Negosentro.com | Quarantine in Paradise: Turn Your House Into an Eco Home | Months after the coronavirus pandemic broke out, many of us are adapting to a world where precautionary measures against the COVID-19 virus take precedence over anything else. Must we suffer in isolation and desolation? No, not when the alternative is to transform our homes into a natural paradise. Call a tree trimmer and spruce up your yard: you could be staying home for a much longer time.
“When will the world return to normal?” It’s the question on everyone’s lips, but no one has a definite answer. There’s no telling when a vaccine for COVID-19 will be developed and made available for mass consumption, for starters. While there have been reports about possible vaccine candidates with promising outcomes from their Phase 1 and Phase 2 trials, most have yet to begin their Phase 3 clinical trial which is to test on tens of thousands of people to fully test the efficacy and safety of the vaccine.
At the rate that pharmaceutical companies and researchers are going, it would be unrealistic to expect that a 100% safe and effective vaccine will be available before 2020. This means that shelter-in-place orders and social distancing will persist until well into 2021.
If the first image that came to your mind is bleak — that you would be bored out of your wits at home that even Netflix won’t satisfy you anymore — it’s time to change your perspective and make something good out an already bad situation.
Make Your Home a Better Place
Staying at home and having nothing to do is only exciting during the first couple of days; beyond that, the giddiness wears off and you become restless to go out and do something.
For many, “doing something” means getting out of the house and being out and about in nature. Jogging or simply taking a walk in the neighborhood sounds like a good idea more often these days. If you live in a neighborhood where large lawns and backyards are standard, you are extremely lucky. But the rest of us who don’t live in Cottonwood Heights or Sandy must make do with our tiny apartment living room, condominium balcony, or enclosed backyard in Brooklyn.
It doesn’t help to pine for the pre-pandemic days. You can take matters into your own hands, instead, and transform your home into a haven that can satisfy your need to interact with nature, especially during this time when going out is not always an option.
But before you go and buy clay pots and fertilizer or call your local tree trimmer to get the ball rolling in your backyard, here’s a quick review as to why it’s worth every effort to create an eco home:
- Green spaces relax and calm an over-stimulated mind (NASA Earth Observatory).
- Green spaces offer protection against psychiatric and mood disorders and relief from stress.
- Horticulture therapy has a “healing” effect on mental health (Psychology Today).
- Thirty minutes of planting, weeding, and general gardening can let you burn 120-205 calories (Harvard Health Publishing).
There’s more academic research proving the physical and mental health benefits of being surrounded by nature. With that said, here are some excellent ways to bring nature into your home.
#1 Tend to the plants in your yard.
If you have trees and shrubs in your own property, give them extra care if you haven’t lately. Maybe they need a trim or health check by an arborist. If you can keep the vegetation in your own yard lush and healthy, it will be less of a hardship to have to stay in your property while the pandemic lasts.
#2 Open your balcony doors and windows.
If privacy and security won’t be an issue, keep your balcony and patio doors open during the day. This is a classic strategy of “bringing the outdoors in,” especially if you have large, potted plants on the porch or a gorgeous view beyond. If all you have are bay windows, hang sheer curtains and let the natural light stream in. Indoor climbers like philodendron and the spider plant, or small, flowering plants on the sil will complete this view.
Sometimes just the sight of the outdoors is enough to calm your mind and senses, and you don’t have to actually leave the house to commune with nature.
#3 Grow indoor plants.
Now would be a good time to learn all about indoor gardening and getting a green thumb. Since you’re home most of the time, you can monitor your plants daily and discover a routine that will help them thrive (e.g., watering them before noon, making sure they get some afternoon sun). Growing plants is a commitment and a responsibility, but the satisfaction you get when you succeed would be well worth your efforts.
#4 Get rid of non-sustainable belongings you no longer use.
If you keep bringing in potted plants while everything else in your house is constant, your living space will eventually feel crowded and cramped. Get rid of clutter so that you can better appreciate the natural accents in your home. Start with the non-essential things that you haven’t touched for months, especially if they’re made from cheap plastic or some other low-quality material that doesn’t add value to your home.
During these trying times, it doesn’t help to dwell on what we cannot control. It’s better to take charge where you can and grab every opportunity to improve your quality of life during this pandemic. And if bringing natural elements into your home does that for you, do it — for your well-being and peace of mind.
