How To Create Multi-Purpose Spaces For Sleeping and Relaxing
Multi-purpose spaces exploded during the lockdown as people spent more time at home, but those spaces were all about balancing work and play.
As we move back to the office and spend more time out of our homes, it’s essential to claw back our sanctuaries to have somewhere to sleep and relax.
Here’s how to create perfect multi-purpose spaces for sleep and relaxation:
Tidy and deep-clean
Firstly, tidy up your space and clean it. Remove furniture, wipe it down, vacuum the floor, and ensure there’s no dust or pet hair to be seen.
Many people find cleaning great for relieving stress, and touching every nook and cranny of your space will give you a deep connection.
De-clutter, ruthlessly
After cleaning your space, de-clutter and get rid of anything you don’t need - a good rule of thumb is to get rid of anything that’s gathered dust!
Look for opportunities to make money, too – eBay, Gumtree, and Facebook marketplace are all excellent places to flog your unloved items for cash.
Improve indoor air quality.
People who live in polluted areas are 60% more likely to sleep poorly, and the government lists pollution as the most significant environmental risk to public health.
While you can’t stop cars polluting the roads and aeroplanes flying over your home, you can purify the air in your home with the following solutions:
- Buy lots of houseplants – houseplants convert carbon dioxide into oxygen, and research shows they can reduce NO2 by as much as 20 percent.
- Get an air purifier – air purifiers remove particulates from the air with a HEPA filter (removes dust, pollen, dander, mould spores, and allergens) and a carbon filter (removes smoke, fumes, vapours, and VOCs).
- Open windows at night – pollution levels are lowest when people sleep and fewer vehicles are on the road.
Create a space-saving workplace.
Whether a box room or your main bedroom, you can easily make a comfortable, productive home office without taking up space.
Best of all, you won’t even see it when you’re not using it!
Here are our two favourite ways to make a home office in bedrooms:
- Install a wall-mounted, fold-out desk – these sit flush against the wall when not in use and take up no floor space.
- Convert a cupboard into an office – if you have a wardrobe in your bedroom, ask a joiner to create a desk and convert the space.
Fill corners with creature comforts
The corners of your bedroom and other spaces are ripe for creature comforts like candles, incense sticks, religious tokens, and photographs. We love corner shelves and tables because they take up minimal space, and you can take them up to the ceiling to unlock tons of storage.
Divide with colour
While all-white walls are modern and clean, multi-purpose spaces work best when divided with colour to create different zones.
For example, the wall behind your bed might be sage green for relaxation, while the wall behind your work desk might be a bright yellow.
Inspire with quotes and memorabilia.
Whether Neil Armstrong, Betty Boop, or Muhammad Ali, we all have heroes and embracing these with quotes and memorabilia will create a personalised space that inspires you, making you feel good when you spend time there.
It isn’t childish to have movie posters, Pokémon cards, or anything else ‘geeky’ in your home – these are expressions of your personality.
Don’t be afraid to showcase your interests, even if they relate to your childhood. The best multi-purpose spaces are always filled with personality.
Summing up
You probably know all too well that when you spend lots of time at home, those four walls can give rise to feelings of claustrophobia and restlessness.
Nature and seeing family and friends provide a welcome break, but you might dread going home and slipping back into your routine.
Multi-purpose spaces that promote relaxation and sleep can transform your outlook on life and make you wake up with a smile.
Hopefully, the tips in this article give you a few ideas.
Good luck!