Your home is your sanctuary. Your personal retreat from the outside world where you can let your hair down and forget about the worries of the day. The bedroom should be at the heart of this; the one room designed specifically for rest and relaxation. If this is not the case, here are seven ways to create a relaxing bedroom environment that you are happy to return to after a long and grueling day.

1. Remove the Clutter

There is nothing worse than coming home to a mess. We all have our own threshold for cleanliness and I can understand that some people may feel that messes make a room feel more "homey" and "broken in." These are usually just excuses for not cleaning. The first and most important step that you should take to create your relaxing bedroom is to do a deep and thorough clean. I'm not saying that you need to make your bedroom feel clinical, but I do promise that clearing away the clutter and doing some dusting and vacuuming will make a huge difference in transforming your ordinary bedroom into a peaceful home sanctuary.

Set a free weekend aside specifically for this task. Go over all of the miscellaneous items that seem to pile up over time and decide if they are really worth keeping. A garage sale is an excellent way to clean out your house while making a little extra money on the side. While this may be hard for the pack-rat in all of us, there isn't much point in keeping things just so that they can take up space and collect dust. Once your bedroom is clutter free, you may want to take some time to rearrange your furniture so that there is a nice open feel to the room. Simplicity is key.

2. Add a Personal Touch

Now it's time to put your personal stamp on the room. Adding a personal touch will connect you to your bedroom and make it feel inviting. There are absolutely no rules here. Do what feels right. Paint the room with your favorite color. Find pictures that inspire and paintings that take your breath away. Use that extra garage sale money and splurge on new drapes that give your room a special touch. Browse through home decoration magazines at your local bookstore for ideas on how you would like your room to look. The important thing here is to create a peaceful and relaxing bedroom that you feel comfortable in. Don't go overboard or you may find the room becoming cluttered again. After spending a little time and money in personalizing your room, you will find it easier to want to keep it neat and organized.

3. Play Relaxing Music

Music has the amazing ability to soothe and relax. Many find that Classical and New Age music is excellent for setting a mood of tranquility. These types of songs are often used because they cover up background noise without being overbearing. Find music that helps you to slow down and unwind as opposed to songs that make you want to get up and dance. While there is definitely a time and place for that, our goal here is to play music that enhances the relaxing bedroom environment without becoming the main focus. All that being said.. we each have our own musical preferences so if heavy metal is your thing and it brings you inner peace and serenity.. I am not here to judge.

4. Add a Plant

Adding a plant is a great way to bring a touch of nature to your new home sanctuary. Commit yourself to taking care of this plant. A healthy plant will breath life and energy into the room. There is just something about having plants around that seems to make people happier and more energetic. As an added benefit, plants will help to filter the air by removing carbon dioxide and other toxins.

5. Add an Indoor Fountain

Indoor fountains can be an excellent addition to your new relaxing bedroom environment. The sound of rushing water can be quite soothing and will mask any unwanted noises. Indoor fountains also serve as natural humidifiers, which works out perfectly if you decided to add a couple of new plants to your room. There are many types of decorative fountains available that will look great in your room.

6. Change the Lighting

The lighting in your bedroom can be used to set a peaceful mood. Too dark and the room starts to feel gloomy. Too bright and you won't be able to relax. Incorporate as much natural light as you can during the day. Open the windows allowing sunshine and fresh air to flow through the room, if the weather permits. Replace bright lights that feel "artificial" with more natural mood lights.

7. Fill Your Room With a Pleasing Scent

Smells carry us away, drifting along with their pleasant aroma to a happier place. There are a few different ways that you can add wonderful smells to your room and they are all quick and easy. Burn incense. Fill a bowl with potpourri. Burn richly scented candles. I recommend soy candles because they burn longer and cleaner than traditional wax candles. Lavender is a popular scent that is used for its ability to soothe and ease the mind.