Making Our Home Restful

Our lives these days are busier than ever. We spend more time in our offices or on the road than we do in our own homes. Our lives have become so fast paced and frenzied that we really need to make a concerted effort to slow down. For many of us this no longer comes naturally and we must force ourselves to relax. A home that is disorganised, chaotic and full of dis-cord is not a relaxed one. There are a few simple and very basic steps that we can do to make our homes more harmonious and peaceful to return to at the end of a busy day. Here are some simple ideas for your home

• Consider your furniture placement and

include comfortable pieces.

• Toss a few extra pillows onto the couch. • Keep blankets nearby, in a basket or trunk or ottoman that doubles as storage.

• Keep a lamp nearby for night-time

reading.

• Bring plants or fresh cut flowers into

your favourite room.

• De clutter.

• Don’t leave the house in the morn-ing

without making the bed. • Never go to bed without doing the dishes or at least loading them into the dishwasher.

• Light some candles in the evening.

• Have a book corner.

• Have relaxing bedlinen.

• Choose a soothing colour palette on the

walls.

• Add rugs to hard flooring.

• Replace old towels with oversized plush

towels.

And remember to Bring the Outdoors InA bunch of flowers, an arrangement of branches, or a few house-plants can all bring a breath of fresh air into a room. It can be as simple as gathering a bunch of branches from a tree in your backyard and popping them in a vase. For an easy, spa-inspired centre-piece fill a wide, shallow bowl about halfway with water and float some of your favourite blooms on the surface.If you’re worried about wilted petals and neglected plants, choose dried flowers or hearty houseplants and indulge in fresh flowers for special occasions.

A few simple steps can go a long way in making your home more relaxing.