HYD Blog
thoughts on dwelling
Our lives are so very full of stressors, and the constant pressure to go, Go, GO onto the next thing that by the time the day is over, we are completely spent and left feeling empty and exhausted. One way to help encourage ourselves to more actively take care of ourselves, is to create a place in our home that enables us to quickly and easily do just that.
Image: Texture Photo
Spring is in full swing now and all the events of the season are coming at us from every direction! Graduations, travel plans, spring performances, festivals, sports tournaments, and end-of-school year parties and events are filling our calendars and brain-space as we try to survive one of the most beautiful months in East Tennessee.
We’ve gathered a few tips to help you be present, enjoy these last couple of weeks and finish the month with success.
Take a break from social media
For the rest of the month, hit pause on scrolling through your social media feeds. There are lots of fun things to post about on your own page - be it your kids, a fun travel spot, a memorable gathering - so go for it! But create a personal rule about not looking at other’s lives for the rest of the month to help you focus more clearly on your own.
Be willing to say “no”
Do someone a favor, and say “no” to an event, volunteer opportunity, or extra appointment and allow someone else the chance to say “yes.” Many of us are natural-born helpers (Enneagram 2’s, you know who you are ; ) ), but we’ve got to allow others the opportunity to help out in the classroom, take some food to a friend, or offer to help with the neighborhood newsletter.
Schedule (at least) a 30-minute window every day to unplug
Take some time each day to do something without your phone in reach or earshot. I know many of us rely on our phones for our business and to be available for our families, but we also need a break. Just putting it away for short windows to allow yourself to be fully present in some quiet space, especially in such a hectic month, can be very refreshing.
Try to get into bed 30 minutes earlier as often as possible
Sleep is imperative when our brains are in overload, and even if you can’t every night, choose an early bedtime as many times this month as you can. Find a magazine, book of poetry, or an easy read to allow your mind to unwind and lull yourself to a peaceful sleep.
Drink water
Don’t leave home without a full & refillable water bottle. With busy schedules and lots or running from one place to the next, it’s easy to let this simple habit go by the wayside. Plus the weather is moving towards summer, so as our bodies adjust to warmer temps, a little extra hydration is needed.
Lastly, enjoy the moments when you’re in them. This month will be gone before you know it, so hang in there, laugh when you can, hug those you love, and celebrate the milestones of all your people as they graduate, finish a sports season, or start a new adventure this spring.
“Wherever you are - be all there.”
Finishing up an organizing job in someone's home or office is a thing of beauty. It's satisfying to know we've helped a client find a bit of freedom from their clutter or good homes for unneeded items. We also leave hoping our clients can maintain the new found order.
The thing is, life happens again. There is so much to manage in our daily lives and often people come first, work outside the home next, activities around town after that, and our homes only get us when we're wiped from all the life we've been busy living.
HYD wants to help keep your home a peaceful, ordered space you can rest, entertain, create, or simply be in... any time. We are now offering a monthly organizing service. Let us help you in areas like these and then some...
Kitchen Cabinets and Pantries
Mudrooms and Laundry Rooms
Linen, Coat, and Guest Room Closets
Bedroom and Kids' Closets
Basements and Attics
Garages
Potting Sheds and Barns
Kids' Bedrooms and Playrooms
Home Offices and Family
Art, Sewing, or Craft Rooms
Rearranging a Room or General Decor Changes
The fee is $85/mo with a one-year commitment or $975/yr if paid in advance. The fee includes up to two hours of organizing each month, one free donation drop off each month, 10% off any additional hours, and unlimited e-mail access to HYD for personalized consultation.
We look forward to serving our clients in this new capacity. If you're interested or have further questions, please don't hesitate to call 865.245.9080 or email us at info@helpyoudwell.com.
Our homes are the places where the majority of us spend the most time, the place where we laugh, cry, rest, dance, yell, sing, dream, make our messes, stash our treasures and share life with others. We get that. We love that.
Photo compliment of Stylish Eve
We also love our clients. Just about every week, Help You Dwell gets the pleasure of meeting a new face and hearing a new story. It has been such a joy for us. Often, when we walk into a new clients' home, the first thing we hear is "sorry." Clients are sorry for the mess, sorry they've let it go this far, sorry they can't do better on their own. We understand. We never judge. We have a story too.
"You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them." Maya Angelou
- Excerpted from Letter to My Daughter, a book of essays (2009)
As we walk through our plans to help folks find order and peace in their living space, we want to hear the story that brought them to this place. It's so important in the process of organization of one's home. HYD never wants a client to think that we're coming into a home to get rid of all the clutter just so it looks better. Our goal is to always help the client live life with the freedom from the extras that pile up all around. Working alongside the client, embracing their story, and being part of the process that helps to write a few lines in the next chapter is an honor for us.
Be yourself. Just with less stuff and more you. You are worth the effort.
Let us help you dwell.
