The pandemic, coupled with cold winter temperatures, is forcing us to spend more time at home than ever.
With so much time within the same four walls, some may start to go a little stir crazy. But instead of channeling anxiety and frustration, what if you started putting that energy towards a mindful decorating project in your home? Read on to find out more.
Introducing Mindful Decorating – Yes, It’s a Thing
There’s no doubt that the ongoing pandemic, coupled with the onslaught of winter and all its chilly glory, have forced us to buckle down and remain within our homes more than ever before. It’s normal to go stir crazy, we’ve all been there. Cue mindful decorating – also referred to as slow decorating – as the next trend in not only mindfulness decorating, but mindfulness living. Who knew there was such a thing? Surely, we’ve heard of slowing down mentally and physically during a yoga class or while practicing a favourite hobby – but while decorating? Slow, mindful decorating isn’t a trend inspired by sloths – trust us on this one. Find out how to embrace mindful decorating and the many hidden benefits it has for mental health and how it allows your senses to bring everything you need into a space. All in due time.
Why We Need Mindful Decorating in Our Lives
Although mindful decorating is labelled as a trend, it transcends the word. Mindful decorating refers to carefully picking and choosing each item for a space and not rushing to fill it ‘just because’ or with the quickest, cheapest item. Sounds like a call to slow down, and really think about what your space needs and why. Is that a trend? Perhaps it’s just another way to practice mindfulness, and we like that.
Your home should be a haven, and you can take your time getting it just right. Especially now given the ongoing pandemic, our ‘new normal’ continues to require lots of time spent at home as we live, work, learn and play all under the same roof. So why not add mindful decorating into your working from home routine? I bet you were looking for a new activity to do around the house anyways!
What is the Opposite of Mindful Decorating?
As with most mindfulness activities, they allow us to realize what old patterns we were stuck in while reflecting on how these actions impacted our emotional well-being. According to the experts, this can apply to decorating as well.
Think about moving into a new house, or even just a new room if you’re renting. You have the sudden urge to set everything up as quickly as possible so you can look forward to relaxing. This is amplified if you’re starting from scratch with completely open spaces and blank walls. Maybe an old pattern of yours was running to the cheapest big box store and buying the pieces that will easily satisfy the needs for your space and get the job done. Do you come home, unwrap these items and see how cheaply everything is made? How long will these items last me before I must replace them - a year or two? Does this sound familiar? Well then maybe taking a mindful decorating approach will help you choose not only more functional but also more beautiful and lasting products for your home.
Get Inspired by Mindful Decorating
Mindful decorating can be described as taking time to create the perfect space by slowing down and thinking where and why each item should reside. This applies while shopping too – you should really see how something will add value to your home before letting it take up residence there.
This echoes the principles of minimalism, which suggests that your external environment affects you on your physical, emotional, and mental levels. If you surround yourself with items that have stopped adding value to your life, then what is their use? There is no doubt that mindful decorating and decluttering your home both have benefits for your health. Don’t be too hard on yourself – we all have a lot of stuff, and clutter is normal in every home. You need is a little bit of persistence to keep clutter under control, and a bit of inspiration to get going with mindful decorating.
The Benefits of Mindful Decorating
Though hard to measure all the benefits that mindful decorating may bring, there are three key benefits worth specifying to get you to hop onto this train.
Less Pressure and More Time
Of course, if you have the liberty of more time, then what a blessing to be able to take it easy and go shopping whenever you want and feel like it. Perhaps you’ll find something for that wall at next week’s flea market, or maybe not? Mindful decorating gives you more time. We all agree that when we rush less, we do things more thoroughly and likely with less mistakes along the way. When you give yourself time to understand what that space really needs and what would compliment it best, then you are alleviating pressure. That always feels good.
A Flexible Budget
Since you aren’t rushing off with a large list of items to buy, your credit card statement won’t have that large cringe-worthy sum on it. If you are currently in a pinch with money, this will also help relax you a bit. Buying items one at a time allows you to build up cash flow between purchases. With a more flexible budget, when you find that perfect piece, you’ll be better able to finance it even if it’s a little more expensive. As mentioned earlier, a more expensive but more durable item can cause you to spend less in the long run, since you aren’t replacing those cheaply made impulse buys.
A Style That Transcends Trends
We mentioned this at the beginning – mindful decorating is not really a trend, it’s just another way to practice mindfulness. Taking your time to devise a space that is perfectly ‘you’ is trend-proof style – it’s your style. As the years go by, you’ll have stories to tell about each item, including why it’s just perfectly tailored for that spot, and how long it took you to find it. You’ll mix textures, vintage with new, whatever floats your boat. It’s all about creating that timeless look, while taking all the time you need to figure it out. Instead of stressing out about open spaces and bear walls, embrace the opportunity to start fresh and only bring in truly inspiring pieces into your home. Mindful decorating is a technique that allows us to slow down and appreciate the uniqueness of our spaces and the stories they tell.