9 Ways to Turn Your Home Into a Sanctuary While Staying at Home

4/17/2020

A continuing series about awesome social distance activities in DC to keep you entertained during the outbreak and inspired to keep daydreaming about your next adventure in the Nation's capital.

Your home is your castle. That’s especially true these days now that we’re living the #quarantinelife.
Because you’re spending most of your time indoors, it’s important that your space is a sanctuary and not just four walls where you go to sleep at the end of the day.

We've come up with nine ways to turn your home into a calm and welcoming space in these unprecedented times.

And just in time: Indulge in some virtual retail therapy at the Christkindlmarkt in April event (April 18 to 26) at the Heurich House Museum!Treat yourself to some artisan self-care products and new things for your home while supporting DC small businesses.

1. Clean up

You don’t have to “Marie Kondo’ your home, but get rid of general clutter and mess. Purge your home for unnecessary items and then try to maintain the cleanliness. It might seem like a lot of work, but creating a fresh, blank slate is an important step in setting the stage for the kind of space you want to create.

2. Mix it up

Change the layout of your space. Move the chairs around. How would that table look over by the window? Hang the pictures you have stacked in the corner or get some new framed pieces from a local artist. Add plants. Make your old space look like new again and you’ll be more comfortable spending time in it.

3. Embrace the power of scent

Smell is one of the most important ways we experience our environment, yet it’s often overlooked. Think of the aroma of fresh-brewed coffee in the morning. The scent of flowers in a garden. Scents help create a mood and have a calming effect. Buy items online like candles, incense or essential oils, or think about plants, flowers or fresh herbs you have on-hand. You can go outside, find some flowers and put them in any little tumbler, and totally change the room. Or bake some cookies for a homey, comforting aroma (It’s what realtors and home-stagers do to create a connection to home when trying to sell a house!) It doesn’t have to be extravagant.

4. Change your tune

You may be tempted to keep the TV on as background noise or entertainment while you’re sheltering in place. Instead of turning on the TV to the news or a random show to play in the background, be intentional about your at-home soundscape. It could be a Spotify playlist or the sound of the ocean crashing on the beach.

5. Improve your view

Don’t sit in front of the TV all day. Beautiful views of the great outdoors are universally calming, so if you are working from home, try to place your desk or laptop near a window. If you don't have a beautiful view, add a few potted plants to the windowsill or anywhere around the room, find a piece of artwork or photo of a favorite view and pin it to the wall near your desk, or look for vacation-esque views for a screen on your computer or TV.

6. Pamper yourself

Adapting to change can be difficult even in the best of times, these days it’s even harder to find your feet and normalize. Be kind to yourself and indulge in things that make you feel good. Ordering dinner in, soft blankets, bubble bathes, a glass of more-expensive-than-usual wine, or a good book, whatever it is, take the time to have meaningful moments that remind you that you can find the good if you look for it.

7. Get outside

Is the weather nice out? Even if you are staying close to home, most mandates allow walking outside, as long as you stay at least 6 feet away from others and the area is not crowded. Take time every day to take a walk or take a beach blanket and go sun yourself outside.

8. Make time for fun

Break up your day at home with hobbies and activities allow you to escape work, entertaining kids and the news. Roll out a yoga mat for an in-room practice, go on a jog outside or follow workout routines streaming online or on Instagram to break up your day at home. If your beach trip was cancelled, don’t put your beach read back on the bookshelf. Sink into reading for pleasure to take a break from the constant media coverage of the pandemic.

9. Explore DC virtually

For vacation activities to hold you over while you’re inside, enjoy an at-home concert from a DC artist, try taking virtual tours of DC’s amazing museums and gardens to see the cherry blossoms and magnolias. Even national parks are online for your sightseeing pleasure.

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