I’ve always been an orderly and organized person who thrives in a clean, visually beautiful and calm environment. I partially contribute this to my upbringing in Germany, but ultimately, the need for a simple, clutter-free home space stems from my highly sensitive nature.

Navigating the world as a highly sensitive person (HSP) can be challenging. It’s loud, overstimulating, and oftentimes, less than kind to people that function differently. HSPs have amplified senses and everything they experience feels more intense, quickly leading to fatigue and overwhelm.

Therefore, it is even more important to create a home environment that helps recharge our batteries and brings us back to our fully thriving selves.

The question is:

How do you want to feel when you enter your home?

Wouldn’t it be nice to create an environment that leads to an instant sense of relaxation and grounding that you lost while being part of the larger world?

Kristin (my wife, also an HSP) and I did exactly that with our move to North Carolina in late 2019. We intentionally determined what we wanted in our home space and how exactly we wished to feel inside it. These parameters served as our foundation.

We ended up choosing a light, bright and spacious top floor apartment that provided ample sunlight that streamed through our multiple window fronts. Our furniture style would best be described as Nordic Simplicity meets Mid-Century Modern, sprinkled with calm, comfortable and earthly elements. The interior is bathed in soft gray tones and light wood, with plenty of live plants interspersed.

Our deliberate choices mirror back our intentions and have had a hugely positive impact on our well-being over the last year and a half. I’ve noticed the following ripple effects from having designed a simple home space:

I experience calmer and clearer thoughts due to the clutter-free nature of our place.

I know exactly how much stuff I own and where it’s located. This provides a sense of confidence in my decision-making as to what enters into my home space.

The natural sunlight, fresh air and lush plants connect me more deeply to the elements.

The simplicity of every room means less time and energy spent cleaning and more on the meaningful areas of my life.

Overall, I show up in the world more present and joyful, which leads to more compassion for myself and others. Certainly a win-win.

It’s also a delight to witness the effects of our home on friends, family, and neighbors when they come to visit. We have heard many times how relaxing, open, calm, grounding, light and bright our place is. People feel comfortable and at ease, which translates into positive interactions and enjoyable visits!

This is a bonus for me as an empath (with an open solar plexus center in Human Design) who can feel and amplify other people’s emotions. The less that others’ negative emotions swirl around, the less I feel drained.

This is the first time in my life where I’ve consciously chosen to create a home environment based on how I wish to feel.

I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Does your current home make you feel at ease? What would you change to bring it more into alignment?