In today’s world, people are spending more time at home than ever. Kids are taking their classes online. Employees are working from home. Because of technology, you can do practically anything virtually. Anyone can work out, hang out with friends, and order food using the internet. Due to the pandemic, there are more reasons to stay in than to go out. There are a few things you can do to make sure that your house is safe, secure, and comfortable.
Here are the three elements of a healthy home:
Clean and Organized
When it comes to homes, cleanliness shouldn’t just be based solely on sight or smell. Dirt and dust can be tricky. Something may look sparkling clean on the surface but it’s actually grimy where it counts. One example for this is the HVAC system. You can wipe off the air conditioning unit as much as you like. But it will only affect the exterior. The interior is still dusty and filthy. You have to clean the air duct as well. Otherwise, the air that’s circulating around the house still has contaminants and allergens.
It’s also important to ensure that your things aren’t just clean but also organized. It saves you a lot of time. When you clean your home, you don’t have to go through different rooms just to sort your things out. When you’re leaving for work, you don’t have to look through piles of clothes and books to find your keys. It’s especially great if you have kids. Since children like to emulate people around them, seeing you organized will help them develop the same habit.
Functional Kitchen
Whether you’re still in school or you’re already working, cooking can be a hassle. You have to buy your own groceries, prepare the food, and wash the dishes. It’s so much easier to just order out especially because of the tech now. With a few taps on your phone, you can have your favorite meals delivered right to your doorstep. The problem is that it’s not the healthiest option.
According to a study, people who cook their own food are healthier and consume fewer calories compared to people who eat out more frequently. Besides the nutrition level, eating at home is also cheaper. A comparison study by Forbes found that eating at restaurants is five times more expensive compared to cooking at home. This is why it’s important to use the entire kitchen, not just the refrigerator and microwave oven.
Besides the usage of the kitchen, you should also take careful consideration of the ingredients you use when you cook. It’s important to make meals that are flavorful and delicious. But don’t go overboard with salt and harmful fats. Nancy Cook, a professor from Harvard Health, has said that salt has an undisputed effect on blood pressure. To curb your consumption, you can use alternative seasonings. Instead of using salt, try using herbs like basil, parsley, and rosemary to give your meals some flavor.
Natural Light Access
If you have ever looked for apartments to rent, you might have noticed something that they have in common. A lot of listings highlight the amount of natural light the home gets. Typically, this factor also affects the price. An apartment of the same size with little to no sunlight access will usually be priced lower. This is because of the importance of natural light on a person’s well-being. It’s not just for aesthetics or bragging rights.
The most known effect of sunlight is the production of Vitamin D. This nutrient is crucial to the body’s function since it helps the body absorb calcium. Natural light also has an effect on a person’s performance at work or school. Several studies have shown that people who get exposed to sunlight are more productive, get higher test scores, and achieve better sales. There’s also evidence that sunlight helps boost people’s mood.
If you want to maximize the natural light you get in your home, the first thing to do is to focus on your windows. You can replace them with bigger ones to get more sunlight. If you don’t get a lot of light as it is, you can make the most with what you have by using mirrors. Experiment with size and position so that you can make any room look brighter and bigger.
When it comes to health, it’s important to look at the big picture. It shouldn’t just be about your diet. Your home can have a big impact on your well-being
