When it comes to home décor, our priority is often appearance. We might think about being environmentally friendly with our choices or creating rooms that will last the test of time, and we certainly consider comfort. But, do you think about how your home is affecting your health? We keep our houses clean and tidy, washing our clothes and bedding, cleaning our bathrooms, vacuuming our floors and tidying up when we need to. We’re aware of the benefits of good hygiene, and the dangers of germs and bacteria growing in our homes. But, there can be more to it than that.
A healthy home is a happy home.
Get More Fresh Air
Fresh air is essential to a healthy lifestyle. Did you know that the average person spends 90% of their life indoors, and two-thirds of it at home? If your home is shut up and enclosed, that’s a lot of time to spend without access to fresh air.
Opening your windows and letting fresh air in as much as you can, will improve the quality of the air in your home, this can help you to breathe easily and reduce your risks of coughs and colds, as well as more serious conditions.
You should also make sure that your home is well ventilated to prevent the growth of mould and bacteria and reduce the amount of dust that settles inside. Mould thrives in damp environments, which is often why we find it around bathrooms tiles and surfaces. Keeping windows open or adding ventilation in the form of an extractor fan to your bathroom if it hasn’t got a window can reduce the moisture and humidity and limit moulds ability to grow and spread. While a little bit of black mould might not seem like the end of the world, it grows quickly and can lead to breathing difficulties, rashes and other illnesses.
Keep Your Rooms Light
Dark walls can seem romantic and atmospheric. But, they may also hurt your mood and hinder your ability to get a good night’s sleep. Light walls, in light pastel shades and neutral colours, are better for keeping the vibes high. Keeping your spaces light can help you to sleep, improve your mood and boost your energy levels. If you want to add more colour, opt for fun or bold accessories, artwork and accents. Then, to give yourself further options when it comes to mood and atmosphere, add more lighting options to your rooms.
Maximise Natural Light
Natural light has so many advantages. Like light walls, it can improve your mood and help you to sleep. It can also improve the quality of the air in your home, help you to get more vitamin D, boost your confidence and if you work from home, more natural light can help you to concentrate and focus for longer. More natural light can even cut your risks of developing poor eyesight as you age and help your body to heal after illness or injury.
To get more natural light, position your furniture around where the light is when you are using it, clean your windows regularly to let more in, paint your frames white and surround them with lighter materials (such as sheer curtains) which will help to reflect more light inside and keep your internal doors open during the daytime. You could also add mirrors to narrow areas to brighten the space, and keep large trees and plants in your garden trimmed back so that they don’t block the light. You could even consider having new, bigger windows fitted or skylights and sun tunnels added.
Replace Your Mattress
We’re meant to replace our mattresses around every eight years, but few of us get around to it before they start to feel uncomfortable. If you are waking up achy and tired in the morning, or you find that you are continually battling coughs and colds, your mattress might be to blame. Our mattresses probably get more use than any other piece of furniture in our home. Sleeping on them every night means they can start to wear out, and they are home to dust and germs that even regularly flipping them or changing your bedding won’t always help.
When it comes to replacing your mattress, take your time to make the right decision. If you’ve got children, you’ll also need to find the right single bed mattress for them. Look for a mattress that is comfortable but supports your neck and back, but also one that is hypoallergenic and healthy.
Wash More Often
We wash things like clothes, bedding and towels all of the time. But, most of us neglect other areas. Our sofa cushions, curtains, rugs and carpets, duvets and pillows, coats and appliances are all home to dust, dirt, bacteria and germs that can make you poorly. Make sure you are washing these things regularly and before use, even if they don’t look dirty.
Add Plants
Plants are brilliant - they can clean the air, suck out carbon dioxide and moisture and make you feel better. Adding plants to your home is an easy and effective way to make it healthier without having to make any massive changes. Succulents and things like dragon plants and swiss cheese plants are fantastic options as they don’t take much looking after. Plus, indoor greenery a big trend in interior decoration that isn't going away anytime soon!
Set Up a Home Office
It’s thought that around 48% of us work from home now, but that only around 10% have a dedicated office space. Most of us work on the sofa in front of the TV. Sometimes, this is great - like when you’ve still got your pj’s on, and you just need to fire off a few emails, there’s nothing wrong with doing it in front of breakfast TV. But, when you do this all of the time, it can lead to back problems, mental health issues, stress and difficulty separating life from work. Setting up even a small office area in another room can help massively.
Declutter
Clutter can make you feel stressed out and claustrophobic. It can give dust extra places to settle and mould the chance to grow. It can even cause a tripping hazard. If you want to make your home healthier, spend a little time now and then having a good declutter and getting rid of anything that you don’t need or want.
Got more healthy home tips?
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