You’ve always loved living in your stylish, perfectly appointed urban apartment. It’s long appealed to your gregarious nature to be right where all the action is. The idea of having everything on your doorstep either a short walk or taxi ride away has always appealed to you. From your little slice of urban paradise, cafes, bars, clubs, theaters and art galleries have been constantly accessible, allowing you to lead a rich and fulfilling life. In the current climate, however, your apartment can feel less like a central social hub and more like a prison. The walls of which are getting closer by the day.

An apartment is a great place from which to enjoy the hustle and bustle of city life. But when the city goes on lockdown, and the gears of commerce grind to a halt, your apartment may seem like a claustrophobic and forbidding place. But fear not, you can learn to fall in love with your apartment again. Here are some ways to effectively corona-proof your apartment and make it a haven of physical and psychological wellbeing…

1. Zero tolerance on clutter.

It’s all-too easy for small spaces to become cluttered. But unless we’re vigilant when it comes to cleaning, tidying and curbing our urge to impulse purchase personal belongings, your apartment can become a visually noisy clutterfest. And clutter can have a surprisingly detrimental effect on your mental health. It can add to stress levels, prevent you from being able to relax and add to your existing isolation anxiety. If it’s been months since you saw a bare surface in your apartment, it might be time to declare war on clutter. Invest in some storage furniture so you can keep your belongings out of sight, yet always close by. Alternatively, you might want to use this opportunity to purge your apartment of unwanted belongings. Indeed, you may be surprised by how much money you can get for your old belongings on eBay. In the current climate, many are scouring online auctions looking for a bargain. 

2. Cleanliness is the path to serenity.

The Coronavirus pandemic has gotten us thinking a lot more about cleanliness and hygiene. A deep spring can not only make your apartment a much more pleasant place in which to spend time, it can help to ease the creeping anxiety that the virus has somehow insinuated its way into your home. Go beyond the obvious chores like wiping down your services, vacuuming and mopping your floor. Clean out your oven, blitz your refrigerator, make those kitchen and bathroom cupboards sparkle and dust your popcorn ceiling. A clean and tidy apartment is its own reward. But in the current climate, it can help to ease your anxieties as well as helping your apartment to feel good as new. 

3. Make the most of your natural light.

Artificial light and the blue light from TVs, cell phones and other devices can all conspire to give you sleepless nights and erode your wellbeing. Natural sunlight, however, is far more wholesome, while also making your home look and feel larger, airier and more spacious. So make sure your apartment gets as much natural light as possible. Do away with heavy drapes and substitute them for blinds which can give you sunlight when you need it… and privacy when you need that too. 

4. Plants and flowers have superpowers. 

You may have spent the past couple of weeks feeling cooped up indoors and detached from the outside world. Yet, nobody’s suggesting that you can’t bring the outside inside. Plants and flowers can have an extremely positive effect on your mental health while also helping to beautify your apartment.

House plants purify the air and prevent if from smelling too musty and stale. They breathe out oxygen and breathe in carbon dioxide while also helping to lend your apartment a feeling of calm and serenity… not to mention providing a welcome splash of color. 

5. Take daily exercise outside.

Finally, you may have mixed feelings about going outside. Unlike your suburban counterparts, you may find your outdoor walks a more bittersweet experience than most. You may feel sadness when walking among the haunts you used to love which have since closed their doors. Still, that mentality shouldn’t deprive you of your daily dose of fresh air. Concentrate instead on the positives. You will likely never again enjoy such solitude on these previously jam packed urban streets. You may never get the city’s parks so completely to yourself. And all the businesses that have shuttered until the infection curve is flattened? Rather than mourning their temporary loss, think how sweet it will be to walk through their doors again! 

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