The Best Ways to Create a Retreat at Home
Do you live in the city where there a constant buzz of street noise outside? Perhaps a small apartment for a family of 4 with limited storage and living space? I’ve lived in small to modest apartments most of my life but a constant goal has been to keep things streamlined and uncluttered. More recently, in line with slowing down in other aspects of my life, I am also prioritizing implementing décor changes that are uplifting and beautiful. I grew up with being pragmatic to a fault, and a sadly missing opportunities to embrace beauty and art along the way.
I am making calculated moves to organize and redecorate our small piece of real estate in this urban jungle. In addition to the roaring world outside, I am battling clutter and chaos within. I am reaching for smart storage solutions and reaching my tolerance for purging. I am negotiating with my children and my sentimentality. Bit by bit, though the world outside is still loud, messy and harsh, I feel that I am coming home to my haven.
Now, it has been quite a while since we’ve had a good declutter, and I’ve gotten a bit complacent. There are still toddler age toys that my 4 year old has outgrown peeking from the gray cloth boxes on our bookshelf. Well-loved books that live in our bookcases, while new ones are spilling onto the floor and fallen behind the bed. It is definitely time for a January refresh and here are my plans for creating and maintaining a retreat at home.
Soothing Colors
I like the warm grays and creams that flow throughout our living spaces and makes me feel I’ve entered a home retreat. It is a color story that has always felt calming to me. I have no plans to change our wall color (cream) or large furniture pieces (muted gray sofa and marble coffee table). It is a color combination that I have not tired of and still evokes tranquility, so thankfully does not need an update right now.
Blinds
Blinds are so important to creating a retreat at home in a city dwelling. It blocks street lights and neighboring windows and gives the illusion of seclusion. For us, it is the soft white cordless cellular blinds that diffuses the outdoor light and instantly changes the way I feel when I’m sequestered in my living room.
Candles and Scents
I have never let myself indulge in candles and scents as I deemed them extraneous and non-functional. I finally let myself acknowledge that for me, scents do mysteriously create ambiance and lift my mood. It quietly elevates the apartment without adding volume or clutter.
Habits and Rituals
Habits to physically and mentally leave work at work have transformed my attitude when I arrive at home. I no longer associate being at home with a continuation of work. Notes and messages are closed out before I leave the office. I do not check work emails on evenings and weekends. I have even started leaving my cellphone in a different room when I am not on call. Also, I focus on positive rituals that involve my children: cutting vegetables together, planning the dinner menu together, and intentional rather than perfunctory conversations at the dinner table. Even applying moisturizer together at night while we read bedtime stories.
Books
Filling my space with books has always been a visual cue for relaxation and calm. Losing myself in books has been a haven for me since childhood. Leaving a book at my night table reminds me to read, instead indulge another TV show, which for me is more soothing.
Music
My children know to solemnly ask Siri for “dinner jazz” in the background when I start cooking. Early in the morning on weekdays, we play classical music which tends to focus and uplift at the same time as go about our often frenetic morning routine. The after-school and weekend playlist is more variable- often upbeat and bright, but if it were up to me, more mellow and indie. Clearly for us, music helps to temper and shift moods during these moments of busyness.
Decor
This is always an easy and more affordable way to update a space and create the mood you’re looking for. I am planning to buy updated pillows and throws for our living room, maybe updated shams for our primary bedroom. I am aiming for a cosier, warm vibe-more hygge- for the remainder of the winter. As I strive for a more minimal space, the small accents still bring personality and joy.
Bedding
When we changed our bedding to all white sheets, duvet cover and pillow cases, there was suddenly an air of serenity in our tight quarters. Even when there are clothes strewn about, it looks like a peaceful white oasis in the middle of our primary bedroom.
Lighting
Lighting can instantly change the ambiance of a room. Dim, warm lighting that is low (at eye level, side tables or all sconces) rather than bright overhead lights help to quiet and decompress emotions. Using candles (traditional or flameless) are another option. Alternately, having dimmers for over head lighting and switching out to a warm hued light bulb can be a game changer.
Declutter
Needless to say, last but not least! Actually, for our home, the most important item on the list to creating a true retreat is to eliminate clutter. I may have to expound on this more in a future post. I am getting a lot of inspiration on Instagram for decluttering and simplifying living spaces. My goals are to eliminate toys in shared spaces and pare down the toys in the kids’ room to ones they are actually using now. I like the idea of rotating toys in boxes, which we used to do when they were younger. I still wear mostly scrubs at work (looking for an elevated update there as well, but first things first!), so my wardrobe also needs a ruthless edit. We also have endless papers that need sorting, shredding, recycling and scanning.
So this is my approach to creating a retreat at home. These are principles I have used in the past and continually update (including now!) I hope these simple tips for creating a home retreat, a place of refuge and simplicity, will be helpful to you.
Related posts:
3 comments
Comments are closed.