More than being a roof over our heads, home is where we live, love and heal. This past year, we all have been reminded of the importance of having a refuge; a place that shelters not only our physical beings, but our souls, too. With ongoing pandemic restrictions, we have more time on our hands, and with this comes a blessed opportunity to catch up with our bliss. Living space should be inspired space.

Creating a haven doesn’t require remodeling the kitchen or buying new furniture, only distilling new joy from the mundane. Adding a luxurious throw to a sofa or putting books to read in a pretty basket by an easy chair invites us to tend to the much-neglected inner life. Putting cut flowers at the bedside or turning a chair toward the sunlight says, “Yes” to life and renewal. Playing uplifting, infectious music on laundry day rouses an element of fun. Practicing easy principles of feng shui—the art of placement—can get previously stagnant energy moving. Repositioning furniture for optimal flow and creating more open space are simple actions that can lighten heavy thoughts or memories. Home is a harbor of habit, and breaking out of the usual routine can be transformative. Here are some activities to try.

• Reserve an evening every week for an old-fashioned “Sunday supper” by candlelight or have a rainy-day indoor picnic on the floor in the living room.

• Add one item per day for a month to a bag intended for a local thrift store and then follow through by dropping it off.

• Tidy the desk every other day and keep it uncluttered.

• Hang new art prints, photos or paintings to set a new mood. Consider bright splashes of color—a set of red cups, a turquoise pillow or sunny yellow bathroom towels.

• Bring the seasons in; hang a garland of faux ivy, roses or autumn leaves over the showerhead. 

• Buy or adopt low-maintenance indoor plants like philodendrons and snake plants for a spot of lovely green, even in deep winter.

In a world that fosters a “grass is always greener on the other side” mentality, cultivating soul-nourishment is a sure way to turn the humblest space into a castle.

Marlaina Donato is the author of Spiritual Famine in the Age of Plenty: Baby Steps to Bliss.