10 Easy Little Ways to Boost the Mood at Home

“One thing I do when I need a mood boost is light a citrus-scented candle, like this Coastal Sunshine Citrus one from Glade. The scent has notes of Mediterranean citrus, fresh coastal air and pineapple and instantly transports me to a beachside resort with zero worries in the world.”
- Roberta Fiorito, Senior Editor

“I originally tried the Scandinavian trend of curtain-free windows as a means of making morning wakeup calls easier. But I quickly noticed that drenching my apartment in maximum natural light actually made me feel...happier. (Because, duh, vitamin D.) For weekend mornings, I have my silk eye mask.”
- Sarah Stiefvater, Senior Editor

“Life is busy and schedules are hectic...on a good day. And, sure, I have an e-calendar constantly pinging me reminders about ‘Cocktails with friends at 8:30 p.m.!’ But having a physical calendar on my fridge changes the game. The act of writing down what I have to do and when makes it official in a way Google never will. Plus, it gives my home a sense of community—I want to live in a place I’m willing to pin a huge, multihued calendar to.”
- Corley Miller, Executive Assistant

“Inspired by a recent flip through The Magnolia Journal (I know, I know), I realized that Joanna’s bathrooms not only look beautiful because they have fabulous subway tile, amazing wallpaper and a gorgeous shower curtain—they also have elevated versions of the otherwise ‘unsightly’ items like the toilet bowl cleaner. Sure, buying a fancy toilet brush and putting it into an enamel pitcher might seem totally unnecessary but when your apartment is 600 square ft. and everything is on display, it’s one less eyesore.”
- Angela Cuneo, Editorial Director, Branded Content

“Cords, cables, modems...there’s nothing like an ugly, bulky tech thing to seriously harsh my mellow. I recently fed all my wires through the back of my TV stand and hid my router behind a potted plant. And I’m embarrassed to say it has made a noticeable difference in my wellbeing. Because I want high-speed internet...I just don’t want to think about it all the time.”
- Jillian Quint, Editor-in-Chief

“I don’t mean do a deep-clean every day but just the bare minimum (say, five minutes before going to bed) to get rid of unsightly clutter. Because when I come home from a long day, the last thing I want to see greeting me in what’s supposed to be my haven of calm and tranquility is a bunch of mess—on the kitchen counter, the dining room table, the chair in my bedroom. And yes, that sometimes means throwing clothes into the closet and telling myself I’ll deal with them this weekend. But it works!”
- Alexia Dellner, Executive Editor

“I used to judge my BFF in California for burning sage in her home like some kind of voodoo medicine woman. But then she sent me smudge sticks as a housewarming present and after testing them out begrudgingly, I have to say: I’m hooked. It makes the air smell sweet and cedary and cozy, and I kind of don’t hate feeling like Gwyneth Paltrow either.”
- Grace Beuley Hunt, Home & Lifestyle Editor

“You know what makes people happy? Rainbows. Imagine them in your house! I like to make little pockets of ‘wow!’ from the natural light in rooms where it floods in. For example, I hung a light-catching crystal in the window of my half bath. Every time I go in there, I see spots of rainbows all over the walls...it makes for such a magical moment each and every time I use that room (which is often because I drink a lot of water). So I have these moments where I think to myself ‘UGH! It’s so pretty!’ throughout the day, and it seriously lifts my spirits.”
- Cristina Gutierrez, Senior Editor

“I visited my friend in Paris a few years ago and she had dried eucalyptus leaves hanging over her shower head. It made the whole teeny-tiny bathroom feel like a fancy Parisian spa. I’ve started doing the same in my closet-sized NYC bathroom, and it honestly makes a difference. Plus, it looks super pretty and even makes the rest of my apartment smell amazing.”
- Brianna Lapolla, Commerce Editor

“I’ve accepted that with my Brooklyn studio apartment, my Martha Stewart-esque capabilities will be limited. But I’ve got to say, the potted herbs in my kitchen have done wonders to fill the void: I use them as pretty decor, fresh garnish in my cooking and an all-natural air freshener. P.S. Aromatherapy benefits, y’all.”
- Carolyn Stanley, Senior Editor