Refresh your home

Staying at home this vacation season? Janice Anderssen shares her tips on quick makeovers you could do to create a 'holiday' feeling.

Article: Janice Anderssen

Our homes are places for rest and relaxation, and a healthy home is just as important as great style. And whilst we exercise our body and mind to look and feel better, so too will small adjustments in our homes. Many homeowners will be foregoing the usual annual vacation and looking for ways to have a holiday at home. They say that, "A change is as good as a holiday", so here are some affordable and quick makeovers you can do for that "holiday' feeling.

Body, mind and soul
We’ve all heard about the psychology of colour at one time or another, and how colour can have a profound effect on our emotional health and wellbeing; the warm tones of red, orange and yellow energise and increase the heart rate; shades of blue and green relax, refresh and create a sense of peace and tranquility. By using colour in a particular room to affect mood you can create spaces that promote a sense of calm and balance.

The air that you breathe
Did you know that after a thunderstorm the air is cleansed, and that lightning removes a lot of pollutants. Open up windows and doors to replace the stale air in your home. And toss out the air fresheners – they merely mask household odours and actually contribute to chemical pollutants in the air. Set up containers of potpourri and continuously freshen with aromatic essential oils – they’re good for body, mind and soul and will add a subtle aroma to your home without the chemicals.

If the air quality of your home needs regular cleaning, perhaps due to pets or allergy sufferers, invest in an air cleaning device that removes particulates, odours and kills airborne bacteria as an economical and eco-friendly alternative to an air conditioner.

Design your home so that you can spend more time outdoors. A small deck or patio can become an extension of a home and allows you to sit and relax in the open air.

Floors that are welcoming
Renewable flooring options, such as bamboo, cork, offer sensible style while preserving resources. These new flooring options are also anti-allergic and provide more comfort and a wide range of style options for even the most discerning homeowner.

Even vacuum cleaning systems are now adapted in order to collect even more dust to ensure that even the most sensitive member of the family does not fall victim to allergies. Along with being anti-static, some machines offer a water-filtration cleaning method, or Nano-Silver technology with proven anti-septic qualities to prevent the development of germs and bacteria in the machine.

Carbon footprint
A carbon footprint is the new measure of the impact human activities have on the environment in terms of the amount of greenhouse gases produced. A healthy home is achieved by considering the whole environment. Energy- and water-efficient appliances are great for conserving natural resources and reducing monthly bills and providing peace of mind.

There are various ways in which any homeowner can reduce their individual carbon footprint, as well as have an effect on the environment as a whole:

•    Fit energy saving light bulbs and turn off lights in vacant rooms
•    Whole house insulation (ceiling, geyser)
•    Recycle grey water for garden use
•    Replace appliances older than 15 years with the latest energy efficient models
•    Power down or switch off appliances not in constant use
•    Make use of solar power wherever possible

Janice Anderssen is Women24's DIY and Decor expert. If you have a question for her, post it here or visit her website www.Home-Dzine.co.za for more tips.