What I’ve Learned From: Reclaiming My Space

My space is really important to me. What is in it, the energy, colors, textures, life, etc all matter because this is a place where I shed all of the day off and enter a zone of comfort, zen, and peace. I started to really value my space because I moved a lot in high school and never had one place to call home. As I am in college now and moving to other apartments it’s really important to me to make my bedroom, wherever it is, feel like the home that I am comfortable. Reclaiming my space began as a physical project for me at first but later grew into finding out a lot about myself. I was making the decisions in my life and for my space that spoke to me, not anyone else.

I had to think about

• How I wanted to feel when I entered this space

• What it would look like

• What I wanted the energy to feel like

and a lot of other things but those were the major ones. To keep things simple, start by thinking about your space. Where you spend the most time whether it be your desk, your home office, or your bedroom. You want this space to reflect you. It can be adaptive with you as well which makes it even more fun.

What I have in my space is reflective and has been gleaned overtime. I love trying new things in my bedroom space that help to balance my energy as well as any that may enter this space.

Reclaiming your space is one of the best things you can do for yourself because you spend a lot of time in your room and it’s where you sleep so it should be inviting, calming, and a place where you can take a deep breath and just relax.

These are the some of the things I’ve added or thought about when I put my room together. It’s a little random and all over the place…kind of like me!

1. Natural Light ☀️
   One of the first things I do every morning is open my blinds to let the light in. I have plants on the ledge of my window in my room so they appreciate it too! There is something like the warm sun in the morning that puts me in a very inviting, relaxed state to take on my day. If it’s gloomy outside, that’s okay because I love rain (when I’m inside). It also just brings up my mood, something about being in a dark room does not excite me AT ALL. I prefer warm, natural light vs a light for my room.Having natural light opens your space up.  If you only have one window in your room, add a mirror across the room so the light reflects off of it and spreads it around your room. When the light is shining through I am more inclined to clean up any excess clutter which clears up my space because I can see it more clearly.
2. Plants! 🍃
   You can get an air plant or a fake plant from TJMaxx to add some green or color into your room. You don’t need to do anything with those at all. It’s just nice to have because it makes your space look more homeyI am a proud plant mom. I have four little babies. They are so cute and honestly my favorite part of my whole room because I was the type of person who struggled with keeping plants alive or anything but myself alive but when I went to The Tiny Greenhouse (my favorite plant shop in Greensboro, go check it out!) I asked for a low maintenance plant and just fell in love with the store, the people, and of course my plants. I water them once a week when I feel the dirt is dry. So far they are alive and thriving so thats always a good thing👍🏽. I wanted to add a touch of green and for some reason the fact that I have plants makes me care about my room even more because I don’t want them to die.
3. Crystals 🔮
   I got into crystal healing and have been doing a lot of research on it for the past few months. I have my crystals together in a bowl on my windowsill right next to my plants so that they charge overnight or during the day. I have a citrine, rose quartz, regular clear quartz, amethyst, and a flourite. I can go into why I have the different ones later but I love them and they help really balance my space out. I use them as a way to meditate, stay grounded, and they are beautiful to look at. I take them on travel with me too for some healing too 🙂
4. Color Scheme 💙
   Your color scheme doesn’t have to be your favorite colors. Honestly, I just pick colors based on association to my mood. For example, blue is calming. Red is fiery/angry, etc etc. It’s important to have some sort of theme throughout your room so that your mind isn’t focusing on a lot of different stuff at once. It’s less work if everything is in a similar color family.The color blue speaks to me the most so all my sheets, shower curtains, towel, etc are blue with gray accents. I like a light faded blue so that it’s welcoming, soft, and calming. It reminds me of being on a beach a little but minus the sand and the weather. My comforter is dual sided but that was by accident. I got it from Bed Bath and Beyond for like $40. It’s washing machine friendly too which is GREAT.
5. Pictures/Sticky Notes of Affirmation 📝
   This is for my more visual people. I’m a very visual person so I have reminders to keep me on track or remind me of sayings that speak to me.I have sticky notes hanging in my room to remind me of different messages, verses, or quotes that I like. There are some notes that people have left me too which are up there. It keeps me grounded along with the pictures of my friends, family, and yes the Obamas because whenever I feel super overwhelmed or my mind gets too busy I can look around and feel a sense of stability and guidance.
6. Candles 🔥
   Smell is associated to memory so I like for my room to smell nice. I want to walk into my room and feel at home. I get all my candles from TJMaxx because I burn through them so quickly and they’re cheaper there. I like subtle rose or honey scents. Nothing like Bath and Body Works or Yankee Candles. They are wayyy too intense for me and I will get a headache very fast.Candles lit at night also make your room more romantic and homey as well so if you want to cuddle up with your boo or by yourself your candles will create that space
7. Bathroom 🚿
   Deep clean your bathroom at least once a week or every two weeks. There is so much bacteria and germs that accumulate. I always have those Colorox Wipes on hand to pick up any hair or wipe down my sink. Your makeup brushes go on your face and if your counter is dirty or if your bathroom is dirty it can actually cause acne. So clean your bathroom and clean your brushes!I have a bathroom in my room and honestly, I love just sitting in my bathroom and being alone because no one really bothers you so my bathroom is very very important. I like to keep it as clean as possible. I get lazy throughout the week but I deep clean like once a week.

Other tips/tricks to maintain your space

• Only keep the things you use (mostly) everyday on hand especially on your vanity, desk, or countertops. If it doesn’t have a purpose other than to be used or to look pretty, then you don’t need out. If you don’t see it often then you probably won’t use it.
• Donate, sell, or give away the extra sh*t in your room. If you have clothes that don’t fit, you don’t wear, etc instead of buying new clothes donate the ones you don’t want or try to sell them. I purge my closet 3 times a year. Before I move out, before I officially move in, and around the new year. Clear out your cabinets. No you don’t need the receipt from Target from October of 2016.
• Throw away expired makeup or beauty products. On the back of the packaging you will see a logo with a number on it. That looks like this. I’m guilty of keeping makeup past its due date but if you can live without it or can buy a new one soon. Toss it, it’s not good for you or your skin.