How to Survive Indoors (by Optimizing Your Home Environment)

Many of us are currently spending more time inside our homes than ever before. Being cooped up inside, especially when the whole family is together 24/7, can feel stressful, overwhelming, and confining. Here are a few simple things you can do to make the most of your environment, help everyone feel calmer and more relaxed, and even make it easier to get more done.  

#1: Clear the clutter. 

Spending so much time inside our houses means we’ll be exponentially affected by the state of each room. Being in a cluttered space tends to make us feel anxious and can elevate levels of stress hormones. These physical and psychological effects can even go so far as to lower our immune system’s ability to fight infection.  

To stave off the clutter, take some time each day to tidy up. Even just 10-15 minutes of daily effort can make a significant difference. Get rid of things you know you don’t need, and clear things that are just lying around but might need more attention at some point. It’s ok to have a space or closet that's piled with stuff to go through later, as long as it’s out of your sight for now (and you make plans to come back to it at another time).  

Working or learning in a room that’s organized and light on “stuff” makes us feel just that – lighter.  

#2: Spruce things up. 

Is that old desk on its last leg? Are you staring at a blank wall all day long? Do the kids need a more school-like workspace to help them focus? Time to spruce things up a bit! 

Fix that wobbly desk leg and give the whole thing a new coat of paint or stain, or maybe shop around online for a new, affordable desk that better fits your needs and your space. Order that painting you’ve been eyeing or hang those family photos that have been sitting in the closet for months now. Give yourself something pleasing and comforting to look at, ideally a piece that brings comfort or has meaning for you.  

How about your windows? Are your curtains or blinds a little blah? The right window coverings can really bring a room together, and make it feel truly complete. 

If you’ve got children who are doing schoolwork at home, maybe they need a colorful bin to organize their worksheets and folders. Maybe they need a charging station for the devices they use for schoolwork. What about a new lamp in a favorite color? You might even find that they have ideas of their own!  

#3: Let the sunshine in!  

We all know that sunshine is healthy – it provides us with vital vitamin D, helps us feel energized, and helps avoid seasonal depression-like feelings. So open those curtains, drapes, or blinds and let some light in! Motorized window coverings can make this even easier by helping you automate the opening and closing as the sunlight changes throughout the day. You might be juggling working from home as well as helping your children with their schoolwork. Somfy MyLink allows you to create “scenes” and schedule your window coverings to open and close at the times of day that work best for your home and your family. It’s one less thing you’ll need to think about and remember every day. We could all benefit from shortening those “to do” lists! 

Speaking of schedules... 

#4: Create a routine. 

It doesn’t have to be tightly regimented, but creating a general schedule and routine for weekdays can really help keep everyone focused and stay productive. Try to keep bedtimes and wake up times relatively the same as they always were (yes, even yours!). Set guidelines for what you want your children to do and when. You could even consider hanging a whiteboard and writing down the schedule for the day so that everyone knows what they should be doing and when. 

The more you can keep things the same as they were before, the easier it is to maintain the drive to get work and school lessons done. And, you’ll find that going back to work and school will be a much easier adjustment down the road, too.