After a long day at work and an annoying commute, you come home, open the door and… what do you feel? Relief to be home, of course, but if you’re coming home to a space that isn’t organized or just looks drab, it can have serious effects on your mental state. Outside of your home, you can make yourself a little island of peace in the chaos of a busy office by bringing in inspirational elements. People working in spaces that have been designed with positivity in mind are more productive and often report feeling better overall throughout the day. Here are some tips to get started increasing the overall positivity of your home or office:

1. Decluttering

Beyond cleaning the surfaces of your space once, decluttering is a process of organizing your things in such a way that next week your home or office won’t be back to square one. Find organizational systems that will work for you, keep in mind how easy it will be to put things back and try to keep things you use frequently within arms reach. Trial and error are key. It is highly unlikely that you’ll find your optimal organizational method on your first try. But you will learn a lot about what works for you with each attempt.

2. Bring In Some Color

Choose your color scheme based on what kind of mood you want to set for your space. If you’re creating a relaxing space at home, go for soft blues and greens. For your fast-paced office, try brighter colors like yellows, oranges, and pinks. Try to always use lighter colors and pastels, as they will make even small spaces feel more open and inviting. Dark colors will make spaces feel smaller and more intimate, something often used in nice restaurants but not necessarily what you want in your home office.

3. Add Your Own Artistic Flair

For some, this will be incredibly simple and most likely they already have art decorating their space. But for others, being artistic may not come easily. Find pieces that you like and research simple crafting projects. Creating your own pieces will ensure that you can get exactly what you want and can be a great way to relax. The entire design for a room can start from a single piece of wall art or small sculpture that you want to display.

4. Plants Are Your Friends

The truth is, plants in any space have been proven to create a more positive, calming energy as well as helping with air quality. Plants can be placed on desks, small shelves, hung from the ceiling and even mounted on walls. Don’t hide them away in a corner, ensure that they’re somewhere that you look at daily. Partly so that you will have the benefit of seeing a friendly green plant every day and partly so that you remember to water and care for your plant. Do your research and take into consideration the temperature and amount of sunlight in the space you plan to decorate. If you’re in a sunless office, try ferns or succulents which require very little light to survive.