5"Steps"To"Creating"A"Home"Yoga"Space" Creating a home yoga space is a beautiful way to honor yourself. A space that is meant solely for movement and yoga reinforces the importance of your practice and can help you establish a more consistent practice routine. I can't imagine where I’d be at today if I hadn’t started (and stuck with) my own home yoga practice nearly five years ago. Having a safe and sacred place at home where I can retreat to at any time is so special. The following are a few tips for setting yourself up for a successful and enjoyable home practice by creating an inviting home yoga space! • Step 1: Create space for a mat. This is really the only requirement for a home practice. Having a designated space to practice will help you stay consistent. If you don’t have to think about where to unroll your mat, you’re already one step closer to practicing. Many people believe they can’t practice yoga at home because there’s no room in their house. When in reality, you don’t need to have an entire extra room to devote to your practice. All you need is enough space for a mat. I live in a studio apartment and I usually move my kitchen table so that I can practice next to the windows. You don’t need a ton of space! And it’s perfectly okay if your2 home yoga ‘studio’ is a multipurpose space. You could use a small corner in the living room, or even the space next to your bed. There’s always room for yoga, even in the tiniest of spaces. • Step 2: Make sure your space is peaceful. I suggest choosing a space that’s near natural light and that’s free of noise and other distractions. Your yoga space should be a place where you can bend, stretch and practice in peace. If you live in a temperate climate, you could even take your practice outdoors. At my old home, I turned the garage into my own little yoga space. I loved it because there was always natural light and fresh air. A secluded balcony or patio would make an amazing zen area as well. • Step 3: Invest in some yoga props. Here are some I recommend: blocks, straps, bolster and a blanket - but before you rush out and purchase any of these, I’d say wait and see if this home practice is really something you’re going to be doing consistently. These are all nice tools to have, but chances are you have items that would work just as well in your home already. For a bolster, you can pile a couple of pillows on top of each other or roll up a blanket or towel. Stacked books work as yoga blocks, and a scarf or belt can be used in place of a yoga strap. Decide first, if it’s worth investing in props and go from there. • Step 4: Keep it clean and organized. If you keep your space nice and neat, you’ll be more likely to use it. Eliminate clutter, putting all unnecessary stuff where it belongs. An uncluttered space promotes an uncluttered mind. I try to put everything that I use away, even if I know I’m going to get them all out again the next day. I see it as a similar routine to making the bed, and it only takes a minute! You can store your stuff in an ottoman, a small shelf/cupboard or even a decorative basket. I repurposed a magazine holder to keep my yoga mats and straps all in one place and I actually like the way it looks with everything tucked away in a corner. • Step 5: Decorate the space. Lastly, make it a place where you want to spend time in. This area should inspire you to get on the mat, even on those days you’d rather be scrolling through IG under the covers. There are many things you can add to your yoga space to make it more calming and inviting; plants, a beautiful tapestry, incense or crystals. Or it might mean no extra objects at all — a sparse, minimalist space might be more your