HYD Blog
thoughts on dwelling
We are so excited to be presenting at The Dogwood Arts House and Gardens Show this weekend!
Our talk "The Ordered Home: How to De-clutter and Organize your Space" will be on Friday (2/13) at 11:00am. We will be manning a booth all weekend and we would LOVE to see you! The event hours are Friday 10am-9pm, Saturday 10-6pm, Sunday 11-5pm.
We are giving away a free closet makeover so come by and enter our drawing!
February is a great time to go through your closet. Purging your closet prior to switching out seasonal clothes makes it easier to see what you have and see what you need next winter when you transition again. We have come up with a few suggestions on how to get started and questions to ask yourself when you get stuck.
One of the most helpful things is to closet purge with someone who you can trust to tell you the truth about what's flattering and what's not, what looks dingy, and what is outdated.
We always suggest pulling everything out and categorizing by type of item. For example, shoes, belts, t shirts, nicer shirts, skirts, sweaters, jackets etc. Pick a category and go through each item and decide whether to keep it, give it away, return it to someone, or trash it. Once you are done with the category, put the items you are keeping back into the closet.
Often times when organizing you will end up with a "maybe" pile or those items that are just really hard to make decisions on. The following 4 questions may help you figure out why you are hesitant to let it go which may help you make a decision.
1. Do you feel good about yourself when you wear it?
2. Have you worn it in the past year?
3. Do you have other clothing items that look very similar or serve the same purpose?
4. Are you holding onto it for sentimental reasons or out of guilt? (We often recommend photographing beloved clothing items that you know you won't wear again so that you can have a visual memory to hold onto that won't take up place in your closet. Trying to keep your closet limited to items that you actually wear will make getting dressed a lot easier.)
BONUS- A great resource article for you… Second Chances: Renovate Your Wardrobe Instead of Buying New!
Because I'm an avid list maker I must admit that I have always loved making New Years Resolutions. In the past I've made lists of practical things I would like to do differently during the year. This year, however, I decided to make a life list. I chose things that I will more than likely work on and work towards until the day I die. These phrases are not my own words but are lines that stuck with me over the course of the year--things I read, things that were shared with me, things that I saw in other people. More than anything I want to be less consumed with my stuff and myself.
1. Buy less, choose well.
2. Collect moments, not things.
3. Be ware of hurry.
4. Live more from intention and less from habit.
5. Wherever you are, be all there.
6. Remember: The grass is greener where you water it.
7. Promote what you love instead of bashing what you hate.
8. Remember that comparison is the thief of joy.
9. Drive less, bike/walk more.
10. Do small things with great love.
We would love to hear from you all! What do you think about New Years Resolutions? Do you have any for this year? For life?
Time to let you in on a little secret...
My house has rooms that I'm not always proud of, usually multiple ones. This is one big reason why I want to walk alongside you amazing people to overcome those spaces that keep you from entertaining, creating or just enjoying your home or workspace.
Thankfully, I have an incredible business partner who serves me as wonderfully as she serves our clients. (She would also tell you her home has those rooms too :) Caroline generously offered to help me dwell a bit in one of my favorite spaces in my house.
It's that room I want to spend more time in. It's away from the busyness of our household of five plus a puppy, my favorite books are in there, all my crafting materials, stationery, journals, photos to edit, and the light is wonderful, hence the name, sunroom. It's my office & creativity room. My daughter plays violin in it as well.
Unfortunately, it too often looked like this...
Quickly, it had become the dump room, the "I don't know where this goes (or am too lazy to put it away now) so put it in the sunroom" room. The thing is, all these items have homes and many of them in the trash or donation box.
After just a couple of short hours, a few moves of furniture, and a rearranging of decorative items from all over the house, (Caroline is soooo good at this!) I got this room back...
I love being in here now. I'm so thankful for setting aside the time, having a dear & talented friend to help, and purging so many unneeded items.
The story doesn't end there though. So, what happens in a room that's ordered, organized & inspiring?? Well, your daughter comes in to practice violin, notices the sewing machine neatly stored under the table and asks, "Mama, can we sew?" To which I can finally say, "yes." Below is the finished product, Saige is very happy in her new nightgown, and Kate is even happier that she got to make it, with a little help from mama. Find the pattern here.
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.
Picture by Artifact Uprising
1. Make a list of spaces in your home that need order. Pay attention to how the space is currently used and what you'd like it to be used for. Having vision and purpose for the space is key to getting motivated to start & finish. Try thinking about the things you wish you had space for in your home. When you start thinking outside of the box you may realize that you can re-purpose a closet into a crafting nook or a home office.
Picture by Katie Norrell
2. Don't go it alone. Call a friend, a family member or Help You Dwell to be a second set of eyes allowing you to envision creative ways to organize and re-purpose your space that you might not ordinarily think about. Organizing with others helps you not get bogged down in the details and helps to make the decisions on whether to keep or share items with others.
3. Make attainable goals, staying focused on one project at a time. Set aside small, specific increments of time to accomplish your goals. Setting aside an hour of focused, intentional time can be much more productive and less overwhelming than a whole day or weekend of work.
Picture by HayleyAnn.Styling
4. Get supplies ready; trash bag, donation bag/box, "put away" bin (laundry baskets work great for this) and any storage containers you may need. We recommend organizing before buying bins so you know how many containers you will need. If you prefer to buy storage bins before hand, make sure to keep receipts so you can return items you don't need.
5. Get started. Half of the battle is taking the first step. Turn on some music, grab a bottle of water and stay the course so you can enjoy your space the way you've always wanted.
A 1950's Christmas
1. Take some time to reflect on your desires for the season. What things are most important to you? What can you let go of? What parts of this season really stress you out and what parts really bring life to you?
2. Clear your calendar. If you are like us, you are probably committing to way too much over the month of December. Along with all of the parties, events, and celebrations, we often feel the pressure to have our house decorated by a certain time, food cooked, guests rooms ready for out of town guests, Christmas shopping done, and presents wrapped. It can be exhausting just thinking about it.
3. Delegate. If you have a willing husband and kiddos, put them to work. Let the kids help with things like hanging stockings on their hooks, wrapping presents (who cares if the wrapping isn't pristine?), and using cookie cutters to cut out Christmas cookies. If you have family coming in town, ask them to help with the cooking--It's always more fun to have a friend in the kitchen with you and usually people want to be of help. If you don't have family in town, host a "Decorating Party" and invite friends over for Egg Nog and to help you decorate your house and string lights.
4. Do good. Make a point to turn your focus on others during the Holidays. Volunteer as a family, purchase angel tree gifts (and let your kids help you pick out the gifts), make a meal for an elderly neighbor who doesn't have family in town, or donate lightly used coats to a homeless shelter. Taking the time to remember those around us who are lonely or struggling helps us remember the point of Christmas.
5. Cut back on social media. Be purposeful in spending time with loved ones rather than browsing Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram for hours. Skype a friend or family member that lives far away, write a letter to a grandparent (include pictures!), grab coffee with a friend, schedule a play date, or split a babysitter and double date with another couple. Spend your time wisely and push through that to-do list so that you can get to the fun stuff!
Having a rough week and don't know where to start....
Keep it simple and start here.
Source unknown
"Twiggy" Artist unknown
Help You Dwell received a strange request a few weeks ago...
"Can you all do what you do in people's houses with my head?"
At the time it seemed a little bizarre but mostly intriguing. We began meeting with this lovely lady and started a journey that has been inspiring to say the least.
One thing that we have found to be helpful in life organization / time management is to make a list of your commitments: Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly. Do you feel over committed? What in your life is draining and what is life giving? Writing things down helps us compartmentalize and simplify. However, list making is not for everyone.
Anna Rusakova
For HYD, the unique challenge of life organization and time management is that each person connects with different ways of thinking. For some, a list makes everything clear and manageable but for others, like the client we spoke of earlier, a list is more overwhelming than helpful. Learning how to help a creative, imaginative, passionate artist & photographer make a plan that she can tackle, one step at a time has been really fun. We are realizing that using visualization of the tasks, talking through the scenarios, making clear action plans are some of the key ingredients for getting the brain in order for our dear client. Sometimes it's just more fun to make a mood board or an art journal for your life than to write a list.
Through our research on this journey, we also came across a fantastic resource for artists who seek organization.
Zachary Smith
The brains behind "the organized artist";Ms. Bennett, gives simple, clear guidelines to help entrepreneurs, artists and the like get their projects on the road to fruition. We learned so much from her experience with many creative folks over the years. She also has a couple of great books available on her website HYD enjoyed reading through for more specific tools to success.
Once again HYD's cup runeth over as we walk this journey with our client. Her passion for living life fully is contagious and her commitment to tell the stories of those she walks with will inspire anyone who gets to hear them. We are learning everyday here at HYD and loving every minute.
Clients often ask where we like to purchase or suggest that they purchase organizing pieces. There are a variety of places we frequent but we wanted to highlight a few of our favorite containers and where you can get them. We also love scouring thrift shops and vintique stores for unique baskets, bins, and boxes. For the sake of giving you immediate options, here are a few things that you can easily purchase in store or online.
In terms of food storage we are loving these wire baskets from The Container Store for a farmers market feel. We love well organized, open faced pantries.
For counter top storage we tend to gravitate more towards baskets and bowls. We noticed this awesome fruit bowl at Target from the Nate Berkus Collection.
If you prefer to keep your counters clear, this hanging basket is a great fruit/veggie storage solution for your kitchen.
For storing fire wood, blankets, DVD's or other home good's we love this collection from West Elm.
For blankets we also love these Jute Baskets from World Market. They come in a few different colors.
We love the idea of using a caddy to contain your cleaning supplies so that you can easily move your supplies from room to room as you clean. This caddy from World Market is our current favorite.
Where do you typically purchase storage pieces?
Fact: I'm way more likely to be organized if there is a cute and stylish way to do it. For instance.....this notepad from Anthropologie. (Which happens to be on sale for $4.95!!!)
If we are being really honest, most weeks I do not meal plan. In fact, the first time I ever tried was about a year ago. I'm getting better at it and the benefits seem to keep coming.
1. I only have to go to the grocery store 1-2 times a week rather than everyday before I cook.
2. I'm saving money.
3. I'm not wasting as much food.
The catch is setting aside the time it takes to sit down and look at my schedule, figure out which nights I need to cook, who I'm cooking for, how much prep time I have, and what to make. In the long run I know it saves time because I'm not running back and forth to the grocery store multiple times a week.
I try and cook 3 times during the week. Most nights I'll make enough to have leftovers as a meal for the next night. If you are like me you have a never ending board on my Pinterest page of really yummy looking dishes to choose from. I usually start there, on Pinterest and narrow down my selection by the time it takes and the overall health benefits of the dish. I have started editing the captions on my pins to include the date that I make something for the first time, thoughts, recipe alterations and whether I would make it again. If it turns out horribly I delete the pin.
I'm really curious. Do you meal plan? Have you ever tried it? What did you think?
It's Back to School Time in Tennessee!
And what does that mean to Help You Dwell?? Well, for one it means that one-half of the HYD outfit has free childcare again. But more exciting than that, it meant that HYD got to be part of the preparation process for Beaumont Magnet Academy on Beaumont Ave. here in Knoxville. This summer Beaumont underwent an administration transformation to breathe life, order & hope into the teachers and students of this amazing Knox County Magnet School. The three women leading this campaign, Dr. Daphne Odom, Ms. Missy Beltrand, & Ms. Tracy Marsh have a vision for success for Beaumont that is contagious as you spend any amount of time with them.
Before
Ms. Tracy Marsh, Asst. Principal, Dr. Daphne Odom, Co-Principal, Missy Beltran, Co-Principal
Along with the exciting change in administration came the challenge of fitting three administrators into the spaces where only two had previously been. After much consideration & a whole lotta furniture removal, HYD had these amazing ladies ready to roll. And many thanks to the KCS painting staff for a stellar job on the walls.
The Beaumont administration also invited HYD to revive the front office space with color, organization & a welcoming atmosphere. Since Beaumont Magnet Academy has a Fine Arts focus, HYD decided to bring life to the front office by showcasing the students' art right as you enter the school. Our favorite find was the 30-foot long tapestry made by students several years ago that had been hanging out of sight. It now hangs in the front office along with several other art pieces & a new lettering making staff, students, parents & guests feel welcomed as they enter.
This job was our longest yet. We learned so much & enjoyed the process immensely. It brought us such great pleasure to see the eyes of teachers & staff light up as they enter the front office. HYD thanks all the Beaumont front office staff for your patience as we moved all your stuff, the encouragement you gave along the way & mostly your dedication to care for students. You are all doing the work that matters. Thank you!
I don't know about you but one thing I can really appreciate is a well thought out guest room. It's amazing how the little things can make such a huge difference in whether a stay is memorable in a good way or a bad one. We have come up with a list of our top tips in creating the ideal space for guests and we would love to share them with you.
1. Whether your guest room has it's own bathroom or whether guests share a bathroom with others in your home, towels can sometimes be a little vague. To make things clear, set out a full set of towels in the guest room so that it's obvious. While it isn't necessary to break the bank on towels for guests, a good set of plush and nicely folded towels does the trick.
2. A folding luggage rack is a simple way to help guests stay organized and makes the room look as if you have prepared for guests to come.
3. Sometimes falling asleep in a bed that's not your own is hard. We suggest stocking guest rooms with a few magazines and a book of short stories. Good bedside lighting is also important.
4. The ideal guestroom is furnished with extra toiletries just in case your guest forgot to pack something. Having a few extra toothbrushes, travel sized toothpastes, shampoos etc on hand is always appreciated.
5. Depending on your relationship with a guest, some people feel free to grab a snack or a drink from the kitchen if they want one and others don't. Just in case, setting out a few bottles of water and some fresh fruit or snack bars is a thoughtful gesture.
6. If your guestroom has closet space, leave a few wooden hangers in case guests have hanging clothes that they don't want to get wrinkled.
7. Let's talk about the bedside table. I always appreciate having an alarm clock. It's nice to not have to fish around for my phone to figure out what time it is. Additionally, a box of tissue is always a good idea.
8. In today's world where most of us have smart phones which means most of us have the notepad feature, a pen and paper are not necessities but I still think it's nice to keep some in a drawer in the guestroom just in case.
9. A scented candle (don't forget matches) is a great way make a room feel more inviting. I love walking into a room that smells nice. A lavender scent is good for a guest room as it has calming effects.
10. Finally, fresh flowers add a nice touch to a guest room and make guests feel celebrated when they arrive.
How about you? Any tips to add or any "what not to do" stories to share?
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?
Photo by Adam Brimer
So... round one of the HYD blog should start off with a little celebration, don't cha think?? We do!
We've put together a little list of ideas to help you host a great get together. You can celebrate along with us! Make it big, make it small, planning ahead & having a few things in place will help you enjoy your guests throughout the shindig.
The warm weather is in your favor. You can now use indoor & outdoor space so be creative, move indoor stuff out to jazz up your outdoor space for the party. Bring some fun lamps out, maybe an extra table, candle sticks, a rug.
Once you've picked your space, time to get organized....
When? Pick a time when you know you'll have time to prepare. For example: If you're off on Saturdays, you'll have much of the day to get ready. Consider your guests as well, when is a good time to get as many of them there as possible.
How many guests? Consider your space, your budget, your purpose for having the party - do you want good conversation with just a few or a fun night of music & mingling with lots?
What kind of food and drink? Are you interested in preparing all the food or would you like to invite others into that by hosting a potuck? HYD is a big fan of the potuck because the host can spend more time creating a great space for the gathering while the guests help with the food & drinks. If cooking is your thing, start early!
Decorations? Get creative and use props. Go to a local thrift store and grab a few candle sticks, a new table cloth or place mats. We love using hanging lights and plants to create a festive and picturesque space. Don't be afraid to ask friends to borrow things for your table scape. We love mix and matching plates and glasses and creating a boho feel.
While all of these things help to create a great party, the guests are the most important part. As your prepare, remember that being present and being able to enjoy the party matter most.
Do you have any parties coming up? We would love to hear your ideas for creating a memorable party.
