It is said that your internal or mental space is a direct reflection of what’s going on in your physical space; and with 2022 coming to a close, there’s no better time than now to take the necessary steps needed to ensure 2023 is off to a great start. We’ve thus compiled a few design tips that, as you go about making those new year resolutions, will help you properly kick start the new year. These tips will not only amplify the effectiveness of the resolutions, but also guarantee your success rate in achieving and realizing them.

Tip #1 Declutter

Decluttering relates to the process of discarding or repurposing items that you’ve either outgrown or are outdated and as a result, you rarely use them. This can be anything from that old couch that now houses all manner of junk to curtains that have seen better days. And yes, kitchen appliances and utensils are not to be forgotten, neither are beddings, beds and literally any item that is currently not serving you, these all make the list. When it comes to discarding, do note that you aren’t limited to the dumpster, items that are still in good condition can always be donated to the less fortunate, others can be sold at a bargain and only those that are beyond redemption will find their way to the bin. Repurposing on the other hand, considers items that can still work in your space but not in their current state. Here you can opt to reupholster, deconstruct and/or repaint them to work with the theme and look you are going for.

Tip #2 Revamp

Revamping refers to the process of renovating your space. With all the clutter out of the way, your space can now get a new lease on life. Here the scope or magnitude of renovation works undertaken is solely dependent on you. Something as minimal as a fresh coat of paint or as extensive as a complete kitchen overhaul will help align your physical reality to your mental one. Once aligned, you can effortlessly envision the realization of your resolutions and in turn, manifest the desires of your heart.

Tip #3 Rearrange

Rearranging applies to the deliberate steps you take in planning your space to either flow better than it initially did or to create the necessary provisions needed to accommodate a welcome change. Similar to how you would make room for a new addition to the family, rearranging your space to reflect the growth you anticipate in the new year, will significantly increase the likelihood of it coming to fruition. As Louise Smith rightly puts it, you cannot reach for anything new if your hands are still full of yesterday’s junk.

Tip #4 Accessorize 

Accessorizing in this context is not limited to decorating or beautifying your space, but rather incorporating elements of your resolutions into strategic places that you often frequent. Just like vision boards and company strategy, these accessories help you stay focused by highlighting a clear roadmap to that ultimate and desired goal or peak. With enough accessories within most, if not all, of the places, staying on track is inevitable and as a result, realizing your resolutions and achieving your goals is a walk in the park.

That said, we hope you now see the direct connection between your mental and physical spaces and understand how incorporating these design tips to your physical space will have a domino effect on your mental space. Plus, how this in turn will set the wheels in motion towards not only realizing and achieving your goals and resolutions, but also starting your year off on a high, and maintaining that momentum.

With that in mind, we at Phi Interior Designers thank you wholeheartedly and wish you all the best in the year to come. Happy Holidays!

Till next time…Baraka Tele