With a new year around the corner, you might be considering ways to transform your lifestyle. Whether it be bettering your nutrition or your exercise habits, there are many ways to improve your health and wellness, and they all start within the home.
Optimizing your apartment for a healthy lifestyle is the first step in reaching your wellness goals. With a calm, organized, and movement-friendly space, you can easily integrate healthy habits into your routine and kickstart your journey toward a well-balanced lifestyle. To get you started, here are a few tips on how to create a healthy lifestyle in your apartment:
Cultivate a Calm Environment
To improve your physical health, you have to start from within. And one of the best ways to boost your mood, decrease stress levels, and improve your mental well-being is to create a clean and calm home. Think of your apartment like a sanctuary -- a safe place to recharge, relax, and decompress while taking a break from day-to-day hustle and bustle. To achieve this, start by doing the following:
Organize and declutter
A cluttered home signifies a cluttered mind. So, this new year, why not give both a cleanse? Perhaps it’s time to organize that hallway closet full of miscellaneous items or finally tackle the overflowing junk drawer in your kitchen. The key is to create a designated spot for everything so that your apartment remains organized and tidy. An organized space will make it a lot easier to relax at home and get things done if you work remotely.
Incorporate greenery
Incorporating greenery is another great way to cleanse your home and mind. Not only will plants brighten up your space and purify your air, but they’ll also contribute to your home’s calming aesthetic with their natural scents and colors. However, try to stick to low-maintenance plants that do well indoors. Otherwise, you may be surrounded by dying plants that do nothing but dampen the mood.
If you’re unsure where to start with your indoor plants, consider the following beginner-friendly options:
- Succulents
- Spider plants
- African violets
- Friendship plants
- Chinese evergreens
- Bamboo
- Prayer plants
- Parlor palms
Renters with pets should take caution when choosing indoor plants, as some can be toxic and harmful to animals if ingested. Research non-toxic options like African violets, bamboo palms, and spider plants, and always consult pet-safe plant lists or your veterinarian to ensure your choices are safe for your furry friends.
Brighten your space
Lighting is also critical to your mental well-being. Particularly during the winter, you’ll want to take advantage of as much light as possible while the sun is out. Otherwise, you might find yourself with a bad case of the winter blues.
To optimize your apartment’s natural light and airflow, open your blinds and curtains during the day. If your space doesn’t have many windows, consider brightening it up with mirrors, floor lamps, and colorful walls and furnishings. This will create the illusion of a bright, well-lit apartment even if the natural light is minimal.
Make Room for Fitness
Now that we’ve discussed how an apartment correlates to mental health, let’s move onto the physical aspects. Moving your body is vital to your overall health and wellbeing. However, there are a lot of obstacles that come with reaching fitness goals, especially when you live in an apartment. Whether you’re pressed for time or working with limited space, here are some tips for incorporating fitness into your apartment lifestyle:
Create a workout area
Many apartments have communal gyms for residents. However, depending on your community and the time of the day, these can be overcrowded or limited on equipment. In this case, your best solution is to create a workout area in your apartment. Whether it be putting a stationary bike in your living room corner or turning your second bedroom into an at-home yoga studio, having a designated workout space will minimize inconveniences and make it easier to achieve your fitness goals.
Incorporate multi-functional furniture
Working out at home can be difficult in a small apartment. This is when multi-functional furniture can be especially helpful. For example, a coffee table that doubles as a workout bench or bed with built-in drawers to store weights, resistance bands, and other at-home equipment. These practical furnishings will save on space and make your living area more fitness friendly.
Get creative with workouts
Finding space to work out in your apartment is only half the battle. On top of that, you’ll also have to find simple, apartment-friendly workouts that are good for your space. For instance, mat exercises like push-ups, planks, and other core moves are a great option for apartment exercise. For high-intensity workouts, consider cardio moves like squats, jumping jacks, or jump rope. However, be mindful of your neighbors when doing high intensity exercises, especially if you live in a higher-floor apartment.
Prioritize Your Kitchen
A true healthy lifestyle begins in the kitchen. If you don’t make wise dietary choices, your physical and mental health will suffer. That said, it’s important to prioritize your kitchen when creating an apartment conducive to healthy living. From stocking it with healthy groceries to keeping counters clear and clean, here are a few tips to create an apartment kitchen that supports a healthy lifestyle:
Set up a functional kitchen
Making healthy choices in the kitchen is a lot easier when your space is functional and well-stocked. Though you won’t have control over your kitchen layout, there are ways to transform any kitchen into a functional cooking space. For example, if you have a Pullman kitchen, you might consider getting an island or an extra storage cupboard to create more counter and cabinet space. This will make cooking and organizing your kitchen much easier and more enjoyable.
Stock your kitchen wisely
A clean, functional kitchen can easily go to waste with the wrong groceries. Stocking your kitchen with overly processed, unhealthy foods will make it harder to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Rather than buying frozen foods or packaged snacks, consider fresh, whole ingredients. This way, you can make more nutritious meals and snacks at home, making you feel more energized and motivated to make healthy choices throughout the day.
Create a cleaning schedule
A clean kitchen is conducive to a healthy lifestyle. Not only will a fresh, clean kitchen inspire you to chef up healthy meals, but it will also rid your space of germs, bacteria, and other harmful allergens. Because you use your kitchen every day, implement an organized cleaning schedule to ensure it stays clean. Whether that means wiping the counters at the end of every day or doing a weekly refrigerator cleanout, a sanitary and tidy kitchen will help you make better lifestyle choices.
Make Your Bedroom a Sanctuary
While the kitchen is important, your bedroom is even more vital to healthy apartment living. After all, your sleep is the most important component to your overall health, and your bedroom can really make or break a good night’s rest. To transform your bedroom into the ultimate sleep sanctuary, try out the tips below:
Invest in an alarm clock
An alarm clock is one of the best tools for good sleep. Rather than having a smartphone at your bedside, alarm clocks allow you to fully unplug and go to sleep without distraction. In a study published by the National Library of Medicine, researchers found that smartphones in bed decrease sleep quality. So, if you’re having trouble sleeping or waking up feeling rested, consider ditching your smartphone for an alarm clock. Try charging your phone in another room so that you’re not tempted to scroll before bed. You’d be surprised how much of a difference it can make!
Create a workspace separate from the bedroom
We’re all guilty of working from bed every once and while. However, your bed should never be your primary workspace. If you work remotely or on a hybrid schedule, it’s important to keep your work away from the bedroom. Rather, you should have a designated workspace in your apartment like a second bedroom turned office or a living room desk. This helps with distinguishing work and relaxation, reducing stress levels and allowing you to feel more at ease before bed.
Implement ambient lighting
As we mentioned earlier, lighting is vital to an apartment’s overall feel, and this sentiment especially holds true in the bedroom. Ambient lighting is best for creating a cozy and calming atmosphere in the bedroom. Rather than using bright, fluorescent lights, opt for warm, soft light bulbs to create a serene, dim atmosphere. This will truly make your bedroom feel like a cozy retreat, allowing you to easily wind down and get a good night’s sleep.
Creating a healthy lifestyle in your apartment is all about the vibe you set in your space. From adding greenery to playing with lighting, there are many ways to make your apartment more conducive for a healthy lifestyle. By following these tips, you can turn your apartment into a peaceful sanctuary that supports both mental and physical well-being. Remember, small changes can make a big impact on your overall lifestyle, so start implementing these tips today for a healthier tomorrow!
