Welcome spring with open arms with these helpful tips on how to make the most of Spring Break.
Home (away from home) Tour
This month, Katie and her husband went on a trip to Hawaii. With the wonderful convenience of Airbnb, she and her husband found a dreamy (and affordable) island escape that we are excited to share with you! Imagine natural beauty, fresh warm air, and wild frogs croaking as you fall asleep.
The east side of the Big Island of Hawaii is lush and full of tropical vegetation. The rain forest and jungle vibes are the perfect backdrop for this Balinese Style eco-hut. It's clear that the owners and designers put so much intention and thought into the design. The name of this eco-hut: "Lemongrass". The home is minimal yet eclectic and extremely comfortable. From the materials they used to the layout of the space, you can see clearly that this was a labor of love and that they use the space efficiently.
Enjoy these snapshots of the "Lemongrass"!
Why we love this tropical getaway?
The Kitchen
Simple design, gas stove, water filter, french press coffee, prep area, vertical wall storage for pots and pans, local spices, just enough space for two!
No Wasted Space
Every corner had a function, but it didn't feel cluttered. They managed to incorporate a kitchen, dining space (with an unobstructed jungle view), queen bed, and a bathroom sink & toilet in a 20x12 structure while managing to create an open and airy feel.
Limited Wifi
They offered wifi on a schedule of 8 am - 8 pm. This is crucial for guests as they may still need to research and plan aspects of their trip while there. But the schedule also provided unplugged time that allowed us to truly disconnect from the internet and really be present.
Sights & Sounds
Falling asleep to the chorus of local frogs croaking and the intermittent breaking of ocean waves was like having your own custom noise machine. Birds start singing their songs as early as warm sunlight started to color the sky.
Where are your favorite vacation spots?
Have you used Airbnb for your travels?
What do you look for in vacation rentals?
We'd love to hear about your travel experiences.
Come on in : Home Tour with Peter and Julie Wolf
Walking in the backdoor of this Cape Cod nestled in the heart of Fountain City, one is immediately at home. As a guest, you're greeted with enormous smiles, warm hugs, and a glass of your favorite beverage within minutes. There's no doubt that for the 30 years Peter and Julie have lived here, they've learned a bit about making a house, a home.
The Wolf home in 1986
The Wolfs bought this little home back in the mid-80s with two young boys and family heirlooms to fill the rooms. Prior to landing in Fountain City, they'd been in California, St. Thomas, Michigan, and a few other stops before finally setting down some roots here in East Tennessee. Peter grew up sailing and Julie grew up around the lakes of Michigan. The influence of the sea is evident in the color schemes and artwork throughout the house.
Peter and Julie's style is a wonderful mix of traditional, eclectic, primitive, country, and little Pottery Barn sprinkled in. Julie mentioned that very early on, she and Peter shared very similar tastes in home decor and they love to do "the work" together. Whether it's refinishing a piece, finding the right spot in the house for a new treasure, or working in their outdoor space, they've been a team since day one. Julie really is a girl after our own hearts in that she really likes a place "clean and tidy, I like it less cluttered," she says. In 2000, they were able to put a wonderful addition on the back of the house adding a great room for entertaining, a master suite, and two car garage with an upstairs. The heart of the remodel kept in mind the idea of having people over. Last year, they were even able to host their niece's wedding in the backyard and it was a huge success!
Addition in 2000
Julie wants every guest to feel right at home upon arrival. "I want folks to feel like they can get a glass of water if they'd like and that my home is their home. I truly want them to feel totally comfortable." She celebrates so many of their guests throughout the years by showcasing many of the generous gifts family and friends have given them over the years. This is where the eclectic part of their decor comes from. "If i find something I like or if someone gives me something I just find a place for it." Both she and Peter love the stories connected with the pieces in their home and they love to tell you how each one made it's way to Forest Lane.
Peter at work in his home office
The Gathering Table
When we asked what home means to them, Peter quickly answered, "The place I'd rather be than anywhere else." Peter has travelled with his work for over 30 years, spending countless nights in hotel rooms all over the US and Canada. He cherishes his time at home with his family, friends, and projects. Julie says she has multiple favorite spots in her house depending on what the activity but if she had to pick, the big round oak table would probably be top of the list. Gathering with family and friends over a meal and a glass of wine fills her heart like nothing else.
Julie working in her "nest"
We also loved Julie's thoughts on collections. She said, "Collections just happen to you." Over the years she may have purchased one or two pitchers and was given a few from her mother and before she knew it, a pitcher collection was born. She loves to think of the giver as she uses each pitcher or any gifted home item in her home. Sometimes the gifts aren't necessarily decor items, but just stuck in a drawer and Julie will find them at times, hold them, take a moment to reflect on that time, that person, and enjoy the memory.
Our last stop of the tour was in the stained-glass studio in the upstairs of their garage. For about a decade now, each Wednesday night, up to 9 women meet for a meal, a beverage, plenty of laughs, and some time in the studio creating all kinds of beautiful pieces. This extension of their home has allowed the Wolfs to bless others by giving them a space to create but also a space to connect with others.
Finally, this particular home tour holds a special place in one of the dwellers hearts as I've spent many hours over the last 30 years being loved so so well within the walls of the Wolf home. My family has shared Thanksgivings, baby and wedding showers, birthdays, a wedding, and so much more with the Wolfs. They have been great stewards of this warm and welcoming home they've been given and I am so fortunate to have been one of the recipients.
Thanksgiving 2014 - The whole Wolf gang
Packing up the Memories
There often comes a time in all our lives or our loved one's lives when we have to say goodbye to the place we've called home.
This is never an easy transition for multiple reasons. In this particular case, the homeowner needed assistance with everyday life and wasn't able to live on her own any longer. Not being able to take much with her, her daughter and son-in-law have been left with the task of clearing out the remaining items from her former home. However, they have busy lives of their own both working and raising two active school age children. After almost 6 months of the condo sitting untouched, waiting to be gone through, HYD got the call to help.
This situation is all too familiar to so many folks. A parent's home filled with memories, trinkets, collections, photographs, furniture (both valuable and not), attics, that are so overwhelming to go through. In this case, we've been able to go through every cabinet, dresser drawer, bookshelf, box, closet, trunk, and room to categorize, label, box up, and create order so that when the daughter and son-in-law come, they can easily decide what to keep, what to sell, and what to donate.
HYD feels honored to be trusted with such an important job which is why we take such care with each object we touch, paper we read, photo we categorize, and memory we help to preserve. It all stays confidential and our clients can feel safe knowing that we will find the right home(s) for any items they choose not to hold on to.
This particular homeowner is a very talented artist. We thought you'd enjoy just a few treasures we found as we organized her belongings. The first is her "Ideal Wardrobe" handmade book from the late 1940s. The latter photos are just a couple of the many wonderful sketches and prints we found. Enjoy...
Thanks so much for coming along with HYD as we journey through our clients' stories and memories. It is a job we cherish and look forward to each day. If you have any questions or interest in learning how we might help you or a loved one with transitioning into a new home, please don't ever hesitate to call or email us at 865.245.9080 or info@helpyoudwell.com.
We've also updated our website in a few places to describe in more detail how and what HYD can assist with especially related to estate transitions and organized moving and unpacking.
And as always, feel free to drop by The Hive to visit us anytime we're in!
How to Organize Your Car
Let's be real...most of us do not have a car that looks immaculate all the time. While I wish mine did, on a very practical level.. I just really will never be vacuuming my car weekly or have a file folder with color coordinated tabs for each car service I ever receive. I've read blogs with crazy long check lists and others with some really helpful tips but here we want to give you the basics.
I'm learning with you so in the spirit of transparency, here are some pictures of my car in it's typical state.
I recently moved from a two door to a four door car and I'm LOVING it! However, I've found that it's easy to just keep piling things in because I have more room now.
I've come up with a plan to keep my car more organized and I'm excited to share a few tips with you.
1. The center console is your friend! Having never had a center console before, I'm super pumped about making good use of it. The lower compartment is ideal for chargers, wet ones, and umbrellas. The upper compartment is the perfect place to keep a few pens, spare change and business cards. Living in a downtown neighborhood, I park on meters frequently and the change slots are super handy so I don't have to fish through my purse to find quarters. Am I the only person that actually uses this feature? Maybe, but I love it!
2. Door pockets and seat pockets: I try to keep these empty other than an umbrella. I never think to check seat pockets so anything that goes in will probably never come out.
3. The trunk is tricky-- it's out of sight which is good, but can also turn into a dark pit. My goal is to only keep car trouble necessities (ex. jumper cables, tire pump) a yoga mat, and a picnic blanket in it. A crate or basket works well to contain those items so they aren't rolling around when you drive. One other idea I had was to keep another box in the trunk to collect items I don't need that are thrift store bound. If I can get the items into my car, I'm way more likely to drop them off in passing instead of letting them sit in the corner of my kitchen for months.
4. Rule of Thumb: I've been trying to create the habit of taking everything in to the house at the end of the day rather than telling myself I'll do it later. So far it's been working fairly well. My trending exception is when it's raining. I don't have a garage so it's not practical to lug things through the rain rather than taking them inside the next day.
Practical things to keep in the car:
Umbrella
Bobby pins and hair ties
hand sanitizer
chap stick
wet ones
miniture accordian file for coupons
reusable shopping bags
Check out The Container Store if you are looking for containers specifically for cars and travel. Their foldable boxes look pretty handy!
Our Road Trip to Asheville
HYD got to hit the road in May to head to one of the East's coolest towns, Asheville, NC. We had quite a job ahead of us but the process and results were more amazing than we ever could've predicted.
www.kathleenblanchette.com/images/AshevilleScene
Meet Jen. Wife of a wonderful pastor, Mama of four incredible kids, inspiring musician, laugh out louder, lover of art, and keeper of lots and lots of things because, "Someday, someone might need that."
She was gifted some organizing sessions from an aunt who loves her and knows her well and she chose HYD to help her get down and dirty to clear out and clean up. Add to that a great hope of visiting a family in Colorado this summer but her family needs money for the trip.
HYD Organizing session + $ need for trip = YARD SALE !
HYD spent about 16 hours over two days hauling, encouraging, bagging, listening, laughing, rearranging, sifting, laughing some more, saving and organizing the last 30 years of Jen and family's life. It was awesome to say the least. And I mean awesome in the true sense of the word, as Webster says "causing great surprise or wonder; astonishing." She had no idea how much she'd acquired. She also had no idea how much money she could make and the freedom she would experience in giving others the opportunity to buy it! We just carried items from her basement and home straight to the front yard. And after two days of selling items, the family made almost $1000!!
Jen and her family have experienced a monumental shift in how they will relate to the items they now have and items they will bring into their home in the future. She just gave her own children the gift of seeing how our stuff can weigh us down and keep us feeling behind because we cannot organize it all. Less is more. Her keepsakes are now safely stored in designated containers but the "someday" items are someone else's "today" items that Jen no longer has to feel burdened by.
What a gift this job was to HYD. We will forever be blessed and thankful for this first road trip. Thanks Jen and Mark for letting us Help You Dwell.
How to Pack for a Trip : The Help You Dwell Packing Guide
I would like to think I'm naturally pretty good at packing for a vacation or trip but if we are being honest I occasionally forget something and I almost always over pack. Lately though, I've been using a few new tips that have proven to be really helpful. I began researching packing techniques and ideas in order to prepare for a trip that my husband and I along with 4 friends are taking this fall. Now that it's mid summer, I thought it would be the perfect time to share these tips.
1. If possible, I always try and pack in a bag that is small enough to stow as a carry on in order to avoid extra fee's but mostly because I have a huge fear of my bag being lost. I typically pack all of my favorite pieces of clothing when I go on vacation and like the fact that if I lose my bag it's my fault and no one elses.
2. The most obvious place to start in my mind is to think through the length of time I'll be gone. Will I have access to laundry facilities? What does the weather forecast look like? What is on my agenda while I'm gone? These practical pieces of information help me frame the amount of items and the type of clothing I take.
3. The most handy tip I have found thus far is to pack a neutral palate or a one color palate so that I can mix and match to create multiple outfits out of only a few garments. I try and add color with accessories since they often take up less room.
4. To avoid over packing the best tip I've found is to lay out each days outfit or to lay out everything I want to take and then eliminate one third of it. (Seriously guys, I over pack A LOT) If I can make myself think through what I actually need versus all of the things that I might want to wear, I end up packing pretty accurately.
5. There is much debate about how to pack clothing and the consensus seems to be that by rolling clothing items you can fit more in. In general I try not to pack my bag to the point that it's bulging and about to pop open but if we are talking efficiency-- rolling seems to be the way to go. I like to leave a little bit of room when I pack in case I purchase something on vacation that I want to bring home.
6. If you are like me, you have a million of those little grocery bags in a drawer in your kitchen. I always pack one so that I can keep my dirty clothing separate from my clean clothing.
7. My final tip is about carry on's. To me, one of the most important parts of traveling is packing for the actual journey. I always make sure to take a few books, phone/electronic chargers, medications, a few healthy snacks, an umbrella, pen and paper, cash, ear plugs, and some light face/or hand lotion (especially if I'm flying).
So we're curious-- do you have any fun trips coming up? Any other packing tips you suggest?
