The love Madeline had for Asian art was evident throughout her New York apartment. The clean uncluttered look was not only very appealing but it also created a welcoming environment that was instantly relaxing and peaceful. Her interest in Asian décor had began while she had lived for a time in Korea and she found the subtle use of color and furnishings to be exactly the kind of home interior that she desired.

Minimalism everywhere is greatly desired in this hectic world we live in today. Providing yourself with a clean and orderly environment is a great beginning as well as making many other lifestyle choices that will help you achieve that peaceful feeling that a well balanced life can offer. Interestingly enough, a lot of these decisions consist of doing away with things to achieve that goal. Some suggestions to create a more serene environment include:

• Turn off the cell phone: Turning off the cell phone before dinner can do away with that temptation to answer calls or texts all night long. It is wonderful to have the means to reach friends and family at will but if a person is not careful that he or she is constantly being interrupted by casual messages that could just as easily wait until the next day.

• Turn off the television: The television can actually become a source of irritation and just plain background noise that is annoying but condoned out of habit. Many people turn their television set on and do not turn it off until they go to bed even though it is not being watched some of the time. Particularly families with children need to decide if watching television is preferred over reading books or playing family games together.

• Eliminate TV trays: A lot of folks have grown used to eating from TV trays in the family room and have given up the luxury of sitting down to a meal that can be enjoyed at a leisurely pace. This is a shame because it is at the expense of good conversation that so often accompanies a setting such as this. Eating dinner together in a dining room no matter how modest the food is can be a very satisfying experience that encourages family togetherness and sharing.

• Close the door to a home office after hours: Whenever you can, set up a workplace in your house in a basement or a separate upstairs room with a door that can be closed when office hours are over. This completes the work day in a physical way and is often a defining point between mentally dividing the work day and personal time in the evening.

• Do away with clutter: It does not matter how nicely a home is furnished, if disorder is present it will not be a haven to come home to. Whenever disorder exists it encourages psychological exhaustion because a person always feels as though he or she should be doing something to bring order to their surroundings. It is impossible to focus on peaceful thoughts in a messy atmosphere that encourages confusion.