Creating Calm by “Hushing” Your Home
“House Hushing”? What on earth…
When I first heard of "house hushing" I was a little confused, but intrigued. What is it? And how do I apply it to my kids?!
No, it's not about having an audibly quiet home, even though that would be really nice. It's about "hushing" the spaces we live in, calming the chaos that is keep us all frazzled and unable to relax. The idea is to eliminate visual "noise", or quieting our spaces by eliminating excess clutter. All of the items accumulated by living a normal life creates an underlying current, or hum, that we may not even be aware of. By carefully selecting what we see in our homes, that chaos and hum can be eliminated.
Sensory overload is a very real thing. The world around us is moving at a supercharged pace and we can feel as if we aren't able to get off the train. If we allow our homes to be a place that limits that sensory overload, we may find the elusive calm that we're desperately searching for.
How do I do this?
So how do I go about "hushing" my space, you ask? While it's not as easy as shoving the clutter in a drawer, it is well worth it! I've even done it myself a number of times over the years, and I’ve loved how it transformed my spaces.
Step 1
Remove everything from the room, and I mean everything. The clutter, the furniture, the drapes, the rugs...
This will probably cause another space in your home or apartment to be cramped and crowded, but it's only for a day or two. Totally manageable! And if you're lucky, you'll realize how much you can eliminate from you home all together.
Step 2
Keep the space empty for a day or two. Allow yourself to feel the empty room and how you respond to it.
Step 3
Move back only those essential items that make the space feel calm and homey to you.
This concept will be different to everyone. A minimalist may only move back in the essential furniture. A maximalist may move back in trinkets and treasures that visually work harmoniously together. It all depends on your personal preferences.
The vase that was a gift from who knows who from who knows when? If you're not in love with it, don't bring it back into the room. This is your space, you live in in. You don't have to please anyone by displaying items that may not be your style.
Is there anything else I can try?
You can take it a step further by changing the colors in your space. Repaint the walls, add different colored drapes, the options are endless when thinking about what color may calm you. Keep in mind that by limiting the number of colors in a space, you can create visual calm. Too many conflicting colors can bring the chaos right back in, so make a color-plan and stick to it.
Texture is another key to creating a calm space. Natural elements like stone and wood create a connection to the outdoors. Fabrics like wool, velvet, boucle are soft to the touch. Creating layers with blankets... These all add to a comforting space that allows you to relax and take a minute to just breathe.
What if I want a calm space, but it feels like too much right now?
If tackling an entire room feels overwhelming and not something you can take on at the moment, aim for a smaller space. Try to hush a corner of the room, your nightstand area, for example. Take all the items out of the space, let it be empty for a while, and only put back what you truly need.
If you try it out, let me know how you did! I'd love to hear how you were able to hush your space and if it translated into a greater sense of calm than before you started!