5 relaxing tactics
1) easy listening
Music forces the heartbeat to match its cadence. To calm things down, sideline hard rock, pounding rap or soaring classical strains.
2) aromatherapy
Infuse the home with calming scents such as vanilla, lavender, rosemary, green tea, camomile, clary, sage and myrrh. Refreshing aromas include bergamot, grapefruit, lemon and peppermint.
3) still waters
Deep breathing and meditation can help de-stress, and the entire family can master the basics of daydreaming or self-directed suggestive reasoning. Research shows they make us happier and healthier.
4) rainbow connect
Color can impact behavior and mood, so use it accordingly. To make a space soothing and serene, consider tranquil, hazy grays and greens; pale, cool, refreshing water-influenced blues; filmy, sheer purples and pinks; and soft natural tones of green and gold.
5) better blocker
Create serenity in a multi-use room by hiding your computer and exercise equipment behind a decorative screen.
5 organizing solutions
1) easy-access it
The 80/20 rule applies to everyone’s possessions: we use about 20 percent of what we have. Figure out what family members really use and make sure it’s accessible. Favorite CDs, foods, clothes and toys should be kept within reach.
2) review it
Go over everything in your home twice a year and keep it, store it away or let it go. Earmark space for three types of storage–“active” for what’s used, “seasonal” for things used periodically and “long-term” for things rarely used.
3) sort it
Jumbled stacks of paperwork and mail are counterproductive. Categorized stacks are more efficient and give you easy access to documents. Sort bills, correspondence, notices, newspapers, school papers into individual piles as they come in. Use stacking in-boxes if space permits.
4) park it
Designate a specific location for things you use every day so you don’t waste time looking for them. Have an exact spot for work supplies, kid’s gear, notes and messages, remote controls, telephones, etc.
5) shelve it
Shelves are the mainstay of many storage systems. Closely spaced shelves are more efficient: It’s easier to see what you have, and they don’t invite high, heavy, clumsy stacks.
Organizing sources: Harriet Schechter, online advice columnist (www.MiracleOrganizing.com), author, “Let Go of Clutter”; Donna Smallin, author, “Unclutter Your Home”; Julie Morgenstern, author, “Organizing from the Inside Out.” Relaxing sources: Neurologist Alan Hirsch, head of the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation, Chicago; psychologist and composer Steven Halpern, director of the Sound Health Research Institute in San Anselmo, Calif.; consultant Steve Capellini, author of “The Royal Treatment.”
