In the month of February, I have been exploring the topic of living an “Eco-Conscious Lifestyle” in my podcast, Omnipresent Awareness, and in my blogs.
This topic brings to my mind the concept of ‘reduction’.
It makes sense that to create a sustainable planet we want to think in terms of ‘reduction’.
The reduction of excessive material belongings, contributes to a reduction of our carbon footprint, in addition to other lifestyle choices such as the energy usage in our home. Other concepts worthy of consideration for sustainable consumerism are ‘reuse’ or ‘repurpose’.
Creating an Eco-Conscious Home thorugh a Mindful Design Practices
Often these concepts that imply sustainability, are externalized as actions we take outside of our home.
But how do we intentionally live a life where we become the catalyst for an eco-conscious lifestyle, starting from our home?
The answer is AWARENESS. Each of us has the responsibility to become aware of our choices. And then take ACTION to create an eco-conscious home.
“…Awareness can also bring motivation to act, and this is a very positive thing.”
Katie Percival
Perhaps the answer resides in furnishing our homes by utilizing items that can be reused or repurposed. After all, every item in our home, whether it serves the purpose of form or function contributes to our carbon footprint.
Or perhaps the answer resides in adopting a minimalism design approach.
To stay true to the intention to live sustainably, it seems obvious that we need to learn to more mindfully design or decorate in our home space.
Decorating or renovating a home more mindfully, however, may be challenging for those who aren’t aware of how to start, or it may require some skills in creativity.
Fortunately, this article is packed with inspirational tips from 19 Mindfulness Experts, including myself, on how you can make your home a mindful sanctuary.
These tips will help you minimize the noise from unnecessary belongings, while helping you maximize your sense of feeling more present, calm, connected to nature, and grounded within the space you call home.
Mindful Home Design Tips from Mindfulness Experts
[Originally published on Redfin.com]
With how hectic life can be with day-to-day responsibilities, sometimes it can be difficult to take
a step back and practice mindfulness. This can be especially true when our homes are
disorganized or we don’t have a dedicated place to do so.
By creating pockets of peace in our homes, we are able to be fully present and aware of what’s going on around us. If this is something that sounds interesting to you, you’re in luck.
Redfin, a US-based nationally recognized full-service real estate brokerage, reached out to mindfulness experts from New York, NY to Surrey, BC to give Redfin their best decor and reno tips to inspire mindful
home design.
From bringing in plants and flowers to decluttering, keep reading to see what they had to say.
1) Do not allow electronics in your sleep space
My mindfulness tips are to not allow any electronics into your sleeping space so your mind and body can fully associate your bedroom with sleep and to dedicate some space, whether it’s an entire room or just a small corner in a room, for spiritual or self-care practice. A room or space totally dedicated to grounding yourself, relaxing, and engaging in activities that make you feel good and present. – Knot + Clover
2) Embrace nature in your home design
Bring the outdoors into your home by displaying plants and flowers. Pretty pots and vases bring a decorative element to your home while the plant itself adds a sculptural quality. Don’t have a green thumb? Not to worry- faux plants can still elevate your decor and your mood. – Chiriga Derric
3) Create an environment that enables presence and heightened awareness
- Declutter your space: Organize your environment and eliminate visual disorders to help increase mental clarity.
- Soothe your senses: Connect your surroundings to your senses. Consider adding colorful flowers, a scented candle, comfortable seating, and calming music to your room.
- Refresh your gratitude: Surround yourself with key focus items that reinforce your appreciation for relationships and circumstances in your life. – Omni Mindfulness
4) Create a place that encourages awareness of the present moment
Thich Nhat Hanh said, “Mindfulness helps you go home to the present.”
For me, bringing mindfulness into the home means creating a place that encourages an awareness of the present moment. I like to find a place where my senses will be naturally calm and relaxed; this starts with a room that has minimal clutter. Blue paint tones naturally evoke a sense of calm, and a fluffy and comfortable seat soothes the body and allows the mind to drop into a more relaxed state. A plant or two helps us feel connected to nature and facilitates the feeling of being grounded in the present moment. – Aaron Olden MD, Mindful Medicine
5) Schedule a monthly home organization day
Some quick and easy practices include scheduling a monthly home organization day to declutter areas of your home which can include closets, drawers, etc. Choosing dual-use furnishings such as bedside cabinets, ottomans, and coffee tables with drawers will allow you to easily store away items that are not needed. Lastly, in your living room or bedroom, opt for soft furnishings such as a blanket throw, comfortable pillows, or a fluffy rug to promote a calming sensory environment. – Mind + Space Connections
6) Any space can bring balance to a home if you place purpose on it
You don’t have to be a pro meditator to bring mindfulness into your home. Any space that you carve out with intention—whether it’s a quiet meditation room, a cozy reading nook, a vibrant front porch, or even a workout area—can bring balance to your home and your life if you plan it with purpose, and it allows you room to do whatever feeds your soul. – Coach Kiki
7) Be intentional with what you bring into your space
When it comes to creating a mindful home it is all about being intentional with what you bring into your space. Ask yourself if you love it, or if it serves a purpose or a function; before allowing that item to enter your home. Simply taking a moment to reflect and be present with your belongings can help you create a home that allows for more peace, more connection, and more happiness. – Silica Shack
8) Declutter to gain a sense of energy and freedom
As you declutter and remove unnecessary items from your living environment, you will begin to find that you have more time, energy, and freedom. Decluttering refers also to technology; being surrounded by too many electronic devices can prevent us from getting a good night’s sleep. We encourage everyone to reduce electronic clutter as much as possible by taking baby steps, such as replacing your smartphone with a minimalist alarm clock, in order to wake up in a more natural, gentle way. – Mudita Bell
9) Choose decor that attracts attention and invites your presence
Include things that encourage further exploration or generate curiosity such as interesting visuals, textures that beg to be touched, or a chair that appears too comfortable (or fun) not to sit in. Using your senses, notice how different things resonate for you; how do you feel when you touch, hear or smell this, or look at that? – Cheryl Mills Coaching
10) Take inspiration from nature to balance your home environment
Take inspiration from nature to balance your home environment by incorporating elements of water, fire, air, and earth, or use pictures, artwork, or color tones that mimic these. Personalize your space; surround yourself with items you care about and remove all items you keep only through obligation. The bedroom is your sanctuary and for rest and rejuvenation – choose cream colors – rich brown and natural fabrics are best. – Mystic Girl
11) Take a moment and be yourself
To bring mindfulness into your home, take a moment to pause, and just be yourself – understand what brings you joy and delight in the way of colors, textures, shapes, and styles. Maintain a connection to nature and the world around you by keeping the windows clear of clutter, providing an opportunity to see the sky, the earth, animals, and even your neighborhood. Bring plants into your home for an affordable and environmentally friendly decorating option. The plants will offer grounding energy as well as a spirit of growth and rejuvenation. – Community Mindfulness Project
12) Consider a quiet, comfortable space
Your home can have multiple spaces which invite you to practice mindfulness, not just the meditation cushion on the floor. Consider creating a quiet, comfortable reading nook, candles while taking a hot bath, or just a cozy chair by a window to gaze at nature while mindfully sipping tea. We can practice mindfulness throughout the day in many small ways. – Kristen Trolenberg, owner of Mindful Mind and Body
13) Think twice about where you put your smart technology
Do you want more quality time with loved ones or more focused time at work? When you’re designing your home, think twice about where you put things like TVs, smart devices, and phone chargers. Consider designating a room to be screen-free or screen-lite where you only add furniture and decor that encourage you to do the things you love. – Becca Rich of The Holistic Time Coach
14) Connect back to your authenticity
To me, mindfulness is connecting back to my authenticity. Purposefully placing memories of my life throughout my home reminds me of the unique adventures I’ve been blessed to experience. Whether it be colorfully framed photos from a fun trip with my best friend, or a chunky, rustic wooden box overflowing with childhood memories I can touch at a whim, or immersing myself in amazing nature photography on my walls, personal touches connect me back to me, encouraging me to feel present and mindful of the many gifts and experiences of life. – Blue Monarch Health
15) Focus on sounds, smells, and clutter
When it comes to sounds, even though we can sometimes tune out background noise, they still affect our system making us tired and run down. Take time to listen to what’s present in your home and if there are any changes you need to make. When it comes to smells. Visit each room in your home and smell the different aromas. What do you like or dislike? Is there anything you’d like to improve or remove? When it comes to clutter, having a lot of stuff around us can negatively affect how we feel. Ask yourself what you can remove to create more space and more clarity in your mind. – Online Mindfulness Coach
16) Take time to reflect on the intentions of your home
Take some time to reflect—together if living with others—on intentions for your home and what would create an environment that feeds all your senses in service of seeing clearly and living intentionally. For example, if you want a serene environment, then choose colors on walls, tiles, and accessories that you find calming. Infuse your home with natural sources of fragrances that are calming like palo santo, sage, or your customized combination of essential oils. Create space in your home where you can start your day with a few moments of quiet or sounds like music, chimes, or sounds from nature that support you in by connecting with your intentions for the day. – Shalini Bahl, Mindfulness Coach, Researcher, and Speaker, KnowYourMind.Training
17) Calm your space with home decor
Choosing soft colors and textures in pillows, candles, and rugs will calm your personal space. –
Mindful Way Coaching
18) Bring in mindfulness through plants
Decorating with plants indoors is not only trending, but it is a timeless, beautiful way to add warmth and style to any space. They add a simple, natural element to any room, without cluttering your space. – Simply Candice
19) Create a thinking zone
Instead of a “time-out” spot for kids consider a “time in, think zone.” If anyone is having a hard time regulating their behavior they go to the zone. It’s more of a recalibration than a punishment. So if you or your kids need a break from the chaos, create a designated spot to sit and enjoy. The area will allow for thoughts to come, contemplation, creating, problem-solving, or boredom. It can be on a chair or on the floor with a soft blanket and a few pillows, a flameless candle, a notepad with colored pencils, and a notecard with instructions for breathing exercises or meditation. Instantly you’ve brought a sense of calm into your home and created room for mindfulness. – Cara Pollard Coaching
LEGAL: This article is for informational purposes only. Individual results may vary. Redfin is not affiliated with nor endorses or guarantees any of the individuals, resources, or websites mentioned.
Redfin does not provide medical advice. This article is not a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding your health. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on Redfin’s blog.
Originally published on Redfin.com
