If we try to find some definition of a home, we could all probably agree this word describes the place where we feel happy, safe and protected. All these things are very hard to achieve if that fabled environment we so desperately seek is not healthy. Yes, in spite of all the amenities we associate with the modern lifestyle, the most basic purpose of a home is still to allow our families to live healthily and thrive.
Let us take a look then at some of the simple but still effective ways how this important prerequisite can be easily achieved.
Leverage the colors
When we are talking about health, we don’t always mean physical health. Keeping in mind that it is good to know that the way we use colors can have a great influence on the emotions we experience. For instance, the color blue represents intelligence and invokes the sense of trust, while white creates a sense of clarity. Use these correlations to find the color combination that suits you the best and, and just to reinforce your efforts, make sure to buy only the non-toxic wall paint.
De-clutter the house
Aside from making the day-to-day routine way harder than it was ever supposed to be, the clutter also has a very negative psychological effect on the house residents. But, even if we go past this psychological notion, we can see that an overwhelming amount of stuff makes cleaning and maintenance much harder. That, in turn, leads to the buildup of dirt, moisture, and mold, all of which cause a wide variety of health issues. So, keep your home functional and show the unnecessary things the way out.
Keep the air fresh and purified
Although it is not as frequently discussed as outdoor contamination, indoor air pollution is a serious problem that needs to be addressed. The first things you should do then is to remove all the common pollutants like tobacco, radon, pollen, toxic paint, and harmful cleansers. Then, invest in a good HVAC system that will promote the circulation of air. Finally, make sure to buy a quality air purifier that will remove all the pollutants that remained in the house in spite of your previous efforts.
Be mindful of what you’re buying
Following the topic of indoor pollution, the threat to our health doesn’t always come in the most obvious ways. On the contrary, sometimes the biggest dangers come in the form of the most unobtrusive everyday products. So, be mindful of what you are bringing into your home. Some of the items you should strongly avoid are chemical-based cleansers, lead items, poisonous paint (pay special attention to old furniture), and plastic food containers.
Handle lighting in a healthy manner
The lighting has a great influence on our wellbeing. Even if we take all the psychological effects completely out of the equation, the fact remains that poor lighting causes headache, poor posture, eyestrain, and can even permanently damage your sight. So, for a start, find a way to better utilize sunlight even if that means you’ll need to expand the window space. Furthermore, replace your existing fixtures with an alternative that produces more natural light and causes less strain.
Make your home greener
And we think that in the most literal sense. Every one of us knows the indoor plants are beneficial. You would be surprised, though, just how many good things they bring to the table. First and foremost, plants make very solid indoor air purifiers. And then there is the whole slew of other perks like improving the overall mood, lowering blood pressure, preventing allergies, increasing brain function and even helping the residents fight off headache and flu.
Filter the water
Finally, let us quickly cover one of the most important prerequisites for a healthy life and life in general – fresh drinking water. Now, the quality of the water from the public supply varies from country to country and even from town to town. But, in either of the cases, you can expect at least the small number of contaminants like chlorine, lead, and pesticides. Cut this problem in the root and buy yourself a capable system for filtering tap water.
We hope these few tips will provide you with some general guidelines of how to turn your house into a safe, healthy haven you and your family have long deserved. Some of the mentions will require more time and money than others, but they are all worth the effort. Remember, you can’t put a price on your family’s future.
