INNER BALANCE

The new book that delves deeper than décor to show how our homes are the key to living well

There’s nothing like two months of self-isolation to highlight the parts of our homes that aren’t bringing us joy. From uncomfortable sofas to messy spaces, if there was ever a time to address our problem areas, it’s now. Happily, a new book by former ELLE Decoration Editor-in-Chief and interiors expert Michelle Ogundehin (left) is on hand to help. Happy Inside: How to Harness the Power of Home for Health and Happiness encourages us to think of the home as ‘a holistic organic entity’ and offers practical guidance on making the most of what we have in order to find inner calm and outer contentment. One chapter, entitled ‘Energy’, explores how to boost the flow and mood of your space. In this extract, we’ve pulled out some tips included in the book’s four-step ‘Clear, Cleanse, Combat and Continue’ approach.

CLEAR: WHAT TO GET RID OF

Toxic cleaning products and bleach Ditch noxious chemicals and anything that warrants a toxic warning flag for natural alternatives. Baking soda and vinegar are fantastic for cleaning oven trays. High-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paint Paint ‘off-gasses’ (gives off low levels of chemicals) over time, not just during application or while drying. Thankfully, effective, long-lasting yet healthily VOCfree paints are now widely available. (Read our guide on page 78.) Mould If you have mould anywhere in your home, you must get rid of it and tackle the cause as a matter of urgency – it gives off airborne spores that you definitely do not want to be inhaling. Plastic Choose natural materials over man-made wherever possible, especially with respect to the storage of food, as some of the chemicals used to create plastic are known to leach directly into food or water.

CLEANSE: WHAT TO CLEAN UP

Clean cooking The more you can steam your food (from veg to fish), the better in terms of locking in nutrients.

Clean water Sadly, a lot of the water supplied to our homes is not as clean as we’d like it to be. I use a ZeroWater jug at home, which has a filtering system that guarantees to remove 99 per cent of all total dissolved solids (TSDs).

Clean products Check the labels of any lotions and potions that you use, from make-up to handwash, and avoid nasties such as parabens and sodium lauryl sulfate.

Clean materials Be mindful of the content of varnishes, sealants or upholstery that may have been used on furniture, especially vintage pieces.

COMBAT: WHAT TO INTRODUCE

House plants Research by NASA has revealed that they can remove up to 87 per cent of air toxins within 24 hours, as well as turning carbon dioxide into oxygen.

Natural beeswax candles Burning these candles is reputed to release negatively charged ions into the air, which may keep common allergens such as dust and dander at bay. Himalayan salt lamps There is little scientific evidence to support the claims that salt lamps purge the air of toxins by attracting impurities and neutralising them, but they are beautiful to look at as they emit a wonderfully soothing pale pink light.

Essential oils Used for millennia to purify and heal, some oils are also believed to neutralise airborne bacteria. Using an essential-oil burner in your home is the best way to experience the positive effects – and stick to organic oil brands.

CONTINUE: HOW TO KEEP THINGS MOVING

Clear rubbish or clutter from around your front door. Try to keep the direct line from the street to your front door completely clear, so that you can walk in or out without having to navigate a mountain of obstacles, garbage or unnecessary clutter. Small square tables are banned. They are a nightmare for your shins and small

Be happier, healthier and more empowered with children, and Michelle their Ogundehin’s very nine-step angularity practical guide to creating cuts

a space in which to feel truly at home. off space rather than encouraging flow. Whether your home is owned or rented, small or large, and regardless of how Clean your windows! much money you have, Michelle It’s shows easy you how to harness to its overlook potential in pursuit of becoming your best self. Because, if you want to feel calm, content, soothed or energized, you must begin with what surrounds you. this simple way of admitting more daylight,

Happy Inside covers everything from how to create more light and space to how to get a good night’s sleep; the path to a perfect sofa and why a dining and thus living table is energy, your most vital piece of furniture. into Plus, how our to decorate homes. to promote joy; the importance of play (and circular side tables) and why a tidy home isn’t Keep pet beds necessarily a and happy one. The bowls healthy home revolution as starts here! clean as your own. Use ‘A a wonderful different look at how to scrubbing ‘ Happy Inside is a must-have brush, transform your home to be more read for anyone looking to improve mindfully aligned with your true nature not just their home but also their though, and invest and a reflection of who in you are.’ decent quality of grooming life within it.’

fearne cotton matthew williamson tools, and a lint brush so you and your home

‘A happy home is a fundamental building block of happiness, and Michelle’s are not perpetually covered book is an essential, step-by-step in guide shedded fur.

to creating a home we love.’

arianna huffington Happy Inside: How founder to Harness & ceo, thrive global the Power

I S B N 978-1-52910-555-1 of Home for Health and Happiness (Ebury

uk 1 7 . 9 9 9 781529 105551

Press, £18.99) is out now