7 Simple Steps for a Fresh Start at Home

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There are times of the year that are like waking up from a really beautiful dream, times that are the quiet 'after' of something big and exciting and all-consuming in our lives.  Or maybe it's more like the ugly kind of waking up, startled from one of those dreams where you are being chased all night - you're relieved, sweaty and full of anxiety.  I don't judge.  On days like this you're turning a new page and waking up in the 'after'.

After summer holidays.

The quiet lull after Halloween.

Post Christmas abyss.

There is some kind of overwhelming hangover effect as you look around in the days after and realize that now that it's all over, all of this less-than-glittery stuff now needs to be cleaned up, organized, hauled to wherever it lives for most of the year.  It's all the physical and emotional weight of an event, without the excitement and happiness to float you along.  It can really drag a person down.  I hear you.

You crave a fresh start.

What you need to do is act swiftly to clean it up, pack it away and move on.  You need to give yourself a clean slate because a fresh start is where the magic happens.  It's where you can take a deep breath, feel light and unburdened and start to thoughtfully place some happiness in your daily life.

Here's a few simple ways to make that happen today.  

By tonight you could be curled up with a hot cup of tea, looking around your beautiful, clear space, just basking in that great fresh-start feeling!

1.

Clear space for storage.  Wherever that might be, make sure it's ready to go.

2.

Gather the boxes, bags or totes where you're going to be working.  If you are putting away seasonal things, chances are you already have a system in place.  If not, that's ok, just gather what you think will work.  Don't overthink this, you don't need the perfect totes or specialty boxes.  Grab what you have or can get easily.  Momentum is key here, don't lose it.

3.

Working swiftly, wrap things up and get them put away.  As you fill each box, take it to your storage area and move along.

4.

Clear away anything that doesn't belong in the space.  This is a great time to fill a box or bag with things to donate.  Be liberal with getting rid of things that no longer serve you or that you don't love anymore.  Recycle or throw away anything that is garbage.

5.

Once everything is cleared, do a quick clean.  This isn't the time to scrub baseboards and organize drawers.  Surface clean, dust and sweep or vacuum.  Fold and put away.  Give everything a quick wipe down.

By now you should be feeling pretty good.  A clean slate has that effect!

6.

Next, it's time to tackle those maintenance items that tend to get brushed aside during daily life.  Common things I see are burnt out light bulbs, squeaky door hinges, and throw pillow covers that need a wash.  Anything that can be handled in a few minutes with what you have on hand.  If you can't get to it right away, make a little to-do list and deal with things as soon as you can over the next few days.  Again, this should be small stuff - we are not refinishing floors here.  Just handle the little jobs that you've been neglecting - we all have them!

7.

The final thing to do is small but important:  add a couple of meaningful items.  You just need a thing or two for this to work - don't overwhelm your space with clutter.  The goal here is to give yourself some breathing room for a little while.  Enjoy the openness and clear space before moving onward in your decorating.  Find an item or two that give you a happy feeling - a stone from a river walk that your kids found, a beloved snapshot from a vacation,  a teacup from your grandma.  Place them wherever feels good, where you can see them daily.  This isn't permanent so don't overthink it.

I challenge you to leave your space in this open, clear state for a week or so. Enjoy the uncluttered, unburdened feeling.  This is what a fresh start is all about:  giving yourself time and space to reset. 

Take some time during this week to immerse yourself in inspiration.  Check out photos online, magazines, books and blogs- you'll soon see a pattern in the things you are drawn to.  It won't take long before you start to think of what would be good additions to the space, how it might function better, how it could be organized differently.  You'll probably start to think about things to do to your room, ways you could make it exactly how you want it to look and feel.  If you go forward thoughtfully, only adding things to your space that enhance it, you will have soaked up the full benefit of your fresh start.

Enjoy that fresh start feeling - you earned it!

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5 Soul-Focused Tips for Designing a Feel-Good Room

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A personal style is like handwriting – it happens as the by-product of our own way of seeing things, enriched by the experiences of everything around us. - Massimo Vignelli

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Designing a space that is ‘just right’ means pulling together things that make you feel good and that remind you of warm memories.  You will be at your most comfortable when you are surrounded with things that make you happy and remind you just why it’s good to be you.  Here are 5 soul-focused tips for doing just that.

1.       Clear the clutter

Get rid of stagnant energy by clearing out clutter.  These piles and nests of stuff tend to harbor bad feelings because they are normally things you need to deal with, are unfinished or regret buying or owning in the first place.  Quickly evaluate what you really need to keep (then put it away properly or deal with it right away) and get rid of everything that no longer serves you.

2.       Turn up the volume on some great color

The psychology of color is vital to creating a happy space.  Yes, there are studies and charts to help you find a color that might give the mood you are looking for, but if that’s not your thing, take a look at your closet or the rest of your house.  What colors are you drawn to?  What makes you feel good?  It’s also important to think of the energy you want your room to have – brighter colors tend to be ‘louder’ and be more energetic.  Muted tones tend to be more soft and restful.  Dark, bold colors tend to have a solid, heavy feeling.  Adding color can be as subtle as small accessories or a throw, or as bold as painting the entire room.

3.       Add a few memories

Having little touches of things that warm your heart is the best way to make a connection with your space.  Things like pictures of tender moments with your children and happy photos from around your home are easy fits here.  Don’t overlook more abstract mementos, though.  In my house I have on display a rock collection from summer walks with my kids, a few feathers in a vase brought to me by my son, and a watch that belonged to my husband’s grandfather.  All of these things make me smile when I look at them.

4.       Nod to nature

A connection to nature will bring life to the space.  Consider plants, fresh flowers, rocks, rough wood, water features.  Don’t overlook big, open windows (keep those blinds open and hang your curtains outside the frame), especially if you have a view of trees or a garden.  If plants aren’t possible or just aren’t your thing, there is nothing wrong with a good quality fake, or consider the other non-living alternatives.

5.        Let all that isn’t you fall away.

Evaluate everything in your space.  Get rid of things that just aren’t you - you know you have at least a few things that just bother you for whatever reason – au revoir!

(If you like this image, you are welcome to save it and use it as a phone wallpaper!)

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The Best Wall Paint Colors for a Restful Bedroom

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Choosing the right wall color for your bedroom is kind of a big deal! 

Your bedroom is the most intimate, private space in your home and because of that it tends to be almost a physical representation of your inner self.  How you feel when you are in that space sets the tone for the rest of your day, which is why a restful wall color is so important.  Sleep and restoration are vital to our well being but there are also some other things to consider when choosing a wall color.  There are a few things to consider when choosing a wall color that will make your bedroom your favorite place in the house.

 

The colors that are best for a restful bedroom provide a rich, calm, neutral backdrop to the space. 

These paint colors are all a good balance of warm and cool, which is important as you want this room to look great in the dim light of an evening lamp as well as in the morning sun. 

Remember the importance of the Psychology of Color

To say that color affects mood is a subtle understatement – color absolutely shapes our emotional state.  The space where you go to recharge needs to have a color that fits well with what’s most important to you.  (Bedroom goals, anyone?) 

There are the three main aspects I think about when choosing a bedroom paint color

There are three things I think about when choosing bedroom paint colors and though I try to make sure that a color will work for all three areas, I know that everyone has a different priority so I focus on one area first.  For example, it’s possible you want a really cheerful bedroom and that is your priority, then I would say go for a color that nails that, but just take a moment to think of the other areas and make sure it’s not a total clash.  If you can find a color that feels right in all of these scenarios, you’ve nailed it. 

Is it Cheerful & uplifting?

Is it Peaceful & calming?

Is it in line with your relationship goals - romantic, feminine, masculine? 

Think of your room as a palette of colors

After painting the walls that perfect neutral, layer 3-5 colors, textures or patterns throughout the room for a cohesive look.  This is the time to get bold with your colors if you want to, or to really play up a soft monochromatic look.  By creating the neutral backdrop and layering in several ‘louder’ colors or statement pieces, you will have so much more flexibility and your space will feel so much more polished.  Put samples of the color palette together, including the furniture and flooring colors, before you start adding in bedding, accessories or art to make sure the colors are going to fit together in the style you’re hoping for.

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Here are my picks for the best wall paint colors for a restful bedroom.

Use this list as a starting point. 

Print it out and take it to the paint store, gather some samples and see what you love.  Lighting conditions are the most critical factor in how paint looks in a room and whether it will work or not, so paint a few samples and test the color out in all the lighting conditions the room will normally see.  Most importantly, just go for it!  Get started and find something you love – you deserve a restful bedroom!

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Why Change is the Key to Happiness

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My clients often teach me just as much as I teach them when we work together.  This is a lesson from a few clients I've been working with lately:  take the leap.  Make a change, even when you're not exactly sure what to do, even when you're uncertain.  Knowing that what you are living with just isn't right, that's enough reason to just begin.  Go ahead,  add some happiness to your home!

Change is hard, isn’t it?  Even when we sort of know we could change things in our life, even if we know just what to do to make things better, we just... don’t.    I think it’s that we all crave comfort and that can mean staying the same place long after something stops serving us, stops making us feel our best.  Thinking outside the box, making a leap, making a statement to the universe that you are willing to do something new is a powerful thing for your psyche.   Often, making a small change in our lives or our home becomes that first drop that causes that ripple effect, don’t you find?  If we can just have the courage to make one bold change, it feels so good and we have no problem finding that momentum to continue finding things to fine tune.

Comfort, predictability, stability – these are all things we love when you think about it, but they can be a huge source of unhappiness for a lot of people.  How is it that the need to feel comfortable can keep a person tied to things in their life that are sources of discomfort?  If you are living with something in your home that’s not uplifting you, it might be time to just take the plunge and make a change.

I see this often in my work, where a client has lived with something they hate in their home and they know they want a change, they often have a great plan for just what to do, but they need some reassurance that what they want to change is going to be great.  Basically, they need someone to push them out of the plane!  Ideally, before doing that, this person can also help hash out a solid plan for going forward and be able to work through every question and doubt, providing examples and information, until they feel certain and excited about the plan! 

In all reality, fighting change is a losing battle.  Happiness is found in flexibility.  Yes, it can be uncomfortable to change, but it is worth it.  This is the natural course of life, to put something to rest to make room for something new.   Yes, it’s unknown and can feel like maybe it will be chaotic or not work at all, or maybe be worse than before, but it doesn’t have to be that way.  The reward is worth  the risk.  I think being able to think out a good plan and take action on it is often something that just has to be tackled without putting much weight on your feelings about the changes.  It’s going to be great!  Focus on the framework of what you want to change, the ‘why’s and put some time and thought into your plan.  That is the structure of what you need to do.

Add some happiness to your home.  Happiness is anything that you love, that makes you smile, that makes you feel good when you pass by it or exist with it.  Organizing your Tupperware drawer, rearranging your bedroom furniture, printing and framing some beautiful photos from a great vacation you took, even just streamlining your mudroom.  All of these bring joy to your life and like ripples in water,  that spreads.  Trust me,  being happy in your home matters. 

There are bigger things, yes.  Paint a wall or a room.  Paint your front door.  Buy a new chair.  Your home is worth these things.  Start to think of your home from the perspective of upping your happiness.  Choose things that make you smile. 

Ready for even bigger? Tackle that kitchen renovation.  Revamp the exterior of your home.  Finally put in that patio in the backyard.  Go for it.  Your dreams and enthusiasm and ideas are valuable.  

A lot of people do things like this, they feel the need to make a change, they plan it out and they go for it – why not you?

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The Impact of Good Interior Design: Peace, Order & Comfort

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I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately about the bigger picture of interior design, why it matters, why it’s more than just aesthetics, being stylish and (the worst, most cringe-worthy label), just plain snobbery.  I’m just not into any of that kind of thing, really (like, so incredibly not), so I have been scratching an itch in my brain for weeks, wondering why I feel so strongly about design then. 

I feel so deeply that there is something so important about regular old good design, well thought out with common sense, beautiful, good design.  Design that just makes daily life better.  Design for the people.  (haha)  Explaining that, however, doesn’t come easy to me.   I mean, if I was a teacher I would feel deep in my heart that public education is a fundamental right and that being a safe and happy place in a child’s life was a privilege and an honor.  I could tell anyone, anywhere about the importance of the heart and soul of my career.  It gets a little trickier with my own career though, which can be perceived as an indulgence of the wealthy and snotty.  (By the way, in my nearly 20 years in the design field I have never actually encountered one of these clients, so it’s not just my opinion here.) 

I do feel it, though, that this thing I’m passionate about has meaning and in all the thinking I’ve been doing I came to a conclusion:  it’s all about helping people create a safe haven.  And that is vital and it matters.  It matters if you are a young newlywed couple, it matters if you are a bachelor, it matters if you are a child, it matters if you are a newly widowed grandma.  We all deserve and crave, at a very deep and primal level, a home that makes us feel good and safe.

So, I’m wondering – am I right?  What are you seeking at home? 

Peace, order, comfort, love?

Peace

The feeling you have when you are at home is a fundamental part of who we are.  Feeling good when you are in your home, when you are in your kitchen or in your bedroom is important.  It sets the framework for your life, for how you feel about yourself, your life, your relationships, your kids.  When you feel at peace, when you feel happy and proud of your home, you feel good about yourself.  Feeling good about yourself allows you to go out into the world with positivity and energy and confidence.  It matters.  It matters to yourself, to the quality of your relationship, to the happiness of your kids.

Order

You need to pull yourself out of chaos and the burden of a house you don’t love.  Living somewhere overwhelming or draining or depressing is not what you deserve in life, not what your family deserves.  You can make simple changes that make things better.  These things do not need to take money but they will take thought and time and effort - it is worth it.   Your home and space is a reflection of your energy and your life.  Having an orderly home is a peaceful refuge, and that is important.

Comfort

There are deep psychological reasons that having a space that is peaceful and orderly and happy and comfortable builds something fantastic deep within us. Your kids will thrive in a happy home, your relationship will be better.  A happier home makes everyone feel good.   When people feel good they are able to laugh more, to have that inner peace we are all trying to protect.  It matters.  It’s not just aesthetics.  It’s a reflection of how you feel about yourself and your family and it changes the way your kids feel about themselves as they grow up. 

Having a home that feels comfortable to us, brings peace to our families and order to our lives is a beautiful goal, isn’t it?  And there’s nothing even remotely snobby about that!

What are you seeking at home right now – I’d love to know!

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