Creating a Sanctuary

Whether you're just surviving midterms or about to come back from Spring Break, you're no stranger to the concept of stress. I'm still dealing with stress on a daily basis and I'm not currently in school. Stress is known to have all sorts of negative impacts on the body, from chronic illness to anxiety and more!

But it's not as easy as saying "Don't be stressed out". Uh, thanks. I'll work on that between all the other stuff I have going on.  

Lately I've been working really hard on wellness as a whole concept. Medicine is not enough to cure my Crohn's, and I'm turning to alternative medicine, diet, meditation, and more. One thing that has been particularly effective for me lately is having a safe space in my home that relaxes me. I like to think of my room as my sanctuary.

Making your living space comfortable, safe, and relaxing is so important. Knowing you have a place that is a go-to for relaxation can help you relax when you're sick, stressed, or just need sleep! Here are my ideas to transform your room from stressful to sanctuary.

• Make sure spaces are functional: If you have a lot of bookshelf space being used for books you haven't read anymore, clear them out and donate, then buy boxes to store things you'll actually use and enjoy. The less there is on your floor and cluttered on shelves, the more comfortable you'll feel! 
• Cultivate collections of things you enjoy: For example, if you love nail polish like I do, bring that into your room and make that a focal point in the room. Put it on display instead of hiding it in bins.

My nail polish collection is a point of pride for me, so having it on display is a great reminder of something I really love! 

• Bring in things that help you relax: For me, it's scented candles. I have a whole table of scented candles I light while I'm in bed and not feeling so great. If that's not a possibility for you, try music, or whatever works best for you!
• Keep it clean: I know it's a pain, but a clean space is comforting AND relaxing.
• Hang things that inspire you: I made these canvases for my dorm this spring and I really love having them in my view every day. 

• Surround yourself with positivity: That means pictures, good memories, cards whatever helps. 
• Bring in material that is both stimulating and entertaining: I've really enjoyed my Kindle lately, and keeping that by my bedside has been great. On the other hand, it's just as important to me to read my favorite fun, lighthearted blogs. Just being in touch with others is important! 

What do you do to make your space a sanctuary? Do you have any other tips?

Hope you're all happy and healthy!

Love,

Hannah

Dorm Reveal!

I've been moved in for a whole week and I've finally got the room set up! I decided to make use of the extra bed (yes, I have two beds in my single dorm room. I know... I'm spoiled rotten) and turn it into a couch/sitting area with some fun pillows. My college kind of gave me two of everything, so you'll notice that I have a makeup desk, a studying desk, and two wardrobes and dressers. In my defense, one dresser is empty.
I love my dorm room, and I hope you do too!

My two beds. The pink one is where I sleep, the plaid/patchwork one is my couch.

My two desks. The left one is makeup (also food storage) and the right one is for studying. The file cabinet is where I store my makeup!

Close up on my makeup area. It's not the most glamorous, but I love it. It's hard to tell, but it's super functional. I'll film a video sometime showing it in action.

My reading area. I like to curl up with my American Lit textbook here.

Terrible picture. This is the hallway to my door, where my two wardrobes are located. All my hanging clothes are in one, and my shoes and sweaters are in the other. 

Another wonky photo, sorry. I turned my AC unit into my personal photo board.

A shot of the room from my bed. I'm just trying to give you an idea of the size. It's pretty huge. 

 

 

 

This is the only shot I'll give you of my bathroom because it's really not very exciting. I didn't end up needing a shower curtain (glass door on my shower) and it's just a bathroom. Sorry my dish station is on the floor. I meant to take that out of the photo!

So this is my room!

I've absolutely settled in and I adore Queens. I could not be happier here, and that's not just because my dorm room is perfect for me. I love this campus and these people. This is the best place for me and I belong here.

Last Month of Summer

I think I imagined this summer so many different ways. There were trips planned and jobs started and summer classes and just so many things that should have, would have could have... but that's beside the point.
My summer classes are over and my last month of summer is upon me. I'm buying school supplies and picking out dorm room goodies and finally reading something other than my boring meteorology textbook!  I'm listening to new musicals, I'm reading fun light books and finally feeling better. I'm so grateful that my health seems to be going in the right direction.

What I'm looking forward to this month? 

I picked up this book today at the library. The concept is SO interesting! I'd explain it, but I haven't read it yet and I don't think I'll do it justice. Basically, it revolves around language and wordplay and the Linguistics and English nerd in me is SO excited to read this.  For more read about the author here!

Another thing I can't wait to do is find the perfect planner and go back to school shopping in general! What are your favorite planners? I'm not sure what to get... It's a tough decision, for sure!

I really like this Sarah Pinto Planner, and it's only $10. Pretty cute, right?

Lastly, I have a whole new BATHROOM to decorate!! I found out last week that I have my own room and bathroom, which I pretty much knew was coming, but I hadn't really been shopping for yet! Last year, when I shared with my three messy, unfriendly suitemates I pretty much avoided my bathroom and had NO desire to decorate it. Since this bathroom is all my own I definitely am looking forward to making it my own!

I love this Target Shower Curtain! My room is all pink, navy and green and I'll probably carry those colors into my bathroom.

I'm still searching for a makeup table so that maybe I can have an actual DESK this year... We'll see what I find! Hopefully this last month of summer is the best of the three.