While your home is a sanctuary, there’s plenty of ways that being inside of your own home can be stressful. In this article, we’ll break down all of the ways that you can assess your home and make it a place of solace, not stress. Take A Step Back See what you love and what you hate in your home. If you take a step back to see what you need and what may be simply clutter, you’ll be able to make your home simpler and happier. Make a list of what gives you the strongest impression in each room and work from there. Let Go If something is simply a dust collector, it may be time to let go of it. Items that no longer work properly are also candidates to head out the door. Also, consider ditching items in your home that cause unpleasant emotions to bubble up. You don’t need that in your life! While sometimes it’s hard to let go of certain objects, when you look at them from an outsider’s perspective, you may realize that you have been hanging on to too much for too long. Hang On There’s certain items that you should definitely keep around your home. These include the things you love. If something brings you joy, you should absolutely hang on to it! These objects that you choose to keep don’t have to be extravagant, they can be simple objects. If you love your wooden spoon and it’s in useful condition, you should definitely keep it! Art and certain precious mementos are what we often think of when we bring to mind things that we love, but anything that reminds us of positive emotions can be a keepsake. Obviously, beat up, useless objects shouldn’t be considered. That would defeat the purpose of this exercise! Deep Clean Giving your home a deep clean after the purging process is the next logical step. You may even consider hiring professionals for this step. Get out your vacuum, dusters and polish and get to it! Cleaning has a way of making things feel new again. This helps reduce clutter and in turn, reduces stress. Try New Things The next step is to try some new things in your home. Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. Maybe you’ve been thinking of painting a room a color that’s a bit outside of the box. Maybe you’ve been eager to cook a complicated dish in your kitchen. Everything new that you try will help you to change the way you identify with your home. Creating a relaxing space isn’t a process that will happen overnight. With the right steps snd the right approach you can create your space to be something that you absolutely cherish over time. The material things of your life and your emotional well-being really do have a connection. Clearing the clutter around you can be a very effective way of reducing the stress in your life.