8 things to do in your home today to reduce anxiety – simple and achievable tips to help you feel better today! Affiliate links are included.

It’s no secret that we’ve had our fair share of dealing with anxiety as a family. 

I have walked alongside my husband as he has dealt with anxiety for over 12 years, I have dealt with it since becoming a mom (and woah postpartum anxiety is so rough), and one of our kids struggles with anxiety pretty intensely.

Because of this, we have had to make some real changes in our home. I’ve had to work on being really intentional with decisions I make as mother for my family. I’ve had to become more intentional with my choices. It’s not easy work, but I can tell you that it is SO important.

So if you struggle with anxiety, or if someone in your family needs to lower their anxiety levels, then here are some tips you can do TODAY to help. Bonus: many of them are free!

How to help reduce anxiety in your home:

Get rid of excess

I know this one can get complicated for many reasons, but we personally saw the biggest change when we started to live with less. Less stuff inevitably means less clutter, and less clutter contributes to lower levels of mental overwhelm.

Go through one area of your home today. Separate things into four piles: keep, donate, trash, storage. Tackle an area that isn’t too big or overwhelming, and then finish it before you go to bed at night. This will give you the satisfaction of finishing a project, and give you motivation to do the same thing the next day in a new spot!

 

Go Outside:

It always amazes me how going outside can 1000% change our perspective and our thoughts. You can get out for a walk (I talk more about that later in this post), but there’s a lot of other things you can do outside to help channel your anxious thoughts into something productive. Here’s some of my favorite things to do outside:

• Sit down in a sunny chair & close my eyes. Just be still. Feel the sun on your face and take some deep breaths.
• Take your shoes off and feel the grass under your feet. Did you know this is an actual practice? It’s called “grounding”, and is said to recharge our body’s battery. Whether you believe that or not – it still feels good!
• Take care of something. Water your plants. Prune a shrub. Deadhead some flowers. Weed a garden. 
• Create something. Whether it’s creating a chalk masterpiece with your kids in the driveway or sketching something in a notepad on your deck – create something outside.

 

Read a book:

This tip comes from my husband! He says that the act of actually reading helps – focusing on the words themselves can help to reroute the thoughts swirling in your head.

Now I’ll give a shameless plug to the book he wrote about how to live well with anxiety – I’m so proud of him and the fact that this book has been helpful to so many people! You can purchase his book here:

 

Schedule it in. Set a reminder on your phone so you don’t forget to set that decompressing time. It will be easy to skip reading if you don’t schedule it in during your busy life!

 

Do a house project

When you pick a smaller house project to focus on, you get to direct your thoughts into the project, and then get the satisfaction of finishing something and creating a beautiful space in your home. Obviously as a home decor/DIY blogger, this is one of my favorite ways to channel your anxious thoughts! It feels SO good to see something through to completion, and gives you a sense of control over your home (when you feel out of control in your mind).

It doesn’t have to be a big stress on your wallet either – I am a huge fan of “under $20 projects” – here’s 5 of my favorites!

 

Move your body

Exercise and physical activity produces endorphins. Endorphins are chemicals in your brain that act as natural painkillers. They also help improve your ability to sleep, which then reduces your stress, which will help with your anxiety!

Don’t get stressed out about having to join a gym or commit to a unattainable workout routine. Just FIVE minutes of aerobic exercise can begin to stimulate anxiety reducing effects!

My favorite way to move my body is to walk. Whether it’s by myself, with my family, or 1:1 with my kids…it feels SO good to get outside. It’s a mix of the anxiety reducing effects of going outside AND getting your endorphins up. 

 

Get lost in conversation

This is another tip from my husband! He says that when you are able to talk with someone and focus on a conversation, you can channel your anxious thoughts into that conversation. It helps you get out of your own head and direct your thoughts in a positive way.

If you can’t do it in person, pick up the phone! FaceTime can also be a helpful way to connect. If people aren’t picking up the phone – try a grandparent or other elderly loved one. I’m sure they would be as blessed by some conversation as you would!

 

Help someone in need

There’s something about channeling your energy into something productive AND something that will help other people that is so wonderful.

In our world that is so connected, it is easier than ever to help people in need virtually. You can donate money to almost any non profit organization online. So if you need to stay home and want to do that, you can. 

BUT I would argue that it might be even more helpful for you to do something in person. Volunteer at a local organization that needs extra hands. Donate your time and talents to help other people. It will help give you purpose, get you out of your own mind, be thankful for the blessings that you do have, AND will help bless other people.

 

Create a peaceful environment

Finally – you should know this is my favorite one! I am so passionate about creating a peaceful environment in your home. I think it can make ALL the difference in your home.

And most people save their master bedroom for last – which is a huge mistake! It is maybe the MOST important space in your home to turn into a peaceful retreat. Think about it: you start and end your day there. If you are starting and ending your day in a room that is cluttered and not functioning well…then you’re certainly adding anxiety into your day before it even begins.

If you’re serious about changing the atmosphere in your home, I have a course that has been so helpful for people to bring a serene environment into their homes. Peace by Design: The Master Bedroom is available for purchase right now – and you can access more information about it here!

 

BONUS: a FREE resource for you!

I am offering one of the bonus resources from my course for FREE to my e-mail insiders.

It’s my completely free downloadable PDF guide for choosing peaceful paint colors for your bedroom (you can certainly use them in other areas of your home too!

Click here to sign up and join over 10,000 other insiders for FREE – you’ll love the bonus resources you’ll unlock in your inbox!