When we think of winter, the word ‘cozy’ comes to mind. But what does that truly mean? For some, 'cozy' might imply wrapping up in a blanket with a hot cup of tea by the fire. For others, coziness may entail calming winter activities with friends and family. Underneath it all, cozy is winter’s way of promoting wellness indoors and achieving the perfect level of zen in the home.
For our pet families, finding the right amount of relaxation and serenity may be difficult with all the furry creatures running around. So how do you create a peaceful, cozy atmosphere for you and your animal friends when the winter is so dark and cold? From interior design, calming sounds, and the latest zen trends, Wondercide will help you transform your home into a winter wellness sanctuary
Why is peace in the home so important?
A peaceful home is a peaceful mind. Relaxation is a core factor in releasing stress and anxiety. Chaotic and cluttered homes have been linked to poor mental health and an overall lower quality of life. Studies have shown that a home can have a strong effect on its inhabitant’s state of mind, determined by things such as cleanliness, decor, organization, and color schemes.
Your home is your place to decompress. Each room is another sector of your private sanctuary that you get to make your own. That’s why it’s important to keep external stress and troubles out of the house so you can come home to a kingdom of pleasantries and relaxation.
How do you create the perfect winter zen den?
Privacy for the win! Privacy is important for people and pets. As much fun as family time can be, everyone needs their quiet corner to decompress. Like a human, your furry pal can get irritable or overwhelmed sometimes and need their space. Whether it’s their own room with plenty of toys and a comfy bed, or an indoor dog house to curl up in, your pup deserves their private time! Another option is an insulated, weather resistant outdoor dog house so your pup can have some outdoors time in their own comfortable, cozy hideaway.
Colors for the calm, cool, and collected: When it comes to your indoor sanctuary, color is everything. When you enter each room, what emotion do you want to wash over you? The answer is in the colors. Wondercide will help you decipher which colors will have the right effect on you and your home.
Studies have shown that the color blue can reduce stress and lower blood pressure. Blue is a cool color that is often linked with the sky or a body of water, both of which remind us that we’re outside. Similarly, green has been known to symbolize nature which naturally provides a calming effect the same way an outdoor hike in the spring does.
Green can improve your mood when you’re feeling sad, hopeless, or depressed because of its association with nature. We also love green because it supports feelings of love, joy, and inner peace.
Pink is linked to the feeling of tranquility and peace, often used in children’s bedrooms which offers a sense of innocence and nostalgia. White represents freshness, which can give your home a sense of cleanliness and organization – two things that are correlated with positive mental health. Yellow is a vibrant color that has been proven to boost moods, often linked to sunlight and happiness. And violet symbolizes strength and reassurance, to let you and the family know that you’re safe within these walls. The choice is yours of which calming color you want your safe space to be!
Lighting up the room: If you’re looking around a dimly lit room with a stale glare from your overhang lights, you may want to make some changes for your mental health. Letting in natural light has been known to give people a sense of freedom and peace of mind. Looking out at the nature around you can help decrease stress and anxiety.
Freedom from pests: There’s nothing more chaotic than fighting off bugs and insects that want to come inside, too. Wondercide’s Flying Insect Trap is an easy method to rid flying pests like fruit flies, moths, mosquitoes, and house flies. The trap uses an innovative BLU-V™ light to lure in flying insects and trap them in a sticky adhesive cartridge. Without zaps or noises, the trap works effortlessly. All you need to do is plug it in and then sit back and relax.
Planting seeds for serenity: Indoor plants have taken the world by storm, and there’s a reason why. Research has shown that bringing life into the home can boost mental health and lower depression. Taking care of plants gives the plant parent some responsibility and purpose, which is a great tool when dealing with depression and anxiety. Additionally, bringing in some greenery will liven up your home. Plants are the company you don’t have to entertain!
Our two cents for calming scents: Each of your five senses deserve the same level of calming bliss. For your sense of smell, try out a relaxing scent or two. Scents such as a lavender, orange, frankincense, and lemongrass have been known to calm the mind and create a serene atmosphere.
To feed two birds with one scone, Wondercide’s lemongrass-scented Indoor Pest Control and Flea & Tick Spray are made with natural essential oils and help rid the home of bugs while contributing to your winter zen den.
Wondercide products are lab-proven to repel and kill insects while remaining safe for people and pets when used as directed.
The home is alive with the sound of music: Music has the ability to shape our moods. A happy tune can take you out of a sad moment and lift you into a brighter one. By having a flow of uplifting background music play around the house, your stress and anxiety can melt away. Music plays a therapeutic role for a lot of people in helping heal trauma. The right soundtrack can set the mood and carry you through a better day.
Additionally, human beings tend to relax when they hear certain sounds other than music. The sound of birds singing, for instance, instills a sense of safety in humans because when out on a walk, if the birds stop chirping, it intuitively implies that a threat may be nearby. Having birds chirping over your Alexa or in your headphones while you work, clean, or relax on the couch can give you that similar sense of safety.
The same can be said for the sounds that we hear in our everyday routine like the noises from a cafe or coffee machine. Relaxing sounds are unique to the individual. If your happy place is at the beach, having relaxing ocean sounds can put you right on the sandy shore on a warm summer’s day, even if it’s snowing outside!
Our furry friends are just as sensitive to the sounds around them as humans are. In fact, your pup is even more influenced by the noises being heard around the house. Your pet may be experiencing anxiety from the noises around them, and Wondercide is going to help you find those noise triggers and prevent your pup from developing sound phobias.
Your furry pals are especially sensitive to noises such as vacuums and other appliances, washers, and dryers, outside weather such as storms and thunder, air conditioning, lawn mowers, sirens and alarms, and other outside noise that may filter in.
How can you help protect the home and your pets from anxiety-inducing sounds? This can be done by turning off and unplugging appliances when they aren’t in use, choosing energy-efficient appliances, bringing in noise-absorbing surfaces such as carpets and rugs, adjusting alarm clocks to a softer or more cheerful sound, and installing any kind of insulation to cancel out extra unwanted noise.
Additionally, some dogs respond well to music. Certain studies showed that dogs in animal shelters were able to relieve some stress and agitation when listening to classical music. More specifically, the dogs preferred slower, simpler music when the notes had longer frequencies and chilled rhythms. The same studies found that heavy metal music had the reverse effect and was not a fan favorite amongst the dogs. It raised their heart rate and caused them to pace around. So, if you’re looking for some calming background noise for your pet during a storm, or if they’re experiencing some anxiety, try out a classical playlist.
The coldest part of the season is upon us, and it’s time to have your home prepared for hibernation. Romanticize winter!
