Are the winter blahs getting you down? Do you feel like you need a change? If only you could get away from it all.

Well, maybe you don’t have to. Changing your space (both your physical space and your head space) can make you happier and healthier.

There are a lot of little things you can do to improve your mood and your outlook on life.

Colours, for example, are a great way to express yourself and they also emote certain feelings. This concept is called “colour psychology”. Though there isn’t a lot of research on the subject right now, it is commonly considered in marketing, design and art.

Certain colours are believed to make a room give off a certain vibe. Blue is considered to be a calming, tranquil colour that may help people sleep, which is why lighter shades of blue are often seen in bedrooms. Violet can bring inner peace and balance. Green reminds people of the outdoors and has a calming, refreshing feeling (there’s a reason TV studios leave guest in what is referred to as a “Green Room”). Grey is cooling and soothing. Red is vibrant and brings energy to a room. Yellow is bright, happy and joyful. Brown also represents nature and gives a more earthy feel. And purple (the colour of royalty) often makes people feel sophisticated and wealthy.

If you are going to paint your room, think of how you would like to feel in the space before you pick a colour. If you want to feel calm and relaxed, you probably wouldn’t want to pick bright red.

Painting isn’t the only way to spruce up your space. You could create original art for your walls, dresser or bookshelves. Buy a blank canvas at a craft store and let your imagination inspire you. This will help you feel like your room is yours. It will also give you something to do on cold, wintery nights. If you’re handy, you could look at making a new lamp for your desk. There are a number of great ideas online that can get you started. You could try reusing some old household materials and creating a unique statue or sculpture.

Try moving your furniture around, even just a little bit. People who believe in the power of Feng Shui, which in simple terms is a Chinese system that believes the positioning of certain items in your home have a direct relationship to the flow of energy, believe even a slight movement will help improve the mood in your room.

Reorganizing your space will not only alleviate the tension between you and your parents, it is a proven fact that a clean, tidy, organized room has a positive effect on your mood. De-cluttering can make you feel calm, in control and grateful. If you clean out your old clothes that no longer fit, old sporting equipment you don’t use and old toys you have out grown, you’ll not only notice how lucky you are for having so much, you can help others by donating them to a charity or organization for people in need. Another benefit to having a tidy, well organized space is you will become more creative and efficient. Writing a big paper will be way easier in a room you enjoy being in, rather than a messy, disorganized space you can’t even find the top of your desk in. And actually being able to find your clothes and backpack in the morning will reduce stress and probably make you late less often.

Whatever you choose to do embrace your space, make it your own. You’ll be much happier in the long run, and it’ll give you a project to help banish those winter blues.

Who knows? You may even inspire the rest of your household to revamp, rejuvenate and de-clutter others rooms this winter.