Do You Have some Funny Things In Your Kitchen? Your Monthly Homework Assignment!

A while back I was at HomeGoods shopping for a client's kitchen renovation--and, you know, you can find the coolest and funniest things in their kitchen gadget department...

"OOH!" I thought, "A coffee pot brush! It is squishy, and... so SQUISHY! and....there is a handle! And it says it is 'totally harmless'...FASCINATING. Oh, I WANT that! How squishy!"

But waitaminute...I have a question:

How many functions/tasks will this tool help me accomplish in my kitchen?

Let's review:

• Yes, I know it is squishy (clearly something I value).
• Yes, I know it would REALLY adeptly and harmlessly clean my coffeepot (since when am I so worried about the wellbeing of my coffee carafe??).
• Yes, I know it is innovative and neat-o...

BUT how many functions/tasks will this tool help me accomplish in my kitchen??? 

Why do I keep asking this same question? Why should YOU keep asking yourself this question as well? I'm going to tell you because...

You guessed it! This is our quick assignment for the month!!

This quirky coffee pot brush might distract me with dreams of a squeaky clean coffee machine....but it isn't going to chop vegetables,  clear snow, help me change a lightbulb, or sign school papers as well.

ALL IT WILL EVER DO IS CLEAN MY COFFEE POT--and it will take up a lot of space in the many days that stretch between coffee machine deep cleanings--am I right??

Storage space in our kitchens is a very valuable and limited resource. When we decide to have something take up some of this precious space, we need to do so with some scrutiny--making sure that the item has truly earned the right to be there. The question of how many tasks the implement helps us accomplish is a very important one, because as a general rule we should not have anything in our kitchen that only does one thing.

Did you just gasp?

Did you just run to hide your Mellon Baller??

Your assignment this month is to set a timer for 15 minutes and try to find at least three things that aren't earning their keep in your kitchen. If it is something that is rarely or never used, or something that is so specific to one certain task that suddenly you see how ridiculous it is that you have been letting it take up so much real estate, let it go and free up some much needed space in this hard working room!

Remember these assignments are supposed to be fun not overwhelming! Set your timer, and have fun. Can't wait to hear how it goes!

What Your Bedroom Is For

With Valentine's Day this weekend, I think it is time we talk about something intensely personal...

the things that a master bedroom is for, and what it is NOT. :)

Ideally this room, the inner sanctum of our home, is the place where we go to restore, to find quiet, solitude, privacy, a place for intimacy, perhaps a place also for prayer and/or meditation....

However, things are often not the ideal.

For example...

• Our bedroom may be the place where, when in a hurry, we have stashed things we didn't want company to see...
• It may be the place where baskets of laundry sit waiting to be put away....
• It may be the place (and this is my LEAST FAVORITE) where we have a work station, complete with piles of paper and glowing computer screen staring us down as we try to unwind at the end of a hectic day.  
• It may be the place that others in the household feel they can just enter on a whim without knocking or asking permission. 

I am sure one or more of the above sounds all too familiar, yes??

To make matters worse, it is during times of increased stress when we are least likely or able to keep this area tidy and nurturing--and, of course, this is the time we need a peaceful sanctuary the most. 

SO, to help you create this very important place of restoration, let's talk about some simple things that can help to create and maintain YOUR much needed retreat from the world:

• When you are tired, remind yourself that it only takes a few minutes-- it is tempting to not put clothes away in the evening or to skip making the bed in the morning because we are tired, pressed for time, and we picture these chores as being a huge deal. Change your perception of these tasks and view them instead as doing something nice for yourself--make yourself muscle through for just 3-5 minutes & you will be amazed at how quickly you are finished. Recognize in doing this for less than five minutes, you are preparing a soothing environment for yourself later.

• Remove anything that stresses you out-- (and I don't mean your spouse :) Take away things you find annoying or unattractive--basically anything that doesn't nurture you in some way.  Anything pertaining to your work or household finances SHOULD NOT be in this room. 

• Add beauty and comfort--This space should contain things that delight your senses: soft lighting, a variety of textures (think satiny sheets and nubby chenille throws), colors that you find soothing, fresh (but not overpowering) scents, relaxing music, and flowers and /or plants that bring life and additional color to the room.

Taking the time to create a little oasis for ourselves is so important and has a far-reaching impact in our lives. Take some time this weekend to work on this as a Valentine's gift to yourself!

A Cozy Room For You On This Cold, Windy Day :)

Brrrrr. 

I don't know about you, but I feel like I can't get warm today! 

SO, what could be more fun than looking at a room that makes us feel warm and cozy? :) That always makes me feel better :)

Over the summer, I was contacted by a client who knew she wanted to change some things around her house---perhaps pick some new paint colors, make things brighter? Their den, an already lovely room they spent a lot of time in (especially in the colder months), needed some new touches to bring it back to life...

As is always the first step, we talked about things that could be removed from the room to make it more welcoming, such as the large mirror on the back wall that made the room feel dated. Also, some smaller pieces of furniture were removed from the entrance since they made the otherwise large room feel cramped and small. 

A chair that the family loved was brought in from another part of the house--a welcome addition, since it was so comfortable--but it would need a facelift as a part of the room's revitalization.

We got to work finding fabrics, colors, and textures that would add the most important 'top layer' to the space, making the room feel finished and even more welcoming.

Here are the results:

My clients found the beautiful artwork now hanging behind the sectional on their vacation to North Carolina. I love what it adds to the room, and we added further texture and interest with the fabrics for the chair, pillows and new window treatments that soften the space.

The whole downstairs was painted in a new brighter neutral that brings out the color in the stone, and makes the rooms flow beautifully--especially since they are so open to one another. 

Simple changes have created a lovely, cozy result that I know my clients will enjoy for years to come! 

My Hike Along The River

As the first month of 2015 draws to a close, I thought it would be neat to reflect on some thoughts I had while on a hike with my husband along the Little River just outside of Asheville, NC...

On that day just over a year ago, the water rushed along beside us as we traveled on foot.  Sometimes the river roared with whitewater, other times it rested quietly in pools that seemed almost completely still,  and I noticed that a lot of things were deposited on its journey--leaves, branches and other items were lodged along the banks, swirling in little puddles or stranded high on rocks by receding floodwaters.

Like the river, in our homes there are physical items that are washed into the shallows: rooms that seem tired and out-of-date sit there awaiting our attention, our closets, drawers, and corners fill up with items that we haven't had the time to sort or make decisions on.

At the start of each year, we seem to pay attention to time passing, old habits we would like to leave behind, and new goals we set before us. Our lives can be much like a river and as our days rush past, and lots of things are pushed aside because we don't have the time or energy to deal with them.

Recognizing that our souls bloom more fully when inspired by beauty and soothed by simplicity, it is  important to afford ourselves downtime to deal with all the STUFF of life--this is just as important as rushing about, DOing and working towards our goals. We can give ourselves time & quiet to create order and balance, and make sure we are surrounded by things we love.   This is a way of slowing the current that is rushing past, and smoothing out the stream bed so things can flow with more ease...

We all have the ability to create peace and flow in our lives, but we don't always give ourselves permission to create it as we so busily rush along. I believe that one of the best ways we can direct the stream of our lives (and not be tossed about by it) is to create a home that supports us with loveliness and simplicity--  much like a giant river rock that the water happily glides over, smooth as glass.

If where we live provides us with a rejuvenating supply of beauty, order and balance, all kinds of amazing things will be possible for us in the coming year. What can you do around your house this week that will help things to flow, and your spirits to lift??

If you are looking for help and inspiration for creating more flow for 2015, don't forget next week is our (Dis)comforts of Home Workshop! It is the perfect place to learn how to change fret and frustration to peace and flow. Hope to see you there! Here is where you can get all the details: http://bit.ly/15Ytoy9 

But I Just Don't Feel Like It

There is always something around the house that needs doing…something that needs doing that we absolutely don't want to do. 

Not today.

Maybe tomorrow?

That's why this is our quick tip/homework assignment for this month! (Trust me. I don't want to do it either.)

Whether it is the dinner dishes sitting in the sink, a messy closet that needs attention, a pile of clothes waiting to find their way into the drawer, a stack of Christmas decorations that haven't yet been put into storage, or the dreaded mail pile sitting on the counter that needs to be sorted and tossed…its time has come! Like. Today. 

Like. Now.

It is okay if you don't want to do it. You can whine if you want to. But, as you are whining set your timer for 15 minutes and get started. I'll be doing it right along with you. 

Getting these pesky things out of the way one small step at at time makes our homes so much more nurturing and supportive…and that means a lot in terms of feeling peace and enjoyment each day. 

Remember, if you are longing to create less stress and clutter and more peace and beauty around your house, our upcoming (Dis)comforts of Home class is just the inspiration and help you need! Hope to see you there!