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8 Resolutions for a Healthier Home in 2018
Cultivate these healthy home habits to help you stick to your New Year's resolutions all year round
Chiquit Brammall
29 December 2017
Design journalist and freelance editor. Dollhouse architect. Serial renter.
If you think the word ‘resolution’ is a bad word, then think of these as lifestyle changes for the better. Not only will they help you maintain a healthier home – on a realistic, daily basis – they will also keep you and your loved ones on a healthier track. Think of these resolutions or habits as arming your home to be your lifestyle assistant (bet that lots of you got Google Home or other home assistants as a gift over the holidays – well, this is low-tech but better!).
1. Stock a healthy and food-safe kitchen
As “out of sight, out of mind” applies to junk food, stocking healthier options and making sure your kitchen is food-safe makes it easier to cook and eat well. So start by tossing out expired foods, unhealthy options and anything you’re doubtful of, and give your kitchen a freshening up that will help you stick to your healthy eating plans.
How food safe are your kitchen habits? 13 things to ask yourself
As “out of sight, out of mind” applies to junk food, stocking healthier options and making sure your kitchen is food-safe makes it easier to cook and eat well. So start by tossing out expired foods, unhealthy options and anything you’re doubtful of, and give your kitchen a freshening up that will help you stick to your healthy eating plans.
How food safe are your kitchen habits? 13 things to ask yourself
2. Spring clean for easy breathing
Household odours are a sign of something that may harm the health of your home and of your loved ones. So clean up and kick out stinky home odours such as musty mould and acrid remains of cooking oil. Find out if your home needs a humidity check, and address that if it’s an issue. Whether or not your family has respiratory issues, an odourless home is always a much more pleasant one to relax in.
How to keep your home asthma safe
Household odours are a sign of something that may harm the health of your home and of your loved ones. So clean up and kick out stinky home odours such as musty mould and acrid remains of cooking oil. Find out if your home needs a humidity check, and address that if it’s an issue. Whether or not your family has respiratory issues, an odourless home is always a much more pleasant one to relax in.
How to keep your home asthma safe
3. Incorporate easy home organisation ideas
Who wants to be tidying up daily? If you incorporate easy home organisation ideas into oft-used spaces and rooms – say the entrance to your home where a pile of mail and stuff is where you inevitably lose your keys into – then you’ve already won half of the clean-up battle.
Who wants to be tidying up daily? If you incorporate easy home organisation ideas into oft-used spaces and rooms – say the entrance to your home where a pile of mail and stuff is where you inevitably lose your keys into – then you’ve already won half of the clean-up battle.
4. Set up for a proper night’s sleep
Check that your mattress is right for your body, otherwise your new healthy habits will be mostly wasted because you’re always tired (and increasingly cranky).
Check that your mattress is right for your body, otherwise your new healthy habits will be mostly wasted because you’re always tired (and increasingly cranky).
5. Make space for fitness
You may not have room for a gym but your house can still help you stay fit. Use an exercise ball as a chair or set up a standing desk instead of a regular sit-down one, and your home office easily doubles as a wellness place.
You may not have room for a gym but your house can still help you stay fit. Use an exercise ball as a chair or set up a standing desk instead of a regular sit-down one, and your home office easily doubles as a wellness place.
6. Don’t forget: healthy mind, healthy body
Since we’re on the subject of wellness, let your space address your psychological health as well. A mindful space is one that appeals to all your senses, and allows you to enjoy some quiet to clear your mind of the day’s worries.
Since we’re on the subject of wellness, let your space address your psychological health as well. A mindful space is one that appeals to all your senses, and allows you to enjoy some quiet to clear your mind of the day’s worries.
7. Prep your home for moody weather
Whether it’s the occasional haze or the regular wet season, you can weatherproof your home to help you deal better with rainy day blues. This means setting it up so that there’s mood-lifting lighting, colour, scent and other things to help you feel more positive.
Whether it’s the occasional haze or the regular wet season, you can weatherproof your home to help you deal better with rainy day blues. This means setting it up so that there’s mood-lifting lighting, colour, scent and other things to help you feel more positive.
8. Bring in the plants
Speaking of things that can make us feel more positive: plants! Not only do they freshen up our indoor air quality, their lively green colour aids in visually cheering us up (as well as encouraging us to think ‘good health’). Bring in some potted plants, or select some for your balcony.
More container plants for the tropics
MORE
9 Healthy Home Habits to Cultivate for the New Year
Speaking of things that can make us feel more positive: plants! Not only do they freshen up our indoor air quality, their lively green colour aids in visually cheering us up (as well as encouraging us to think ‘good health’). Bring in some potted plants, or select some for your balcony.
More container plants for the tropics
MORE
9 Healthy Home Habits to Cultivate for the New Year
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