More than one in four households are looking to redo their kitchen. Often regarded as one of the most important rooms in the home, dysfunctional or outdated designs can leave us feeling stressed in our own homes. But when a daunting, yet necessary, project looms on the horizon, fear of change may prevent us from getting started.
No matter who we are, the spaces we live in have an emotional effect on us for better or for worse. The things we don’t like about our homes when faced with them day in and day out can actually increase our cortisol levels - also described as the stress hormone. Believe it or not, it takes a lot of physical and mental energy to be uncomfortable and too much of this can leave us in a perpetual state of fight-or-flight. Before we dive head-first into a long list of to-dos, addressing the limitations of our mental state is just as important as identifying the shortcomings in our physical space. Approach renovations, be they big or small, with realistic expectations, make room for self-care for ourselves in the interim, and an understand that change won’t come overnight. “Order feels good, in part, because it’s easier for our brains to deal with and not have to work so hard,” says author, psychotherapist, and professional organizer Cindy Glovinsky.
Ready to take on that long-procrastinated project? Here’s everything you’ll need in your emotional toolkit to get it done as painlessly as possible.
Infographic Courtesy of The Patch Boys https://thepatchboys.com/blog/psychology-of-space-infographic/