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Inexpensive Ways To Make Your Room More Calming

by Kaitlyn Wylde
Updated: 
Originally Published: 
Side shot of pregnant Asian woman reading a novel. She's sitting on the bed with pillows on her back...
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As an adult, your bedroom should be your safe zone. It should be the most tranquil, calming, peaceful place in the house. There should literally be a metal sign on the door that says "No Stress Allowed". While the mental health goal should always be to find calmness in yourself, rather than relying on your surroundings, it doesn't hurt to make your environment cater to your mental health. Not to mention, a calm room is a pretty room.

Our lives as twentysomethings are stressful, unpredictable, and messy. So the best thing we can do is make sure that we have a space for ourselves in the world that feels like a retreat from it all. As many of us share our homes with friends and lovers and roommates, our bedrooms become the only things that are just ours. Which is why it's so important to make your bedroom a sanctuary of mellow vibes.

You don't have to spend a fortune or even break a sweat renovating your room vibes. Because really, making your bedroom a more calm space, is more about getting rid of things and going back to basics than it is adding and changing. These are 13 ways to make your room a more calming space:

Deep Clean

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First and foremost, your room should be clean. Dust, mop, vacuum, and wipe-down the windows. Really treat your room to a proper deep clean. The more work you put into cleaning your space, the more you'll feel connected to it. Cleaning is a way to show your respect and kick off your healthy relationship with it.

De-Clutter

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Take out a trash bag and go through every single drawer and shelf and corner. Get rid of random crumpled papers and sizing tags empty water bottles and broken pens. These things belong in the trash or recycling, and there's no reason for them to be taking up space in your storage system. You'll instantly start to feel calmer when you start to consolidate and declutter.

Minimize

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Do you really need all of those shoes? Can your movie collection go in a storage box under the bed rather than taking up a whole wall on a shelf display? Does that club chair serve and purpose other than to hold clothes that you haven't decided are worthy of the hamper yet? Go through your things and think about whether or not you need them. Ask yourself if there's another place to store it. Ask yourself if you've used it in the last two months. Ask yourself if you feel emotionally connected to it, in a positive way. If the answer is no, find a way to get rid of it. Gift it to a friend, donate it to a thrift store, or recycle it.

Color-Code

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Did you know that certain colors are calming while others are energizing and stressful? Cool colors like blue and grey and stark white can be calming on the mood, while brighter colors like orange and red and green can be more stimulating. You might want to consider a fresh coat of paint if your walls are dingy and you're at odds with them. A new color might change your life.

Love Your Bed

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Your bed should be your most favorite place to be. It should be comfortable. It should be easy to alter based on temperature. It should be soft. It should be decorated in all the colors that make you feel good. If your bedding doesn't do anything for you, consider swapping it out for some fresh threads. If it doesn't feel inviting you might want to consider adding some plush throw pillows. If it's too chaotic and cluttered, you might consider stripping it down basics: one blanket, one pillow. Play around with it and change it up.

Get Cozy

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Make sure you have at least one cozy thing available to you at all times in your room. Whether it's a throw blanket made of micro fleece or a silk robe, keep it out and in sight. Just knowing that comfort is within reach can be comforting alone.

Find Function

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Make sure that you have a system in your room. If you have a desk, make sure that you use it to do work at. Organize your drawers to suit your needs. If you have a nightstand, make sure that it's got some books, some candles, and anything else you might want in the night, within close reach. Make the most of the furniture you've decided is worthy of staying.

Hide Wires

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We have so many tech accessories that our power outlets often look like a giant mass of snakey wires. Find ways to conceal them by tucking them behind furniture or consolidating with a power strip. It should be a piece of cake to plug in your phone in your room. You should have to move things around constantly — that's stressful.

Find The Light

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You need good lighting in your room, it's a must. If you have access to natural light, try to make that window the focal point of the room. Make sure that your curtains can be stowed and that you can floor your room with light, easily. If you don't get much sunlight, find a nice warm lampshade or lightbulb and create some soothing mood lighting to your liking.

Rug It Out

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Our feet associate rugs with comfort. If your room floors are hardwood, find yourself a small rug to put right by your bed. At the very least, the first and last thing your feet touch before getting in or out of bed will be soft and comforting.

Find A Scent

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Get yourself some calming lavender oil and use a diffuser to help keep the scent flowing. Find a candle that you love make a ritual out of lighting it. You'll start to associate it with your wind-down time. Light it an hour before bed to help you destress.

Get A Plant

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You'd be surprised how much having a living green thing in your room can enhance your disposition. If you don't want to deal with flowers that die after a few days and start to stink, invest in a succulent and put it somewhere you can see it from bed. Not only is it nice to look at, but it gives you a little bit of responsibility that helps you stay invested in your room.

Play Some Tunes

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To help you start associating your room with calm vibes, play music while you're in there. Whether you have a sound system or you're using your phone, put on a chill playlist the second you walk in. The more mellow rituals you establish, the closer you'll feel to your room and the more tools you'll have to find that calmness when you really need it.

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