The Blog

Check Your Home Settings: Are You Running Out of Space ?

outside clutter_optWhether it be in our homes or on our smart phones, it seems that we are constantly vying for MORE space.  Our virtual space is easier to manage by merely increasing our megabyte storage to gigabyte, or even storing data to the Cloud. Ah, thank G-d for the cloud. There’s infinite space up there.  More importantly, there’s no pain and no heart wrenching decisions to make.

But the reality is that we do have finite spaces in our homes.  We live in an over-acquired society and without a practical exit strategy for our undesirables, we are in danger of running out of space.  We fill our attics, basements, and garages with overflow, and when those spaces are maxed out, many even resort to storage units to accommodate their overabundant spillover.

While purchasing storage units are certainly a vial option for specific situations, it’s not the ultimate fix.  If their sole purpose is the result of decisions not made on unused items, then there will be no end to the amount of units to manage. Entering dangerous territory, for sure.  More often than not, I’ve met many paying clients that have no idea what items are living in their storage facility, or have never needed to access their contents. Ever.

When we consider maintaining our things within the confines of our home, there is work to be done for sure. Busy households are crowded with multiple people and activities, and must accommodate many diverse possessions.  All the more reason that managing the incoming and outgoing be paramount. Failure to discard old, broken, or unused items will only result in untamable cluttered spaces.

You may not realize this right away, it accumulates very slowly. Suddenly, one day you look around and are overwhelmed and not quite sure how you lost control, right?

When lack of time marries procrastination, it’s a perilous combination.  All the while,  the unattended stuff  (that rarely returns to their home) accumulates.  The mounds of paper piles grow taller, and the new and preferred incoming items barricade the old.

But there is a bigger picture here.  The challenge is more about managing your spaces, not at all to do with the size of your home. When “busy” encounters “not today,”  you can run out of room very quickly even in the largest of homes.

Ultimately it’s rarely about the space at all, it’s more about the “relationship” with your things and the ability to let them go.

If you’re yearning for a more serene setting in your home, consider applying these very basic principles to your thought process.  It may evoke change.  Without this call to action, your personal spaces will potentially remain cluttered and be at risk for overwhelming your life.

No doubt, negotiating things and space will require some challenging decisions.  The hard-hearted may have an easier time; others may need to enlist help with these methods.  To reclaim your spaces, you’ll first need to clear space.  Here’s how:

  • One in, one out. (limit multiples)
  • Use it or lose it. (toss or donate what no longer provides you with value)
  • Keep only the items you use and love.
  • Identify the most active spaces in your home. Designate and discriminate what appropriate items and activities align with those spaces.
  • Consider the zones. Create specific homes for like categories.  Tame the clutter routinely.

 

We all aspire for a Home Sweet Home setting.  Making our home a place of sanctuary is very achievable.  We must remember that it’s an ongoing process and requires maintenance and family cooperation.

Look around.  What do your spaces look like?  No need for push notifications, reminders,  or alerts.  You will know.  If it feels crowded, then it probably is. This could be the wake-up call you needed to smack you in the face.

Now you’re ready to ask yourself,  is it time to change your settings?

 

 

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The Impact of Happy Spaces in Your Home

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Inspired by the brilliant Fall colors around me, I set out today to cozy up my home with a little zest of Autumn. Fresh flowers, some red wine, and good nosh for guests were in my head and on my list.

I bought some yummy trail mix of nuts, speckled with fresh cranberries to fill the decorative bowls on my coffee table, and unabashedly, added a tub of caramel popcorn clusters to my cart.

Purchased the red wine and then meandered through a home goods store. And there amidst all the fragrant scents of cinnamon and evergreen,  I was struck with this particular candle.  It got me thinking that while our homes are very personal and private spaces, they outwardly reflect bits of who we are.  Indeed, it is where our hearts live.

We all seek some sanctuary within our own homes. We need it.  Life is often stressful and so it’s important to have a place to kick off our shoes, and relax.

Do you have happy spaces in your home?  What does “happy” look like to you?

For each of us, it may look different. It could range from neat to messy, as well as adorned with (from few to abundant) chotkes. Too often, when busy hubs clash with the lack of time it requires to maintain them, chaos shortly ensues. But wouldn’t it be great to have some household space that feels happy, albeit if it’s just in one room?

Take a look around.  Do you like what you see?  Do you feel good in your favorite space?  Are you more inclined to hang out in your den, kitchen, office, or  bedroom?  Where is the heart of your home?

Chances are, whether in your den, bedroom, kitchen, office, or any other room in your home, if you aren’t enjoying the space, you won’t be inclined to spend much time in it.  Especially if it’s a disheveled room, it’s understandable that the negative energy can discourage frequent visits.

The danger zones that may be in your way of  “happy”:

If the once cozy den is now full of miscellaneous clutter, and a random mess is crowding the couch,  how cozy can it really be?

If your bedroom closet is a disaster mess, it’s probably very stressful to get dressed amongst the disarray and find what you’re looking for in a hurry.  It’s not only costing you time, it could potentially lead to a fashion ensemble nightmare of epic proportions. Heading out for the day in mismatched socks can be a dead giveaway for whats’s going on in your closet.

Ditto to the kitchen.  If your kitchen space is not working for you, you probably won’t enjoy cooking in it, and I would venture to guess that there won’t be sensational entrees coming out of there any time soon.

The home-office is no different.  If the work space is not efficient, it will not be enticing to pay bills in there. If there is a glitch in the filing system, it will impede on your paper organization, for sure.  You could be in danger of piling, instead of filing.

The truth of the matter is that happy spaces, convincingly, invite comfort and emit positive energy.  You can reclaim your favorite spaces again when you clear the excess clutter away, pare down, and remove items that simply don’t belong in that room. It doesn’t have to be a monumental change. Sometimes it’s just about the little things.  Add a little touch of “you” so that it feels good to hang out in that space.

Finding the heart of your home will help you find your happy.  Love your spaces and possessions with pride of place.  There just might be some small things you can change to make your spaces feel great.

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