Tell Worries Goodbye

We all have worries.  Some of us more than others.  As we reflect the days, months or our past lives, there is a place of resolvement.  A realization of the wonder of the world and hopefully the good times that have happened   During this reflection time, there will be issues that have been unresolved and you will want to address. 

With the peace of this time many times, worry peaks its ugly head in.  When this happens; take a walk, a relaxing bath or watch an inspiring movie.  You can even set a timer that reminds you that worry has taken a break.  When your time is up, then you revisit your concerns with a fresh perspective.

Time To Reflect

Many of my blogs are written by an inspiration.  This past weekend as I cleaned my office I thought about all the papers that came and went of out a space.  And then I began a self evaluation.  So my inspiration for these blogs were born.

Surprisingly enough when I started research for my writings, there was not a whole lot regarding our personal lives.  Odd to me that this subject was not written on much in the web world. Or maybe it is just my lack of SE research that limited me.

But what I did read and learn I have condensed.  And I will begin where I think is the starting point.

Reflecting, a word that has so many different meanings.  For me, I immediately think to my life.  To clear our mind of the clutter and noise of the world, reflecting allows time to look into your past.  Many times this reflection will be an eye opener on a subject you thought had long been gone.

As I did this weekend, take time to reflect on your past few days, months, or what time period your mind takes you to.  Embrace these thoughts.  For in reflection, lies the future.  You cannot go forward without knowing where you came from.

Find a quiet place, either in your home or outside.  I love the sound of water and have found myself many times sitting near a fountain or stream.  In your home, you might like a darker spot for your cocooning.  And yet many love a bright and sunny location.  Wherever you decide, allow yourself time to be there.  Time to let the mind saturate the calm and peace that you are giving it.

As your mind losing itself in the silence that peace can offer, feel your body relaxing.  Your breathing will become calmer.  And in this time, soft moments you have experienced will come forward.  Look into this moments and explore them.  For out of these, insight for direction will come.

Now It's Time to DeTox Our Mind

Over the past  few weeks, I have written about decluttering your home or work environment.  I have taken my own suggestions and spent this past weekend go through a storage area and my office.  I am continuing to clean out my office.  As an interior designer I have a world of paper, catalogs, magazines and fabrics that arrive daily to my office.  It honestly is overwhelming some days.  This influx of information was my inspiration for the blogs.

I truly believe that a person needs down time, which I have talked about,   What about detoxing our minds?  Our brain is always on, filling with new knowledge, giving out information and taking in unimportant noise.  All of these mental distractions leaves you overworked, overloaded, stressed and negative thinking.

So how do we detox our mind and revitalized our mental wellbeing?

I am sure that there are over 100 suggestions for this.  But these are some suggestions that I will be discussing in the next few days:

1. Take time to reflect
2. Tell worry goodbye
3. Get a clear vision of what you want
4. Make a plan
5. Set that plan into motion

Help, My House Is On The Market

Friday, I spent a few hours working with a real estate agent staging a home for their clients.  She will be hosting a caravan of agents viewing the home on Tuesday.  My job working for the agent to make the house as presentable and appealing without their client putting much money into their home.

This home has zero budget for improvements so my time was spent moving and removing items.  In their dining room, the owner was using a dated tablecloth with silk flowers in the center.  The house had stained casing, doors and trim which already dating the house to 1980's.  I simply removed the silk potted plant and tablecloth and replaced  the table with a simple white soup tureen.  The homeowner was in shock how much a simple change could update the the room.

When placing your home on the market, remember you are trying to reach out to a wide spectrum of possible buyers.  Removing dated materials or colors is a simple and easy way.  Keep the colors neutral for the most part and remove any personal photos.  You want the prospect to quickly be able to see themselves in your home and not to feel as they are visiting..

My advice is hire an interior designer or stager.  We will see the home from a business aspect.  And quickly can make changes that will market your home.

Hot Summer Day in July

I am sitting at my desk today, trying to catch up on paper work.  As you remember I wrote my first article on decluttering your office/desk.  Well, I working that method again. 

Looking outside my window there are clouds building, but it is hot.  Wishing I was still at the beach and that the paperwork would magically fix itself,  I am thinking of homemade lemonade and homemade ice cream.

I have yet to find the perfect homemade peach ice cream.  I would love to have you send in your favorite recipes.  Everyone could then enjoy them.  Please add them in the comment lines below this post.


Hot Summer in the city......


                                      

A Day of Celebration

Today is my birthday.  Coming off a vacation with some of my family, I continue to reflect of the important things in life.  As I sat on the beach last week, with no cell phone reception, I was forced to slow down.  My focus was on my great niece and nephew who were lost in abandonment of thrill of the waves and sandcastles.

They played with the waves, bouncing them to and fro, rhrilled with the excitement.  The laughter and smiles put everything back into perspective.  I am a workaholic and I found that I need no cell phone service to turn my attention to the great gifts we all have.  Unfortunately we lose sight of them.

And as I reflect on the people that love me and wish me warm wishes, I want to leave the decluttering behind.  I want everyone to take a few moments to think about the people that are important to them.  And the ones that we forget to put first, or at least put to the front of our list.  We all have so many wonderful people in our lives that we neglect.  Today, I want you to celebrate with me and reach out to those people.  Tell them just how important they are to you. 

Tomorrow busyness can fill your days, but today celebrate.

On To The Pantry

As we move through the drawers and cabinets, we will direct our focus to the pantry.  There are more out of date items in most pantries.  It is amazing how we don't really realize how long ago we purchased an item.  I think it is easier to clean one shelf  at a time.  If this becomes too big a pile on the floor, we are all tempted to throw it back on the shelf and pour a glass of tea. 

As you check the dates on the packages separate into two piles.  If you can, pull the garbage near you and discard as you go.  As you move from shelf to shelf these are some helpful storage containers you can purchase.  I like the same storage bin we used in the bathroom with the drawers.  Get to keep birthday candles, small raisin boxes, etc. in.  I also keep my flavorings in a plastic box that way all are together and when I bake, I only have one container to pull out of pantry.  I organize my pastas, chips, candies, baking chocolates, jellos, etc in separate baskets.  Cereals are all placed on a shelf together.  Organize cans by soups, beans, vegetables, fruits, etc. and line them up in straight lines.  I have selected a point that when I reach it, I mark it on the grocery list for purchase.  This way I never run out.  I hate to start a recipe and be out of an item that I normally stock.

There are various door organizers you can get for spices, cans, aluminum foil, and sauce packages.  Great place to utilitzes these.  If you are remodeling or building a new kitchen, use a kitchen designer.  We have great resources for pantry organizers and there are so many wonderful ways to design a useful pantry.

Time to Get Started Again

I hope that everyone enjoyed their relaxing evening last night.  If you have not had a chance to read yesterday's blog, please do so.  We all need some down time.  As they say "all work and no play" does not make us very happy campers.

We have been on this wonderful journey of decluttering our spaces.  The next few days we will focus on the kitchen.  In most homes, this area is the most used and the most cluttered.  Years of various collection of mismatched dishes and glasses to drawers of those gadgets we just had to have. 

Today let's start with spices.  We watch the Food Network, read cookbooks and have recipes given to us that we devour right?  We select that perfect recipe, run to the grocery store and buy all the ingredients.  Those special spices that make that recipe just zig.  But months later, sometimes years later, that "special" spice is still sitting in our cabinet.

Pull out all the spices in your cabinet or drawer.  Spices are only good for 6 months.  Go through every spice and if the coloring of the packaging is a little discolored, you know it is time to discard :-).  Then revisit each spice and try to remember when you bought it or for what recipe you purchased it.  If you can't remember, then into the garbage it goes.  As you sift through, place the keepers to one side.  All those are no longer in your life.  While you have the cabinet clear of items, clean the shelves or drawer. Some people prefer lining these so now replace the it with fresh.

Before putting the spices back into place, consider different solutions to the organizer of your cabinet or drawer.  Once again IKEA or The Container Store have great products you can order online.  These are just a suggestion.  There various online stores, including Walmart and Target, that you can purchase or visit.

I learned a trick from one of my friends, she dates every kitchen purchase she makes.  And on some items, she also includes the price.  This helps with storage life, but also she can compare with other brands as to the best price of how much she gets out of the brand.

After you have dated the spices, place back into your freshly cleaned cabinet or drawer.  Don't you already feel better?

These are just a few ides for spice racks and as always, inspiration.

Til tomorrow.....

Detox, Just for You

We have been working so hard on decluttering our interior spaces and offices.  I think it is time to take a moment for relaxation.  Today let's detox.....

I am at the beach this week, detoxing for sure.  This morning as I ran the sound of the waves broke free the chains of life.  (You can read this in my fit and thin blog..http://bit.ly/akqWf6).  Tonight after you have cleaned up the dishes, kids are in bed and husband/boyfriend is happy in front of his television; head to the bath.  I suggest you light candles, turn on soft music and infused your environment with wonderful scents of relaxation.  As you run a wonderful warm bath, add lavendar scented bubble bath or bath salts to the water.  If you like to drink wine, pour yourself a glass in the most beautiful glass you own.  Even if it is that special occasion crystal, pull it out.  You are your company tonight.  Turn the lights off.  Let the scents and the music fill your soul with peace and quiet.  And as you soak in the tub, let your imagination take you to another life or place.  Escape.......

Decluttering Your Bathroom

Hello to all my fellow readers.  I am so proud of you..  I have heard from many of you and you are excited about what you are doing in your living spaces.  Today I want to direct our attention to our bathrooms.  I know what you are saying.  Our drawers and linen closets...forget our cabinets beneath our sinks.  It is okay, I know that you will attack this area just as you have been working through your closets and piles.

First, remember Rome was not built in a day.  Nor will you declutter in a day, sometimes not even a week.

Let's start small...your drawers.  There are some great websites that you can order from or stores that you can visit that have wonderful storage accessories.

Go through one drawer at a time. If yours is like mine, how we collect a lot of face products. Let's start by separating the ones that you REALLY use everyday.  Then onto the ones you use once a week.  When you are finished look at what is left.  If it is older than 6 months, throw it out.  You can do this.

Next go to the second drawer, and go through the same process with hair products, hair equipment, etc.  If you have an array of hair equipment as I do, I keep the current hair length that I use.  Take the others and place them in a storage bin, remember to label or purchase clear containers.  Store these either in the linen closet or beneath your sink, neatly on top of each other.

As you complete each drawer, think of how you use them.  There are some great organization accessories for drawers that will keep your makeup, products and jewelry separated for easy recognition.  It's that what irritates us the most when we have to go through 4 bottles to get the one we need at the moment?

Now let's move to the cabinet.  Follow the same process as above.  I found a perfect storage bin at Target that has drawers.  I can keep my makeup bag and toothpaste in the top drawer for easy access.  The second drawer is products I use about once a month.  I place the products I use frequently at the front of the cabinet and items that are used rarely at the back.

The linen closet can be very overwhelming.  How about those towels?  Do you have some that are so old that you are not sure what their true color was?  Go through and keep the ones you ONLY use.  The rest can be cut up for rags.  I organize my towels by size so that I can reach in an grab just what I need.  Remember our conversation about the storage bins when I lived in a 900 sq. ft. house.  Use that same technique here no matter what size closet are you have.  I chose clear for visual purposes.  But there are some beautiful and fun storage bins that you can get.  Try TJ Maxx or Tuesday Morning.  When you open your closet that should be pretty too, right?

I hope these will help.  And as always I enjoy your emails, comments and posts.  Thank you for following me and enjoying my blog.  I am really having so much fun.  I forgot how much I like to write.

Decluttering Your Living Space

Good morning.  It is a beautiful sunfilled day here in Atlanta. I hope that you are moving through your piles of stuff and clearing out.  As you keep going, you will find how much lighter you feel when you walk into the room.  I know that when I came from completing (along with my team) a 100,000 sq. ft. furniture showroom each market, I would walk into my small decluttered home and I instantly felt comfort.

In my earlier blogs, I have talked about decluttering your closets and starting with small areas of space.  I believe by now you are getting the hang of it.  So let's look at ways to organize what you still want to keep.

Do you have a good bit of  framed family photos that are sitting on furniture?  Or lying in a drawer or book somewhere?  Do you want to display them but do not want one more thing to dust?  I would suggest that you pick your favorites first.  A great way to display them is on the wall.  If they are family photos I usually prefer to hang them down the hall or in a home office.  I would choose at least 3 different frame styles to use.  First arrange them on the floor in front of the wall area you want to use.  Try placing them 2-3" apart and grouping them together.

With the remaining photos, scan them into a computer and save them on a disk.  Or you can take them to a shop that will do this for you.  I suggest organizing them by family members, events or dates. Label the disk and purchase a disk storage for them.  I would place them in a fireproof safe in the attic or basement.

I hope that these suggestions are helpful to you.  Less clutter will free you.

Til tomorrow.....

Declutter Your Closets

I hope that everyone had a great weekend and your day was filled with friends, laughter and fireworks.  Fireworks, doesn't it just intrance you with all the burst of colors against the blackness of the night?

I have written the past few blogs about concentrating on small areas of your interior spaces.  I know this takes time, but remember it is just one area at a time.  Before you know it your room, your home, your garage will be organized.  You will feel renewed.

Today, let's concentrate on your closets....yes, your closets.  If you open the door and everything falls on your head, it may take a little longer.  You may want to try the small area approach as to not overwhelm you.

As you look through your closet, remember my list from yesterday:
1. When was the last time I used it?
2. If it is a magazine (I get alot) it is there an article or photo that I like?
3. If it is clothes, when was the last time you wore it?
4. Still on clothes, are you keeping it because how much you paid?
5. Still on clothes, are you keeping it because you are really going to lose that 5 lbs?

Just think of the people who would love what you just look at in your closet.  This is a great way to give back to others.  We all are so blessed and there are plenty of people who would generally apprepriate your clothing and shoes.  When I moved I took clothes, shoes, hats, coats, and household items to the organization that helped abused women get into a home and on their feet.  This thought really helped me to look at that jacket that I bought but just never looked good with anything I put one.   You know that one right?

Once again, I am a visual person so I love photos to keep me inspired of a goal.

 Photos Nancy Price Interios

Cleaning, Cleansing, Detoxing

Yesterday I began ways to start cleaning and organizing.  Today I would like to focus on the throwing away of unneeded items.  I used to be a pack rat.  Moving two states twice, both my home and office), truly helping to look at things different.

As we discussed yesterday, take one area and concentrate on cleaning and throwing out.  I know this is hard.  But ask yourself these questions:

1.  When was the last time I used it?
2.  If it is a magazine (I get alot) it is there an article or photo that I like?
3.  If it is clothes, when was the last time you wore it?
4. Still on clothes, are you keeping it because how much you paid?
5. Still on clothes, are you keeping it because you are really going to lose that 5 lbs?
6. Accessories, do you really like it or are you keeping it because a friend/family gave it to you?

This is just a start.  I think of how much I do not like to dust.  The more items, the more dusting.

One of my readers emailed me directly yesterday and asked me about her home which she described as a small space.  The photos I had sent yesterday were of larger spaces to inspire to.  I moved from a larger home to a 900 square foot home in an historical area of Atlanta. There were no real closets and only one bathroom.  So I really had to go through my clothes and items I collected.  I was fortunate to have an attic I could stand in (I am 5'4").  I bought a wood rod and hooks that clasp on the beams to create clothing storage.  I put the clothes in closet bags and hung them on the rod.  I purchased plastic containers and stored seasonal items and ones that I do not use often in them.  Do not use cardboard boxes as this will attract roaches.

In my only linen closet, I went to a local discount store (grocery stores run specials on storage bins sometimes) and purchased clear plastic storage bins.  I placed all my first aid together, nail polish and removers togther, candles, etc.  I labeled the boxes so that I could easily pull out the container  as I needed them.  I stacked these on top of each other on the top shelf since I do not use these daily.

I suggest checking out websites such as IKEA andThe Container Store.  These have containers, I will write a blog on decorating and storage tips after this sessions of organizing.

Thank you for your comments and questions.  I truly welcome comments and emails.  Have a great and happy Fourth of July.   Thank all our past and present service men who give us the freedom we enjoy.

Summer Time and You Want Less Clutter

I know that anyone who knows me is laughing right now if they just saw my office. Unfortunately for my business, I can really make a mess when I start pulling an project together. Fabrics, tiles, paint, countertops, carpet and catalogs are laying everywhere in my library. The paperwork piles up on my desk and my floor. It gets crazy.

I went to work the other day and the piles were sitting on both sides of my laptop and even behind it. I walked in, saw the desk and I walked out.....no joking. A little while later I returned and thought, "okay, just put the piles on the floor, have a clear desk area and you can proceed". Which is exactly what I did.

This  event triggered a conversation with my director of marketing and she offered this. "Jan you love to blog, write a blog on decluttering". Whom better than a person who has experienced the clutter and is now removing it.

It's summertime and the living is easy, so let's get started making our living easy.

The next few blogs will be my steps,that hopefully you will follow along with me, to declutter and detox your life/living areas.

First, after moving my piles to the floor, my breathing got easier. I worked just on my desk.

Suggestion 1: Only take space or area at a time. Don't think about the piles, just one small area. By concentrating on one small space, when it is completing clean, clear and organized you feel like you have done something HUGE!!!

Clense, Detox, Decompressed.

To inspire us, below are some photos of very clean and organized spaces