I've organized 4,000-square-foot mansions and cozy, one-bedroom apartments. My team and I have transformed home offices into baby rooms, then back to home offices yet again (especially over the past year 🙃). Regardless of the size of a home or the specific goals, nearly all clients say the same things:
They are overwhelmed. 😩
They don't know where to start.
They've tried to go it alone but never really make progress. Life's demands get in the way.
They all want the same things, too. They want the Essences of Peace, and Order. Authenticity, too. And perhaps above all else, EASE. 😊
For the last seven years, it's been my joy to bring these Essences into my clients' homes. Home is sacred, and getting to witness the transformative power of altering our environments to better meet our needs is truly an honor. My team members feel the same way.
So what if hiring a professional home organizer isn't an option for you? What then?
Here are a few quick tips that may help:
First, get clear on the function of each room. Who uses the room, and for what purpose? A room can certainly be multi-purpose, but when the home office/guest bedroom also becomes the storage room/playroom/pantry overflow, then that's probably asking too much of one space.
Second, remove anything in the room that doesn't match the function. Corral like items together, and put anything that doesn't belong in a "relocate" box or bin.
Third, clear off surfaces. This is vital in creating a peaceful-feeling space. Nothing kills the mood faster than a pile of unpaid bills on the dresser! 😛 I often recommend keeping no more than three items on each surface. Set a timer for 30 to 60 minutes with this one goal in mind, and relocate, donate, and trash mercilessly until you've got a cleared surface. Then find three useful or meaningful items for your newly liberated surface.
Now's a good time for a dance break. Really! Pick an upbeat song that makes you want to wiggle, then get to it! Just one song is usually enough to release some tension and bring in the Essence of Celebration.
I've got at least a dozen more tips to offer. Coming up, I'll share about the connection I often see between decluttering and making major life changes. This work is magic, I swear!
In the meantime, if you live in the Gainesville area and need help from the Simplify Home Organizing team, simply fill out this form and I'll be in touch to set up your free phone consultation. Or if you're ready for loving encouragement and skilled support on your journey towards greater health and well-being, let's plan a quick chat to see if we're a good match for Happiness Coaching. :)
May you find moments of Ease and Joy on your path to becoming your healthiest, happiest self.
What I'm Reading:
I recently (finally!) finished reading 12 Rules for Life by Jordan Peterson. This book is dense but worth it as I gained more than a few insights. My favorite "rule" is Pet a Cat When You Encounter One on the Street. While he does recommend that in the literal sense, this chapter was more about finding little joys during our time in this otherwise exhausting human condition.
I just began Becoming Supernatural by Dr. Joe Dispenza and have been staying up late reading it. While this hasn't been good for maintaining a consistent sleep schedule (a life-long challenge for this night owl), the opening case study was wildly inspiring. I fully expect this book and the mindfulness practices therein to be life changing.
What I'm Listening to:
Move with Anna Rova Spotify playlist made for your feminine embodiment movement practices. She recommends doing free-form movement to at least one song per day. I find that such practices truly help me get out of my head and into my body, which allows me to tap into my intuition more easily. Plus, a good wiggle is definitely a mood boost!
The Happiness Lab podcast with Dr. Laurie Santos. I fell in love with her work after doing her *free* Yale University course (offered via Coursera) last year.