Healthy home – it’s a phrase that we hear a lot these days, but what exactly does it mean? A healthy home environment is one that supports both physical and emotional well-being for the people who live there. A healthy home has an abundance of natural light, clean air, lush greenery, and a positive relationship to the surrounding landscape and community. It is a refuge for sleeping deeply, connecting with your authentic self, giving and receiving love, and participating in a practice of quiet relaxation, meditation or devotion.

Creating a healthy home is not something we do once and then we’re done. Rather, it is a lifestyle choice that requires ongoing commitment and attention, similar to good nutrition and exercise. To inspire your creativity, here are a few ideas for health homemaking:

1. Open up the windows at least once a day. It is now well established that the air outdoors tends to be purer and cleaner than the air indoors, even in regions with a fair amount of air pollution. Allowing a fresh ocean breeze into your home brings clean air, and also loosens stuck energy, invigorating your space with movement and new possibilities.

2. Switch to non-toxic cleaning products. Many conventional cleaning products contain chemical agents that are damaging to the skin and lungs, and ultimately to other organ systems once they begin to circulate in the body. Many natural, earth-friendly products are inexpensive, extremely effective and have a pleasant scent. Try them and see!

3. Tidy your bedroom early in the day. Retiring to a clean and orderly environment brings peace to body and spirit. However, it can be difficult to feel motivated to create a tranquil space when you are already tired, and really just want to go to sleep. Make a practice of setting the stage for slumber in the morning or early evening when you still have abundant energy.

4. Keep fresh foods in the house. Some of my clients tell me they feel discouraged buying fresh produce because they don’t always have a chance to use things in time, and then are forced to throw them away. Truthfully, having a bit of produce spoil is a natural part of buying and cooking with fresh foods, so there’s no need to put pressure on yourself to use every last scrap! Consider starting a compost bin, so that wilted lettuce won’t go to waste but instead can play a role in nourishing your garden.

5. Decorate with green plants. Green plants produce oxygen, create a sense of connection to nature, and mitigate the impact of electromagnetic fields produced by computers, television and other modern equipment. It’s also very attractive to have at least one green plant in every room of the house.

6. Manage incoming paper. Virtually every day, new papers and documents make their way into our homes. If you don’t have a system and strategy for dealing with this constant flow, it can rapidly become a disorganized and upsetting mess. Setting up the right systems can be a huge help, so you may find it helpful to consult with a professional organizer.

7. Bless everything exactly as it is. The desire to manifest new and more fulfilling experiences in our lives often flows from a very positive creative source. Yet the urgency of desire can cause discontent if it isn’t tempered with a relaxed acceptance of the present. If you find yourself consumed by a desire for change and begin to feel frustrated and unhappy, one of the best things you can do is to take a few deep breaths and open your heart to everything exactly as it is right now. Light a stick of incense and walk through your home, allowing your awareness to touch everything around you and bless it with unconditional love.

If you are interested in remodeling or decorating with special attention to creating a healthy, non-toxic environment, there are a wide array of options available to you now, with more products appearing on the scene all the time. For a fantastic compendium of local resources, check out www.greenhomeguide.com.

Here’s to your health!

Shannon Del Vecchio is an interior designer on the Coastside specializing in feng shui, color consulting and eco-friendly design. For more information please visit www.tranquilspaces.com.