Kate Toholka is a expert on keeping yourself well in business by supporting women in maintaining their happiness and success though great time management, prioritizing their health, reducing their stress levels and creating a supportive community around themselves. Today are celebrating the launch of her latest creation, the Happiness Hub, with a delicious raw caramel cake, coffee and a chat about sustainability, tips to create a healthy home and stay happy whilst building.
Having a sustainable home is very important to Kate as "it reminds me that we are a part of the environment and how important our connection to nature is. I look at life through the viewpoint of health. A sustainable home is a healthy home which in turn makes us healthy." Kate and her partner Tim, owner of TS Concepts, have designed the house themselves as well as done the majority of the building. The greatest challenge the pair faced in designing their home was finding the balance between creating something that is sustainable as well as practical and within budget. It was also important to them to consider what other people would want for resale in the future.
Here are some of Kate's tips for designing a healthy and happy home:
1- the more light the better
2- allow for air flow
3- include features that keep your house warm in winter without having to use the heater as it is hard to be comfortable and happy when you are cold
4- bring the outside in. Have lots of windows looking outside and plants inside
5- choose the healthiest versions of materials your budget can afford such as low toxic paint, finishes and carpets
6- keep the colors neutral
7- decrease the clutter
8- making the space your own with individuality, personality and that sense of being lived in
Building your home can be a very stressful undertaking. Kate suggests a couple of little things can make a big difference in reducing the negative effects on your health when you are in the thick of the build, doing the finishing touches or even making the big move in.
1- feed yourself nutrient dense food rather than the easy take away options. Exhaustion might make you crave a tradie like diet but its doing you no favors and ends up making you even more tired.
2- Take time off. An afternoon or weekend off can result in things getting done faster by increasing your productivity.
3- Treat your body to a massage. Most of us are not used to painting for days on end, taking tiles off a wall with a chisel or digging a new veggie patch so you are going to hurt.
You can get a sneak peak at the pairs beautiful home and read Tim's tips for creating a sustainable home here in this recent article in the age.