How to Create Sanctuary at Home (Without Making It a Project)

A reflection on pace, routine, and the small shifts that clear the mind.

When I launched my new business last summer, I had one intention: to create sanctuary through my work — the Reflection Room, a calm space for reflection, offered online and in-person.

Then someone asked, “How can sanctuary happen at home?”

My answer now: “It starts with intention and attention.”

For me, sanctuary can absolutely include décor. Beauty matters. Form, shape, color, light — I feel it immediately.

And sanctuary is also attention.

Real life isn’t always a perfectly designed room — at least not for me. I make clutter fast. So for now, I create sanctuary in my everyday living area with small choices that change the atmosphere.

Here are a few that work for me:

Clear one surface first (dining table or desk): papers out, dishes out, wiped down
Water or tea (something warm helps)
Headphones
A quiet corner (even if it’s just one chair)
Notebook and pen
Comfortable clothing
Dim light
Notifications off
Log out of email
Inbox zero
Turn on “Color Filters” on my phone

A small action is enough.

Clutter tells the truth

I love simplicity.

I don’t own much, but when one surface gets busy, my brain gets busy too. My mental noise gets quieter when my desk is clear — or when my surroundings are clear.

And sometimes it’s the reverse. When I start seeing clutter build up, it’s usually a sign that something is a bit off, such as my routine is off, my pace is off, or I’m carrying too much.

Either way, clutter gives information.

Some mornings I wake up thinking:
“Phew… where do I even start?”

On those days, I tell myself:

“One thing at a time.”
“One step at a time.”
“One breath at a time.”

Then I start by clearing one surface or picking up one task.
One cleared surface. One small reset. Even that can shift the day.

A small luxury that changes the atmosphere

Lately, I’ve returned to one small ritual: sayu — simple hot water — boiled in a tetsubin (南部鉄瓶 / Nambu iron kettle).

I love the form, the color, the steam rising. It feels like a small luxury.
Quiet. Steady. Real.

Small shift. Big difference — like the photo above.

🌿 Honest note: this picture is more composed than real life.
I moved things. I hid clutter outside the frame. I admire homes that look effortlessly organized… but that’s not my (or my family’s) reality.

Movement clears a different kind of clutter

Clutter isn’t only visual. Sometimes, not moving the body creates a different kind of clutter — mental fog, stuckness, and that heavy “I can’t start” feeling.

I’ve signed up for many gyms over the years. I wasn’t very consistent.
But this past year, I joined Curves after a colleague recommended it, and I’ve been going much more regularly than in many previous attempts.

One thing I’ve noticed about myself:

After a monthly check-in, the staff asks, “How often will you come this month?”
And after each workout, they ask, “When will you come next time?”

I answer without thinking.
“I’ll come three times a week.”
“I’ll come tomorrow.”

It’s not that I’m trying to lie. I just say it, and I don’t always mean it. But I know this for sure.

If I go — even once — my mind changes.
Ideas come up. I can see the next move, and I feel better.

Sanctuary can be created both inside and outside

clearing one surface
a warm cup of tea or sayu
30 minutes of movement
a small conversation that softens your day
a message that lands at the right time

A small experiment for this week

If you want something practical, here’s a simple experiment:

Clear one surface (desk or dining table)
Make something warm (tea, hot water)
Move your body for 30 minutes (walk, stretch, anything)
Lower stimulation (dim light, notifications off, turn on color filters on your phone)
Write one sentence: “What’s true right now?”
Then: “What matters most today?”

These are ideas I still forget. But it’s always nice to come back to them, because they work for me.

Some days they’re not as effective. And, that’s okay.

A question for quiet leaders and visionaries

💠 What helps you create sanctuary — inside or outside — without making it a big project?

If you’re living in Japan and want a calm space to think clearly, this is exactly why I created the Reflection Room — offered in-person and online.

About the Author

Chie Sawa is the founder of Thrive Life Design — a sanctuary for quiet, introspective leaders and visionaries in Japan.
Drawing from decades of experience in psychology and reflective practice, she now offers The Reflection Room, a non-clinical space for one-on-one conversations and intuitive tarot readings that help thoughtful professionals realign with clarity, confidence, and calm purpose.

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