Many of us are completely overwhelmed by the time we come home and there can be little-to-no time to keep our place looking the way we’d like. One of the best words of advice we can offer those of you who just want a place to relax is to enjoy each moment you have with your family. The little moments come and go and before you know it, you may have just missed out on a lifetime. Instead of looking at the full picture – such as all the home improvements you wish you could afford today – begin with the smaller pieces. No home is going to be 100% clean, 100% of the time. It’s impossible and you’ll drive yourself crazy striving for that kind of perfection.

No More Hiding in the Dark

Especially when you have a day off, it can be extremely easy to want to curl up in bed and sleep the day away. When you have a dark room, it’s much more difficult for your body to want to wake up each and every day. As much of a change as it may be, open up those windows bright and early in the AM. Stick with your regular work schedule as closely as you can. You’ll feel much more refreshed and motivated to take on whatever today brings if you have the sun shining in and a nice breeze flowing through your home.

Have a Cleaning Buddy

Sometimes cleaning our own homes is difficult because we don’t view things as others would. Bringing a friend into the equation to help out around the house is going to mean much better results because they are going to notice the things you’ve become too accustomed to, to notice. Sometimes just having someone talking to you as you clean or playing music in the background is going to make for a much more enjoyable experience. We don’t recommend working in silence, unless of course, this feels like a break for you.

It’s Okay to Ignore the World

While we aren’t saying you should never answer your phone and hide in your apartment on your days off, technology can be stressful. Is it really going to be the end of the world if you take a few hours and shut that ringer off? Allow yourself the luxury of lying on the couch, curling up with a great book or watching that movie you’ve been dying to see. Make sure you create time to enjoy your home, instead of it always being associated with a fast-paced life style. Choose a day of the week where there is zero cleaning allowed (other than minor pick-ups, of course such as toys or placing laundry in the laundry basket). If all you think of when you picture home is a cluttered mess and stress, then it’s time to add some fun to the mix and this may mean hiring a babysitter once or twice a month to get that much needed one-on-one time with your spouse.

Martha Illingworth is a leading supplier of verticl blinds in NYC. She fancies writing on topics of home improvement and suggests several useful tips that can make one’s house a peaceful place to live in.