10 Things That Will Make You Happier at Home

Being happy doesn't have to be complicated. These simple tips will help you find your happiness at home.

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BED
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Make Your Bed

Making your bed every morning was “the number one most impactful change that people brought up over and over” according to Gretchen Rubin, author of the bestselling book The Happiness Project. In fact, the simple act is thought to be the initiator of other good habits.

Love your bed even more with these 11 great DIY bed frame plans and ideas.

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toys
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Tidy Up

Everyday tidying up, as well as getting rid of clutter, can be incredibly impactful on your mood. According to psychiatrist Emily Deans, “Clutter and mess can feel incredibly overwhelming. Often someone with a generalized anxiety disorder is the one with the least tolerance for clutter in the household, so they are the ones spending extra hours a day cleaning up for everyone. If there is some sort of easy way to keep a household clean and neat, that knowledge would help a lot of people, particularly those with OCD or anxiety.”

Furthermore, a study from Indiana University found that people with cleaner homes are healthier and more active.

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DANCE
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Play Music in the Kitchen

Chop up those veggies with a food dance as you sway to some uplifting tunes. The same can be said for DIYing in your garage or getting work done in your home office. According to a study in the Journal of Positive Psychology, people who listen to upbeat music can improve their moods and boost their happiness in just two weeks.

Photo: Dean Drobot/Shutterstock

photo ID: 575288791

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pictures
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Display Sentimental Items

There are so many ways to express ourselves in the home, but there’s nothing quite as meaningful as decor with sentimental value. Display a souvenir from a life-changing trip, or hang photos of your family.

“Display photographs of loved ones, meaningful relationships and happy memories,” advises clinical psychologist Dr. Lamees Khorshid. “Relationships and experiences bring joy. Calling to mind meaningful relationships and positive memories provides a sense of comfort while also decreasing stress responses with comforting and supportive cues.”

Have old photos you want to bring back to life and hang up? Here’s how to restore them.

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art
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Display Positive Art

Similar to photos of your family and souvenirs from positive experiences, hanging artwork that brings you joy is another way to make you happy in your home. This could be a serene image of the ocean or an illustration of fauna and flora.

“Use pictures, paintings or screen savers that have positive imagery, nature scenes or uplifting messages,” says Khorshid. “Exposure to beautiful or inspiring images stimulate feelings of joy even at cellular levels.”

Here’s how you can create uplifting and DIY artwork in minutes if you would prefer to DIY.

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color
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Repaint Your Walls

The power of color has been intensely studied, including how it affects your mood within the home. Along with its ability to make a small room feel bigger, or a big room feel more intimate, certain colors can speak to you more so than playing it safe with white or beige walls.

“Color is all around us and even in our vocabulary. We say we feel ‘blue’,” says interior designer and color expert Elaine Ryan. “It’s part of our core, but for many years color has been excluded from our homes … but now I see a real love for it and people wanting it in their home. It’s all about finding the colors you respond to and that make you feel good.”

When you’re ready to paint, check out these tips and techniques for the perfect paint job.

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candle
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Use Aromatherapy

“Use aromatherapy, candles or room spray with scents that are calming, energizing or nostalgic,” says Khrosid. “Our olfactory response is linked to the emotional center of the brain, causing similar feelings of those experienced in past memories. Certain scents can also stimulate happy or calming mood states. Lavender can bring about calm, fresh cut grass can stimulate joy, citrus can ignite energy and pine can decrease stress.”

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window
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Let in the Light

According to research from Zayed University in the United Arab Emirates, exposure to light is linked to improved mood, so go ahead and open those curtains and blinds, or even remodel to invite more natural light in.

Photo: gpointstudio/Shutterstock

photo ID: 247425469

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plant
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Add House Plants

According to research, houseplants do more than just add a touch of nature to your spaces. One study found that those who spent time in a room with a plant rated themselves as more confident and energized compared to those who spent time in spaces without plants. On that note, here are 10 indoor plants you (probably) can’t kill.

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tea
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Add Some Hygge to Your Home

Hygge—a Danish concept encompassing a feeling of cozy contentment and well-being through enjoyment of the simple things in life—has become a trending topic in the home decorating space as of late. Candles are among one of the top aesthetics for creating a hyggelig atmosphere at home. Comfortable seating and cozy blankets are up there too. Here are more ways to add hygge style to your home.

Alexa Erickson
Alexa Erickson is an experienced lifestyle writer who has contributed to Family Handyman, Reader's Digest, Martha Stewart, Bob Vila and Thrillist. She’s written more than 50 articles for Family Handyman on a range of topics, including home design, DIY home improvement projects, and storage and organization. Additionally, she runs her own website, Living by Lex, where she writes about home decor, travel, tech and more.