Orderly Room, Orderly Mind

Thanks to social media and Pinterest, more and more people are getting invested to make sure that their bedroom looks like a sanctuary. Remember when Marie Kondo made headlines with her famous quote;

“If it sparks joy, you should keep it” – Marie Kondo

She single-handedly made people all over the world rethink decluttering and organize their home. More so on Twitter, netizens are sharing their before and after picture of a budget room make over with hundreds of re-tweet.

When pushed to its extremities, it can become a means to cause competition and stir envy with those who have no budget to vamp up their room deco. But the whole point of investing your time, energy and money to produce that real life carbon copy of IKEA’s showroom should not be to show off (or you can, go ahead, it's’ your hard earned money pun) but more so, it should be to ensure a healthy and clear mind.

If you notice, when you are feeling stressed and flustered, chances are your room will reflect that emotion. That piled up laundry in the corner, that tangled wire cords on the floor, those makeup brushes scattered all over the vanity. All of this, mirrors the monstrosity of emotions that is in your mind.

You might think, “Nah.. there’s no way my bedroom is the reason I’m feeling down in the dumps, it’s just my room kot.” But try to think about it this way, if you were given a choice to be in your own room right now or in a squeaky clean hotel room, which one would you go for? Obviously the hotel room. Why? Because you know those clean fluffy sheets, clean, cool air and relaxing lighting will have you unwind in no time.

So why spend hundreds to stay in a nice hotel room for a few days to blow off some steam when you can turn your room into a haven of its own that you can return to every day without spending money every time.

So how do we achieve this? It’s not really that hard and you don’t necessarily have to spend a fortune to get the room that will help to achieve a peaceful mind.

Take Netflix Outside

Yes you read that right, while we are accustomed to watching Netflix at the comfort of our bed, it’s time that we bring that outside in the living room or somewhere else. The number one rule that you need to remember is that your bedroom should be a place for intimacy and for you to sleep. While watching TV seems like a good idea to relax, who are we kidding? One episode is gonna lead to another and you will end up binging five seasons straight with no sleep. By ridding our room from any possibility of insomnia episodes, you are securing the sanctity of your room (the place you will spend most of your time on) from any unhealthy habits.

Perfect Prints To Enliven Your Space

While you think that all black looks cool and mysterious, visually, it will make the size of the room feel smaller. Plus, it will reduce the light in your room too! According to Psychology Today, those suffering from depression often want to lie down and sleep in a darkened room. Both darkness and lying down can make your depression symptoms worse. Darkness breeds gloom. There are studies about seasonal depression that show that even artificial light can cheer a person. Also, try to go for paints with low volatile organic compounds. These compounds may cause you to have nausea, headaches, sore throats and nose irritations.

Change Your Sheets And Curtains

Don’t lie, how long has it been since you washed your bed sheets and curtains? A month? Two months? Half a year?? Truth be told, bed sheets can rack up a serious collection of sweat, body oils, saliva, dirt from outside, sexual fluids, and even urine! If you have a scratch or a wound while sleeping in dirty sheets, there’s a big chance you can get an infection. And ladies, your RM300 skin care won’t do anything for your acne if you don’t get those pillow covers changed! Always make it a habit to wash your bed sheets once a week.

Add A Dash Of Green

Green plants! Yasss that’s one trend we want to be on board! According to CNN, scientists and researchers believe the shade green may calm us down. With less strain to perceive the colors, our nervous system can relax when perceiving the tone as compared to other colors. So why not add some snake plants, money plants or some cute cactus to your room to soothe your eyesight after a day of straining your eyes staring at the computer screen. Plus! Some of these plants can act as natural air purifiers for your room. Want know which of them would help filter some nasty toxins? This one is a good read - Indoor Green Buddies

Aromatherapy

Ugh I know.. some of you might be thinking what is this Bangsar Bubble BS?? Okay, calm down, first, aromatherapy isn’t expensive, check out Daiso, Yubiso and other affordable lifestyle stores for cheaper options. Second, are you going to put a price tag to your peace of mind?? Why have your room smelling like an old molded carpet when you can get that 5 star hotel treatment with essential oils. If you’re not convinced, In a study published in International Journal of Nursing Practice revealed that using a 3% lavender oil spray on clothing was found to be effective in reducing work-related stress for three to four days. So get some lovely jasmine, lavender and eucalyptus scents for your room to help you unwind from a stressful day.

Another tip that we can give is to not wear shoes in the house but SIKE! We Asians will not tolerate that custom. (So we good, we good). These are just some tips and tricks that you can do to help detox your room. While switching up the whole room’s deco might be fun, it can hurt your pocket ngl.. so opt to just DECLUTTER. Work up some sweat and reward yourself with the peace of mind of having a pristine, shiny room.

If you’re living by yourself, why not apply those tips to other areas of your house? But it’s okay.. baby steps. We know how intimidating it is to live by yourself and having to deal with all of those responsibilities alone. Watch this episode of Hello I Have Issues: Living Alone with Zher and Keanu as they unravel the dilemma that comes with living away from your parents.