5 AMAZING WAYS INTERIOR DECORATING IMPROVES MENTAL HEALTH

How does decorating your home improve mental health?

Prior to starting Interior Decorating NE, I practiced as a mental health professional. This experience has served me well in the field of design.

As an interior decorator and counselor, I acquired the skills most needed in this profession: acute listening, patience and empathy. This is coupled with my love of helping people and ability to put them immediately at ease. 

This blog is the culmination of my career experiences. I hope you benefit from these tips. 

1. The First Step: Organize and Purge.

Interior Decorating starts with making space for existing and/or new decor. We call this “decluttering”. It is an essential first step when considering redecorating. The very act of organizing and purging engages both your physical and mental health. When you move, adrenaline is activated and provides a boost in mood.

It is well documented that movement is a motivator to get more done. The result of this process opens your mind to visualize decorating possibilities.

Organizing and Purging is an immersive experience that distracts from worry and stress and kicks in those “happy hormones”.

Isn’t it true that you have to clear the land before you can plant a tree? 

It is more difficult to clear your thoughts, so why not start with your environment?  The effect translates to a positive, open mind. A cluttered space directly correlates to your internal state. Your home can provide a clue about how you are doing.

This step paves the way for decorating. To begin, strip down each room to a minimalistic and purely functional form, before adding new pieces.

2. Clearing Out Closets and Cabinets.

When you can’t locate something or things fall on you when shifting through a cabinet, do you get frustrated, maybe let profanities fly? Start slamming doors? Interior Decorating starts with organizing and purging.

You can benefit from my obsession with organizing. To begin, collect boxes, bins and bags. Here are some tips to get started:

Clearing a Closet. To tackle a closet, organize items into 4 categories:

*what to keep

*what to discard

*what to store

*what to donate/give away

Only keep currently used items in the closet. When you have pared down, organize by type of garment or category of use, for example: sports equipment in bins, cleaning items on shelves, etc. 

Retain current season attire and pack away or separate other seasonal items.

Clearing a kitchen cabinet.

a) throw away any expired products

b) combine duplicate items (if not expired)

c) arrange by category: breakfast items, pasta/rice/potato products, canned goods, crackers. Store snack items in a separate in a basket. Spices should be in close proximity to your cooking area.

The Container Store, At Home, Amazon and Walmart have a variety of sizes/shapes/dividers for organizing. If you have duplicates (not expired), think about donating to a food bank. Your local grocery store usually has a bin for food donations.

The benefits of organizing your cabinets and closets are:

a) the time you will save not searching for items that are now easily accessible.

b) preventing accidents when reaching for things in a crowded closet or cabinet.

c) feeling in control of your environment

d) knowing where things are and what you already have. Buying duplicates is a waste of money and space.

If this task is too daunting, hire a professional organizer. Now on to the exciting part: Decorating your home.

3.Can I Start Decorating? Where Do I Begin?

a) decide what furnishings and decor you want to keep

b) research furniture and decor styles to help narrow down your design ideas.

c) think about colors you like and dislike.

d) decide on the function of each room:

Is it a family room? formal living room? formal dining room? office? workout area? playroom? Think about using each room for a single purpose, don’t combine areas. For instance, don’t have workout equipment in your bedroom (I have seen this often… no comment).

After narrowing down the choices, measure each room before shopping for new pieces. This is an essential step for two reasons: To save time and money.

Inaccurate measurements and poor room planning costs time and money, not to mention the frustration caused by selecting furniture that does not fit in the room. We call this “costly design mistakes”.

The goal is to create flow and ease of movement. Think about how proud you are for organizing and purging. Don’t backslide and start crowding the room. You should be able to move effortlessly, and easily navigate around furniture.

Safety is another factor so no one trips over furniture or items on the floor (by this time, NOTHING should be on the floor, except a rug).

4. HONESTY in Organizing and Designing

*Be Honest: When was the last time you wore or used each item? If you did not know it was there, guess where it should go?

*Be Honest: Can you commit to using only one function per room? If you are short on space, there are creative ways to divide a room for a separate function.

*Be Honest: Are you willing to ditch a worn rug or items donated to you that are outdated or mismatched? Existing and new decor can be creatively integrated with simple changes.

*Be Honest: Can you minimize decor, photographs and memorabilia? Tip: disperse personal items to different rooms, on a few walls or on a decorative bookcase.

If you have a multitude of framed photographs, perhaps keep the most current ones and maybe get a photo album for the others. By current, I mean a year or two.

How can you appreciate photos when there are so many to look at? I want you to be able to see what is displayed. Too many of any item can be overwhelming.

5. Creating Spaces You Don’t Want to Leave

Welcome Home. This should be more than a mat at the entryway. After completing the first 4 organizing and decorating steps, a feeling a warmth, comfort and excitement awaits as you step over the threshold.

The effort and attention made to refresh your home will pay off when you can easily move in the space and see your decor. Did anyone ever say: “I didn’t know you had that” about a piece of furniture or artwork? Now everything will be visible to be admired.

An organized room “flows”, bringing a sense of calm. This feeling can provide motivation to maintain your newly decorated space. Soon you will want to start on another room!

• • My career as an Interior Decorator began in Providence, Rhode Island. Our professional services now include design projects in all of Rhode Island and Connecticut.
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  • Clients have hired me for: bedroom design; living room design; dining room design; office design and playroom design. We offer single, multiple room and entire home decorating options.
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  • Are you puzzled about how to design your grand room or smaller, odd-shaped room? Interior Decorating NE can solve this dilemma.
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  • When Interior Decorating NE began, I thought just selecting new furniture and decor was enough. Soon after, I recognized deeper value and meaning in designing…. a home should reflect the owner’s style, preferences and personality.
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  • From this revelation, a “Lifestyle Assessment” was developed that takes all this into account. My design approach offers a true collaboration with you.

• • It is important to honor your preferences to integrate existing and new items, while making recommendations based on my years of experience.
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  • It is thrilling to hear: “I never thought about that” or “I feel like I can breathe and relax”. I feel an immense joy to see the sparkle in your eyes and the excitement you express  just being in your home.

• • My home is a sanctuary; I relish every piece of decor and can’t wait to return. I want you to feel the same. Let me know when you are ready to begin your journey.

• • Kate