We spend a significant amount of time at home. In recent years this is particularly true. According to the American Time Use Survey, we spend more than 50 percent of our waking hours in our abodes; add in time sleeping and this number jumps dramatically.
At Sterling Ranch we value whole-life wellness as a guiding principle. The importance of wellness can’t be overstated. Since we spend so much time in our homes, how can we seek wellness in different aspects of our at-home lives? Here’s some good news: it’s a cinch to practice wellness-enhancing activities around the home. Check out these ideas to get started:
#1 Maximize natural light
Natural light has the incredible power to boost your mood. When designing a brand-new home or selecting a best-fit floorplan for your lifestyle, keep in mind the home’s windows — number and size and orientation — to ensure you’ll have adequate access to natural light.
#2 Find balance (and space)
It’s easy to blur the line between work and play. As we find ourselves spending greater hours at home, a conscious division of space becomes more important for maintaining balance. “Our homes have had to become workplace, school, and gym, and yet still be a place to relax . . . A home design that reflects who you are – your values, needs, and interests – can make you feel good about yourself and more in control,” says Eleanor Ratcliffe, an environmental psychologist and lecturer at the University of Surrey. Take stock of the space in your home and how each room can help you find balance in your everyday life.
“A neat home works wonders for our mental clarity and overall health.”
#3 Tidy up
“A place for everything and everything in its place”: this idiom has been around for hundreds of years, and for good reason. It’s a wise guideline to follow! Rebecca Snowden of Furniture and Choice has it right: “A neat home works wonders for our mental clarity and overall health.” In this respect, every room, counter and cabinet in the home has the potential to promote or hamper wellness. Take time to clear the clutter and maintain your space — an organized home is a happier home!
#4 Go Green
Indoor plants are a wonderful addition to any room — for both form and function. They are beautiful and serve not just as showstoppers but as air purifiers as well. Just ask NASA: in a 1989 clean air study, a team of scientists found 18 plants that naturally filter the air.
Here are some top choices for keeping the air in your home clean:
- English ivy
- Snake plant
- Spider plant
- Pothos
- Peace lily
- Philodendron
#5 Rest
Proper rest and sufficient sleep are essential for optimal wellness. Master bedrooms in homes such as those from award-winning builders at Sterling Ranch provide plenty of room to transform your sleep space into the calming haven it should be, affording you the best shut-eye of your life.
#6 Soak in the goodness
Whether you’re in one of the 5.5 bathrooms in the Meridian Series’ Marsala floorplan by Pulte Homes or in the master suite of Dream Finders Homes’ Terrain townhome design, a relaxing bath of epsom salts and lavender oil does wonders for rejuvenating not just the body but the mind as well. So light a candle, pour a glass of wine and soak up the goodness in your at-home sanctuary of well-being.
Seek whole-body wellness in a brand-new home
There are so many ways to find wellness within the walls of a brand-new home. At Sterling Ranch, wellness opportunities also abound at the community’s recreation center, the Overlook Clubhouse, and the many internal trails and pocket parks. Looking to surround yourself with others seeking a lifestyle of wellness? Visit us today for a tour of our many inspiring model homes and begin living your best life in no time.