reflections

Finding Peace Amidst the Hustle

December is nutty. While this season carries so much joy, it is easy to get lost in the slue of invitations, party sign up sheets, gift lists, and gatherings. We wanted to share a few practical reminders to help you slow down and catch a breath this holiday season.

Say no to something.

This may come naturally or be a challenge for you, but either way it is essential. If we approach every invitation or suggestion as necessity - we will burn out. The same principle we preach all year around applies (maybe more than ever) now - if it’s all “important”, really none of it is “important”. Use discretion, pause, and consider a few things before rsvp-ing YES to everything that comes your way. This is a way of creating margin where possible in your day, week, and life overall.

  • Running from place to place with tired children? No thank you.

  • Sitting in traffic to arrive late and hurry on to the next thing? Let’s not.

  • Placing online order after online order frantically to realize you spent more than you intended? Not this year.

Schedule “downtime”.

Whether this is a routine rhythm in your houe or not, this is a great time of year to begin practicing it. Just like all of us humans need rest, maybe we should let our devices rest. Turn the screens off. Give your eyes and ears a break from stimulization. You’ll be amazed what you might notice - the smell of snowy air, the sound of birds or leaves rustling in the cold, the fresh air on your face. Take a walk, play a board game, light a candle, turn on the instrumental music. Basically, turn down the volume on all the loudness of life around you. You know when something isn’t working and you have to unplug it and give it a few minutes - this might be exactly what we need to do with ourselves.

Savor meaningful traditions.

Before you try to create a dozen special things to do every year, just pick one. Was there something you did with friends or family that was special last year? Schedule a time to engage in it again this year, it’s that simple - now it’s an annual tradition. It doesn’t need to be expensive or elaborate. For example - last year we decided to let our kids and our friends kids decorate sugar cookies with an ungodly amount of icing and sprinkles (while a majority of it was consumed during the decorating) then we took them on a freezing cold caroling blitz to some our friendliest neighbors. We laughed, we made messes, we cleaned them up, we cheered some folks up, and we decided we should do it again.

Looking for a new experience this season? Climb aboard the Christmas Lantern Express or snag a ticket to see the Polar Express in the beautiful Tennessee Theatre.

Remember what matters.

There are so many folks and organizations doing charitable things this season, so why not join in? Reminding ourselves (and our children) that this season of giving is so much more impactful when we remember it’s not just about us. Look outside your own home, or neighborhood, and to the needs of those less fortunate.

A few ways to give back…

Restoration House has an Amazon wishlist full of items needed to help the families they serve settle into their homes. Purchase a personalized photo gift for someone on your list, while a portion of the sales go to support the Secret Safe Place for Newborns of TN. Gather excess new and unopened items from your own kitchen or bathroom for the Angelic Ministries needs list. Make a difference in our local community by participating in one of the many ways the Knoxville Community Action Committee has organized this year. Provide a gift or volunteer your time Helen Ross McNabb’s Dear Santa program. Give financially or fill a “Gift of Change” gift sack for our friends at Helping Mamas Knoxville. Shop for new items for kids entering the foster care system on the Isaiah 117 House needs list. Show some neighborly love by hand delivering a poinsetta, fresh wreath, or holiday cookies to someone on your street.

Look back, to look forward.

As the year quickly comes to a close, don’t find yourself spinning from all the busyness. Some slow moments can turn a whirlwind of a year past, into meaningful reflections and insights. A writer we love, Tsh Oxenrider, has put together some End of Year Reflection Questions we love.

In what ways did you dwell well this year?

Raise the Tree Christmas Tree Farm in Knoxville, TN.

Recently on the blog…

1 Year Later

Our azaleas were showstoppers this spring.

One year ago my husband and I moved into our current home. A whole year later, I am flooded with gratitude as I reflect on the past year of living here.

I am obsessed with old houses, character, charm, quirks, etc. And our (old) house has lots of that, but what I’ve realized is that my gaze has shifted from the house itself to the life we’ve lived in it. There are so many moments I want to bottle up and remember forever, and they have less to do with the stuff and more to do with the people. That may sound obvious, but I am someone who LOVES to create a place (think- decor, pillows, candles, music, etc.) and it’s taken adding our baby girl to the mix for me to see how much less those things matter than I thought they did.

View from living room into dining room.

Back deck.

A safe, cozy, inviting home is still important to me. But some of my favorite meals of the past year have been eaten on paper plates at our ottoman in the living room or on our patio table we found at a yard sale. The shelves in the laundry room are not as tidy as they were when I was intensely nesting, and I’m ok with that. I’m learning that I can be settled and enjoy a place (our home) even when things are unsettled (think- unmade beds, chaotic refrigerator shelves, leaves on the floor in the entryway, piles of baby clothes to name a few). We all have heard that perfection isn’t the goal, and I’m just here as an honest control freak to say it again. Let’s enjoy our homes, the people in them, the neighbors on our street, and the smell of your favorite fall candle.

View from back of the house.

A year into living in this home, I’m more convinced than ever that we have the best neighbors in the world. In a culture of individualism and society filled with so much division, there is nothing sweeter than a kind neighbor. I wish everyone could have even just one neighbor like the ones we’ve gotten to know over the past year. They’ve checked our mail, cut our grass, brought us food, dropped fresh flowers at the door, shared yard tools, passed down baby clothes, taught us how to trim rhododendron bushes, made us cocktails, invited us onto their porches, laughed with us, held our baby, and so much more. The gift of good neighbors is one we did not anticipate and it’s been the sweetest surprise. Knowing you have people around you who care, is no small thing.

If our walls could talk… they’d tell stories like these:

There were a lot of poopy diapers, but even more baby giggles.

Learning about the parts of our HVAC unit on chilly days with our favorite handyman.

Eating takeout on the living room floor because hand washing dishes is not for the faint of heart.

Hosting our first Easter and Mother’s Day on my husbands great-grandmother’s table.

Smoking lots and lots of meat and brewing too many pots of coffee.

Taking daily walks and learning the names of neighbors and their dogs.

Watching Premier league soccer on Saturday mornings.

Cleaning up baby food off the floor below the highchair.

Gathering friends to watch Wimbledon and eat breakfast casserole.

Pulling weeds and borrowing the neighbors lawnmower.

Having a glass of wine on the porch after the baby goes to bed.

Pots of soup and chili made in an outdated kitchen.

Folding laundry on the living room floor while baby girl does tummy time.

Making and remaking the guest bed for lots of family visits.

Inviting friends over to help us choose where to hang art on our walls.

This is the good stuff. It’s not perfect and not always easy. But I am so grateful for the beauty and meaning and abundant life we’ve experienced in this home over the past year. Now the same leaves we watched grow in the Spring, are falling to the ground and so it goes. Thanks for coming along for my reflective journey. Cheers to many more meaningful days in the places we call home!

Is Your Home a Reflection of You?

 
Photo by Brooke Phillips.

Photo by Brooke Phillips.

 

As we begin a new year, we want to encourage you to reflect on a few questions we often explore with our clients. The hands on “organizing” and “packing/unpacking” work we do is important, however the deeper work we do often has more meaningful implications than we can express through before & after images.

Take some time to consider these questions:

What do you love about your home?

What are a few of your favorite memories or meaningful moments that have taken place in your home?

What do you hope others feel when they spend time in your home?

Does your home decor and style consist of your own selections? Or is it a combination of gifts from loved ones and passed down pieces from family members?

Where do you find inspiration for your home?

Who do you trust to help you make decisions about your home?

Where do you go in your home to find rest?

What are values that you’d like your home to reflect?

What do you wish you could change in your home?

Are there areas in your home that cause you to feel overwhelmed?

What is one improvement you could make to your space that would increase your enjoyment?

Photo by Texture Photo.

Photo by Texture Photo.

Before we begin any home organizing project, we create space to listen first. This allows us to gain a more full understanding of why a client reached out to us and what hurdle they are hoping to overcome. Life is messy, complicated, and unpredictable - and our homes are often affected by the events and seasons of our lives. We remind our clients that feeling shame around the current status of their home is not helpful, beneficial, or necessary. Rather, we encourage them to dream again of what their space could look/feel/be like. We remind our clients that their home is never too far gone & there is always somewhere to start.

Do you have an area of your home you’re ready to reclaim? Our team is ready to help.

Start the conversation today.

Sidenote: Just as we are continually encouraged and inspired by our clients stories, our team is made up of strong, resilient, and talented organizers who each bring a unique set of life experiences that enable us to serve clients facing all kinds of challenges. Read more about them here.

2020 Year in Review

2020 Year in Review

No one was prepared for what 2020 delivered. So much challenge mixed in with joy, loss, and longing. In reflection, we want to take a look back at the blessings. If you know us, you know the stories and people behind these numbers are way more important than the actual numbers, but we wanted to share a few stats to give you a glimpse into our year as a small business.