I’ll let you in on a little secret.  I get stressed out sometimes.  Admit it, you do, too!

Most of us worry about work, our families, money, and a million other things, you name it!  Whatever sets you off, stress and anxiety are real issues and they are not fun to deal with.

I am a big proponent of seeking out help and taking care of yourself – through therapy, meditation, exercise, a healthy diet, sleeping, praying, writing, or however you best handle stress.

PSA: If you are experiencing anxiety that goes beyond just feeling a bit of stress now and then, please get help. There are plenty of resources available to you right here in Waxhaw.

As a REALTOR, I get to make people very happy at the end of what can be a stressful situation when they are buying and/or selling a home. My motto is Real Estate. Made Simple., and I strive to make the experience as enjoyable and stress free as possible.

My clients are typically excited about moving into their new homes, but what if your home isn’t new to you anymore and it doesn’t contribute to your joy?

Here are five home improvement ideas from RealEstateAgent.com to help turn your home from a stress producer to a stress reducer.

How to Relieve Stress and Anxiety at Home

• Build a home theater – It could be a basement remodel or a complete living room makeover. Watching TV is still one of the most common ways to de-stress at home. But with the new smart TVs, you can also surf the internet on your TV or watch movies online.

• Install a wine cellar – According to Statista, each US resident drank about 2.94 gallons of wine in 2016, while the total consumption amounted to 790 million gallons. Wine is like a natural sedative. But it is also known that the older the wine, the better, so in order to keep it in the right conditions, you should install a wine cellar and proudly display your collection bottles.

• Build a home gym – Save time and money by exercising at home! You may find used sports equipment at garage sales nearby. Also, think about hiring a personal coach if you really want to lose a few pounds or to build your muscles correctly. After each training session, you may want to get a massage, so why not buy a massage chair? Relaxation chairs start at less than $2,000 and depending on the brand and complexity, could get close to $9,000. Moreover, you can even call a massage therapist using the Soothe app.

• Install a water wall or an indoor fountain – The sound of water is soothing and calming. If you’re not living by the beach, bring it closer to you by building a decorative water wall – there are even small installations that don’t cover an entire wall. Or you may want to go a step forward and install a rain shower! Wouldn’t it be great?

• Build a She Shed – Besides adding value to your property, this space allows you to relax and de-stress whenever you feel your head’s about to explode. You may have only a couch there and a shelf full of your favorite books, or it could be a studio for your hobby – you could use a she shed for your alone time. We all need time for ourselves every so often.

Everyone has stress in their lives, but you shouldn’t just accept it without attempting to change your situation – or your response to it.  Do you have ideas for reducing stress at home?  Email them to me at Jimmy@CostelloREI.com and I’ll share them on my Facebook business page!