooms that lead onto busy streets as an addition to your regular windows, and use a voile curtain instead of thick curtains to prevent people from looking without blocking the light. 

If you have a large garden, a conservatory can also be a brilliant addition! You’ll create a space you can sit in that’s full of natural light and open up the room it’s attached to as well. 

Stop Avoiding Problems

Every house has problems, big and small! By putting them off you’ll only be adding to your stress and reducing the happiness you feel within your home. Take charge, instead, and start working through your problems one by one; the feeling of personal accomplishment and satisfaction when the problem is solved is well worth the effort!

If you have pests, reach out to a pest control company like Custom Bed Bug. If your shower doesn’t work properly, fix it or install a new one. The main point is to stop ignoring these things or putting them off, and simply do them now!

Emphasize Connectivity 

Many studies have shown that people feel happier when they socialize more and it boosts self-confidence, so it makes sense that a more social, connected house is a happier one! This should apply both to the people who live in your home and when you have guests over.

For example, an open place living and kitchen space is a great way to make your home more social. You can create a good transition between the two spaces by adding a kitchen island between your kitchen and the living space. That way, when you’re cooking you can still talk to guests or your family, and your home instantly becomes more connected. 

Focus on the Small Comforts

It’s not just the big changes that can make your home a happier place to live, but the small ones too! You deserve to live in a comfortable, welcoming home, so treat yourself to the little things that will improve your space and take your time to look after your home. Here are some easy ideas to instantly make your home happier:

• Make your bed every morning
• Don’t let the dirty dishes pile up
• Create a relaxing reading spot for yourself
• Add live plants to every room
• Use a wall decoration to add character to bare walls
• Add photographs of your life to bring joy

Happy Homes Make Happier Lives

Happy homes are all about making you feel safe, comfortable, and reducing your stress. Spend time working on your interior design and use these tips to help you create a house that makes you happy.

If you enjoyed this article, be sure to check out more on our website! We have plenty more tips on how to look after your home and create a healthier, more joyful life.