This is how I’m feeling this morning, dancing on my sunporch – Just trying to create some good vibes . . . Good for the soul!
We don’t have a lot of designing outside the office going on these days because of Covid-19, but we still have plenty of dance in our souls which is helping us get ready for 2021. I’m creating Online Redesign Packages that will be affordable, cost-effective, simplified.
From small projects of Home & Office Organization to simple advice to complete Home & Office interior redesign – which includes space planning, furnishings, paint colors, architectural details, lighting, flooring, wall coverings, accessories and more – you receive the greatest value for your invested time, energy and money.
Whether you have one room to organize and brighten, or an entire home or office to design and furnish, Lifestyle by Design will give you the feel of ease, confident and information from start to finish. By listening to your thoughts and visions we understand your needs. . . . We’re here to Make Life Easier!
I know . . . it may feel a bit unusual to declutter before the holidays. It took some time but I had finally convinced my organizing clients if you declutter and organize the home BEFORE the holidays you would actually enjoy the season with the family.
Let’s showcase the home and your lifestyle to make room for the holiday festivities either in person or online. You get to choose how you participate in this most memorable holiday season. Being intentional with a clear mindset about how you will celebrate will create a most meaningful holiday with family and friends near and afar.
Declutter the home before the holidays: 20 Ideas to create a mindful holiday
Kitchen Pantry ~ Start in the pantry. There are probably things in there you don’t remember where they came from. Check the expiration date on the items to make sure it still good if it is and you won’t use it put items in a box and drop off at your local food bank. If they are currently NOT taking donation please consider making a monetary donation . . . Thanks!
Closets ~ This is a wonderful time to look at the clothes you purchased in the last year. Will you wear it again? If no, give them to a friend, consign them, donate them or bring to a local thrift shop or Goodwill.
Give Away Warmth ~ Take your extra winter coats, gloves, scarves, and socks (New) to a homeless shelter. Warmth is in high demand this holiday season.
Books ~ I love giving books for gifts! I found this great idea from a vintage book I bought years ago; write a letter on the inside cover about why you choose the book for someone you care about. If you find it as hard as I do to let go of books, Dedicate them to a new heart & home helped me. Looking to re-gift this year ~ start with your books.
Bye ♪ Bye ♫ Bye ♪ Gifts ~ Remember the gifts you ended up with at the company office holiday swaps – you never took them out of the box or bag. Say bye, bye, bye!
Medicine Cabinet ~ Check the expiration dates on anything over a year long. Dump your old stuff responsibly.
Design Items ~ What graces your shelves and countertops? If you’re going to do some holiday decorating it may be the best time to let go of some vases, candlesticks, and other decors you don’t use anymore. Yes To Less Dusting!
Paper management ~ There will be pleather of incoming paper over the next couple of months catalogs, cards, to mention a few. Start the new year with a clean slate along with an organized area.
Junk Drawers ~ Get into those junk drawers and toss all the things you’ve been holding onto – this is a great drawer to re-gift items for grandkids, nieces, nephews, coworkers. My mom used to say “One man’s junk is another’s treasure”.
Make-up! ~ I think we all have simplified our make-up routines since Covid has been in town. Get rid of the stuff you aren’t wearing and don’t enjoy anymore. I want to add a Housekeeping note: this is a good time to replace or clean your make up brushes and wands. TIP: DAWN dish detergent (2 drops) works wonderfully!
DIFY Goodies ~ Do It For Yourself crafts are a great escape. This is a whole season of some very different memories from those of the past. Make room to create scrapbooks, vision boards, crafts to celebrate the year 2020, to make it meaningful.
Health Check-Ups ~ Schedule your routine appointments and screenings now so you don’t have to think about them. See if Tele-Health options are available – I do know at this point of the pandemic you have the option to ask your doctor, for a Tele-Appointment Great health makes life simpler.
Burdens ~ Make sure you make room on your calendar for the things that make the holidays purposeful to you and your family by getting rid of the things that burden you.
The Drama ~ I believe this is more important this year than any other year, clear up the family drama. You can simplify the gatherings you know that are coming either in person or over Zoom this year. This is brain clutter, clear mental clutter so you can welcome peace and calm back into your life. Without this brain clutter, you will become a more productive, happier, and all-around healthier soul.
Your Finance ~ Gift, events, travel and other seasonal items will put pressure on you to spend more. Assess your dollars now and make decisions about what you have to budget for the holidays. Avoid splurges and creating new debt for the coming year – be completely transparent and honest about your finances.
Mental Clutter ~ This pre-season release of all of the mental clutter like perfection, comparison, doubts, and expectations will give the holiday season a chance to delight you and your family.
Morning Chaos ~ Do you ever dream of a morning when having time to watch the leaves blow, the snowfall, or ocean waves rolling in? You can set your alarm clock earlier than usual then you can get up to listen to your favorite music, read a book, or quietly pray or meditate. Simplify the morning chaos and make time for YOU!
Busy & Clutter life ~ Simple. Say Goodbye!
The Guilt . . . Let it go! ~ Give and do what you can. Let go of any quilt that says it’s not enough. It is enough. YOU ARE ENOUGH.
Emails & Cell Phone ~ Clean up your phone by dumping apps and deleting old contacts. Unfollow and unsubscribe in order to make more space in your inbox and social feeds. To really show up this holiday season – show up UNPLUGGED (if you can).
Choose a few or all of these 20 ideas to declutter your lifestyle before the holiday season. Think about how you want to enjoy the holidays. Be intentional and mindful about what rituals, activities or traditions will make it meaningful for you.
Declutter now for less stress and a more merry and easier lifestyle!
A cluttered home can simply drain you of energy; that much is pretty common knowledge. However, there are other hidden costs of clutter as well.
Clutter can drain your finances and schedule, too. That’s why it’s important to organize your home and workplace calendars along with the finances. Being informed about all monies coming out of or into your check, this way there is no surprises or crisis.
While you don’t need to have your cookbooks alphabetized or your shoes lined up according to the color (if I don’t it could be sleepless nights for me), it is important to have everything in its place and have that place be somewhere that has a purpose.
I have clients ask me “do you ever see the mess, dirt and trash when you go into people’s cluttered homes?” I always reply with “Nope, I just see a whole lot of decisions not made.” The reasons people continue to have a relationship with their clutter is many. In the last 25 years of organizing homes and offices, I found that many times people just don’t know what to do with their stuff. I have seen some great “Start & Stop” processes in my coaching, you know where someone did take the time to organize all the mail sitting in a mound on the far end of the kitchen counter. But, then it becomes overwhelming and doing nothing seems more reasonable then deciding on the right place to put something. You just need to make a decision . . . right or wrong it doesn’t matter.
You know you have this person in your circle of family & friends – don’t lie!
The ones that has that cookie tin in their hands, the tin with the really cute picture of a kitten and snowman looking adorable. They are thinking maybe someone in the family can use it? Maybe they will use it next Christmas. They walk it around the house trying to find that perfect home for it, taking it and fitting it in the bookcase – damn it’s just a little too wide. Then, they try to put it on a table, it doesn’t look right with the Spring decor. Then they see a spot, they pick up speed as they dash across the room to the same exact freakin’ spot they took it from. So, now we know where the new home is – It’s called “Indecision Island” where all the misfits of the clutter end up, it’s really called the kitchen table!
Getting There
Make decisions in small, daily steps to clean and organize a space. Pick a small space like the kitchen table or one kitchen counter, keep consistent with daily small organizing tasks. One tool I have used with my clients is once the space is organized, clean it – make it sparkle. That small task will give you a sense of accomplishment and boost your mental health.
Make a Decision Today, Don’t be the person carrying the cookie tin around the house!
Peace & Harmony ~ Cheryl
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Music to Energize:
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Are you looking for less clutter in your life? Comment me @ cchomeconcierge@gmail.com. We can talk about what the next step will be, you already made the first step. I’m so proud of you.
I have been studying Feng Shui lately – I would like to add this service to my Home & Office Concierge Service. I suffer from depression, I am looking for a more holistic way to treat it and I read an article in a wellness center over the summer about how Feng Shui has been found to help with people suffering from depression . . . I was intrigued.
Cleaning and Organizing for people in their homes and offices for over 20 years, I do understand the concept of placement – and in other blogs I have written about how a home, office, and/or space has its own “heartbeat”. So, I am beginning to understand placement along with symbols to energize an area. I’m getting there!
If you would like to work with me in this very infantile stage of my learning the powers of Feng Shui – please reach out to me (860)961.6824 (leave me a message that you’re interested in FENG SHUI and I’ll get back to you), we can learn together– it will be very affordable to start out at this stage of the process in developing an outline for this service.
*Side Note – I chose this video not only because Nancy is simple in her explanation of the process – but I love Olivia Newton-John . . . Who doesn’t right? Enjoy . . . . . . . .
