Bringing Serenity to the Home

Camelia Rose Tea Room by Susan Rios, painting available here

Making the home a place of refuge and peace can be a special challenge at times. If you have a busy family and people are absorbed in their different interests, the house will not always be as orderly as you would like it to be. Over the years, I have observed some home makers who seemed to be able to control some of this chaos, and so, I will list some of the peculiar habits they had, which helped them get the serenity they needed at home.

*Make your entry way a priority in neatness and cleanliness. This puts you in the mood to enjoy your home.

*Never make a "dry-run" anywhere in the house. This means always have something to take to another are, and pick up things as you go along. It saves energy. You will not need a cleaning day if you clean-as-you-go.

*When you come in from any kind of trip outside the home, take a moment to put away your coat and purse, unpack your shopping items, make a cup of tea, and go through the house briefly to pick up things and put them away.

*Before bedtime, do a pick-up all around the house, as well. Though this is not deep cleaning, it clears clutter and creates a feeling of serenity.

*In the morning, before you begin your routine, go through the house again and deposit things where they belong.

*When seated, move your eyes around your room and mentally check things that need to be righted.

*Protect your home life from quarrels and criticism. Practice thinking on the bright side of everything.

*Plan a simple Afternoon Tea and invite someone to share it with. There are so many stimulating ideas you can get from having company, and the recipient appreciates it, too. Getting ready for a visit can really give your housekeeping and decorating a boost. It makes you think more about how things look. You can always come in the front door and imagine yourself being the visitor, seeing the lovely table setting, and feeling the atmosphere you have created.

*Use indirect lighting (side lamps, string of lights, candles) rather than overhead lighting. It makes the light less harsh.

*Tune in to some soothing music that you like. Whatever work you are doing will go faster without pressure.

*Put out a different color table cloth and protect it with clear plastic. If you do not have a table cloth, just use a few yards of fabric, and cover that with clear plastic. Add a centerpiece that co-ordinates with the color of fabric. Centerpieces can be anything from sea shells to florals to candles to decorative birdcages and birdbaths. Just look around and see what you have and you may be surprised what you can create.

*Collect some decorative things you do not want anymore, line a wicker basket with a pretty cloth, and create a gift for someone else.

*Deliberately spend one hour a day resting, or being still, laying back, going through favorite books, or reading stories you love.

*Set up a writing area with pretty papers, envelopes, pens, and address book, and catch up on correspondence. Instead of feeling pressured, enjoy it, in an artistic way. Here is a template to print out on cardstock. Cut it out and use it to trace around on nicer paper. The dotted lines are the fold lines. It is a letter and an envelope in one. You may have to cut your copy a little to make it fold right, as mine is just drawn freehand, by folding. I am not sure how to print out this template. You might try highlighting it and pasting it to another document. It is on a regular piece of typing paper, if you want to know the size. I will try to get it to print from the blog page when I get time today.
Write your message and use a few stickers to brighten up the letter. Fold the side flaps inside and put a line of white glue or use a glue-stick.

Seal the back with another sticker. These come from the Dollar Tree.