HYD Blog
thoughts on dwelling
Some people prefer to have a collection of daily use items, decor or appliances on their kitchen surfaces, while others enjoy a completely clear counter top. Which group of people do you find yourself in? There is no right or wrong way, but rather an approach that fits your specific season. We’ll share a few thoughts on both options…
OK, well maybe my profession is organizing, but I've never been too comfortable with the title "professional organizer." It continues to be more about the person than the organizing. I think of myself as a "personal organizer."
Photo by Texture Photo
As Caroline and I talked about this earlier in the week, we both agreed that we love bringing the order and peace to someone's home or work space. It truly gives us such satisfaction to create living and working spaces for clients to move from that "stuck" place into a place where they can live more fully.
Image courtesy of Christina Rosalie
At the same time, letting our clients off the hook a little, showing grace as they share their story, and celebrating the victories as we finish spaces is by far the highlight of what we do.
Getting to hear the story that brought clients to where they are, whether they need HYD a little or a lot, and then getting to see hope rise as the clutter begins to clear is why we show up.
That's all we ask of our clients too. Just show up. It might be that the idea of letting go of sentimental or valuable items seems daunting, your budget is limited, or you just don't know where to start. HYD gets all that. To be practical, that's why our initial consultation is free. We want to hear what's going on, give you tools to help, and show up to work alongside you in the way you need us too.
And finally, I can't finish this quick post without thanking those folks that have allowed us into their homes and offices thus far. We have so loved this journey and wait eagerly to be part of yours.
Why is an organized home or an organized life so hard to achieve and so hard to maintain?
There are a lot of different answers I could give you but for me it always seems to boil down to a few main things.
We live in a culture that screams, "You are what you have". We see hundreds of advertisements everyday telling us what we need and why we need it. We live in the most wasteful country on our planet. I'm trying hard not to buy into our "next big thing" culture but it is SO hard. If you need help letting go of things, try asking yourself these questions.
-Sell things that you no longer need. Craigslist, facebook sale groups, and instagram make it easy to snap a picture and orchestrate transfers of items.
-Adopt a "one-in-one-out" policy. If you want a new dress, give an old dress away. This will ensure that you always have room for the new because you are MAKING room for it. It's really nice to be able to see what you have and have adequate space for it. I strongly encourage people to keep only what they have room for. If you have to cram it in for it to fit, then you have too much. If it's been sitting in a box for 3 years, you probably don't need it. At the end of the day here is what we need to remember, "You don't need more space. You need less stuff."
When you are over-committed you tend to put things off. Case in point: I could sort through the mail I just got out of the mailbox and throw away the things that are junk, file what needs to be filed, and take care of bills that need to be paid BUT I'm running late to meet a friend for coffee AND I have to write a blog for Help You Dwell AND I need to throw a load of laundry in..... so the mail can wait. Inevitably, this leads to a pile of mail that will take an hour and half to sort through and take care of.
-Stop committing to things on the spot. Try saying "let me think about that and I'll get back to you" about the next 5 things you are asked to do or help with. This is really hard for me because I get really excited about things and volunteer for a million and one things that I truly want to do and be a part of but don't actually have time for. The worst feeling in the world is when you commit to something that you love but don't have time to do well. So often we turn passions into burdens because we take on too much.
-Know thyself. Pay attention to your attitude and your energy levels in a given day or week. How much can you handle before you start feeling stressed out or burned out? Every person is different and knowing what works best for you is key. Also, try not to be hard on yourself for needing a break--resting is a key part of working, living, and loving well.
