Do you dream of having a Zen Pinterest worthy space? I know I did for a very long time. I had hundreds of pins full of inspiration for each room in my house. I noticed a theme that ran rough all of my pins. Each space was minimalist, beautiful, and brought a sense of calm and comfort.

I wanted to have spaces like this so badly, maybe you can relate. I knew that my environment greatly impacted my mindset, my ability to focus, and my motivation. when my space was clean, bright, and welcoming I was able to get more accomplished and I felt more inspired.

I am a strong believer that our energy is impacted by our environment. Being someone who is always working to optimize and balance my life I realized environment can provide us with a boost or it can be draining.

This is probably why I had so many Pinterest pins devoted to creating beautiful spaces.

But think about it, think back to the last time you were in a messy, cluttered, loud place. How did you feel? How was your energy impacted?

Now think about the last time you were in a beautiful, clean, inspiring environment. How did you feel? what did this environment bring out in you?

For me, the first type of environment is stress inducing and limits my drive and creativity. I can’t focus because there is so much going on. But the second environment is quite opposite. It inspires me, it allows me to focus and get things done, and enhances my creativity.

Here are some tips to help you create an environment that helps bring out the best in you.

Clear Out the Clutter

There is nothing more distracting and uninspiring than being surrounded by an unorganized mess. There is a reason that there are entire stores dedicated to organization and creating beautiful spaces. Because our environments have a profound effect on us.  I know it can be overwhelming to take on your entire house so, start small by picking one area at a time.

I started with my office because it is where I spend the most time. Then I moved on to my kitchen, bathroom and then the living room. Find what order will work best for you. Maybe it is starting with the smallest room and working your way to the biggest or maybe your style is to tackle the largest project first. As you start, ask yourself as you go through each item if it belongs there, if it is necessary, and if it’s something you love.

Add life to your space with Plants

Plants are a great way to make your space feel more zen. They bring beautiful color and smell. Some plants even clean the air! These are some of my favorite plants to have in my space.

Succulents – I love succulents because they are super easy to care for and they come in all shapes, sizes, and colors.
Fresh flowers – having fresh flowers bring a happy energy into your space and they smell great.
Snake plants – Snake plants are also easy to care for, they are beautiful, and they also clean the air!
Bamboo – In Chinese culture having bamboo in the house is thought to bring luck and prosperity. Bamboo is also an easy plant to care for and ads a beautiful life energy to any room. 

Add Peaceful Sound

Sound is a great way to make your space more zen. One of my favorite ways to bring peaceful sound into my space is to add some kind of water feature. My husband built us a gorgeous rain water fountain for our office and it was amazing!

If you don’t have the space for a water feature but love the idea of the sound of running water you can try a sound machine or find a nature sound playlist.

Another great way to use sound is to create playlists with the intention for them inspire creativity, relaxation, focus and concentration, or to wind down. I love using Spotify to create my playlists because I not only have access to them at home but anywhere I take my phone.

 

Add Calming Smells

Smell is a powerful way to enhance your space and create the vibe you are looking for. These are my favorite ways to infuse my space with amazing smells. Smell is our number one link to memory, so if you have certain smells that are linked to calm, peaceful memories use those or start creating those memories with smells that you enjoy. Then you can bring that sent with you and use it when you are feeling stressed or overwhelmed.

Here are a few of my favorite ways to bring zen smell into my environment

  • Incense
  • Essential Oils
  • Palo Santo
  • Sage
  • Candles

Invest in Lighting

Lighting has a major impact on the energy of a space. Being able to adjust the lighting of your space depending on your mood and intention is so awesome. I love being able to change the colors of my lights when I am meditating, practicing yoga, writing or doing anything else creative or relaxing.  Here are some of my favorite ways to light my space.