Alright Girlfriends – it is time to clear your clutter, change your color, and respond with wellness with some simple tips and tricks that you can use to create your own haven, even if you start with only one room.

Clear your Clutter!
We find that the emotional response to visual clutter is stress. Do you find yourself feeling visually assaulted when you enter a room of your home? If so, begin by organizing. Assemble all similar items. Remove anything that doesn’t absolutely lift your spirit! Take your remaining items and create small groupings in odd numbers to place on your dresser or inside of a bookshelf. Instead of having a consortium of mish-mosh throughout your home, you’ll have cohesive groups of collectibles that will instantly soothe your spirit and catch the eye of friends and family.
Color Your Way to Happiness!
Did you know that different colors, when used in interior design, have effects on us that we are sometimes not aware of? Certain colors soothe while others provoke aggressive emotions in us. I am a believer of the psychology of color for interior design, and the colors of your interiors play a large part in how your lifestyle and behavior is shaped. The psychology of color for interior design is used to determine which colors to use, depending on your needs and objectives. Here are two examples of how color can affect your emotions and mood.

Red - bold and provocative – awakens the senses, stimulates the appetite, and raises the blood pressure. Use this color in dining areas and theater rooms.
Blues and Greens (soft, muted color) - cool and calming, reducers of stress (such as celadon or sky blue). Use these liberally in bedrooms and bath areas. Go ahead and create yourself a spa!

So visit your local bookstore and pick up a book about color! Paint over those bland, white walls, and organize your way to creating a wellness retreat right at home!
Jennifer Payne