Help You Dwell shares 4 simple tips for organizing your phone to keep you intentional and focused.
Easy Ways to Organize your Linen Closet
Closet Refresh : How to Make the Most of Your Closet
3 Things You Can Do Right Now For Your Community, Your Family, and Yourself.
3 Ways to Refresh Your Entry Way for Spring
Entry way by Meegan Buschor of Mia Interiors
When March rolls in, we move out… outside! It’s that time of year to transition our lives from cozy and cuddled to playing and planting. Spring is just around the corner and we want to come alongside you to help transition your home and life for the changing days ahead. Each week this month we will bring you helpful insights, inspirations, and steps for you to get a kickstart on spring organizing.
Let’s begin with the places in our homes we use every single day! Do you think much about your entry ways? We’re talking about any space that welcomes you and your people into your home. This could be your front hallway, garage entry way or mud room. Whatever you call your “drop your things and kick off your shoes” space… we’ve got some tips for you to get you ready for a new season.
Inspiration from @industrieelchique
PURGE
Begin with a fresh start! As you look at your entry way, consider what clothing, jackets, or shoes may be piling up that you may not need anymore. Perhaps kids have outgrown shoes. Start by pulling everything out and organize them in piles with like objects. Sort through each pile determining what to keep and what could be dropped it off at your local KARM store.
Tessa Hop’s natural tones brings simplicity to this clean entry way.
ORGANIZE
Put away your winter coats (when its finally warm enough!) and your heavy boots in their off season home. Pull out that rain jacket and gardening shoes to replace your winter gear! As you enjoy the simplicity that comes as bulky clothes leave, leave only what you need in this area as it can become cluttered easily. Start with assigning a hook, cabinet, or cubby to each person in your home.
Consider decorative bins or a shoe rack or tray for your remaining shoes to stay tidy. Tyne Martinez of Atlanta, in an article on The Scout Guide recommends “choosing a material that adds interest without detracting from the house’s aesthetic, and opting for a style that reflects the formality of the abode.”
Here are a few links for items much like you see in Tessa’s simple and stylish entry.
Juniper Home’s recent mud room reveal has us drooling!
DECORATE
As always, we want to walk into a beautiful home as well as a functional one… but keep it simple! A small antique table for your keys can add some charm to a small entry way. A welcoming bench brings a warm space for taking off muddy spring boots. Save a hook to show off your favorite hat or basket full of spring flowers! Transition a favorite piece of art or collectible to display in this area to bring some life and warmth.
Unsure where to start when considering donating unused items from your home? Read these past HYD blog posts on donations:
Featured
These 5 Things : February 2020
5 Tips for the Back to School Routine
One thing I love about a new school year is, it’s new. We begin the year with all As, we get fresh notebooks, new teachers, and get to start again. It’s also a great time to adopt a few new habits surrounding the school routine to help stay on top of the schedule, the clutter, the schoolwork, and to encourage your kids to have their best year yet. We’ve compiled a few tips to get your year off on the right foot!
5 Tips to Streamline the Back to School Routine!
Image: Magnolia
1 . An Established Landing Space
This will look different in every home, entirely dependent on your home’s layout. This is an area that should be relatively close to the entry and exit point used each morning. Landing spaces can be useful to collect bookbags and store to-do baskets. Think of this as the command center of the morning on the way out the door. Check out this blog by Joanna Gaines for tips on how locker baskets can be used in your landing space!
2 . Routine Checklists for the Littles
Printable checklists ( laminated or put behind a glass for use with a dry erase ) can be so helpful to guide littles along their new morning routines, this gives them a sense of ownership of their morning and you can still be directly involved to keep them on track.
*We’ve created these two printable options as a framework to your morning routine!
3. Streamlined Schedules for the Big Kids
For kiddos that aren’t exactly kiddos anymore, a virtual approach could keep the entire family on board the same ship! Google calendar app can be a great option for synchronizing sports schedules, events, and the heavier after school schedule that the teen sports/club years can come with.
Another option is a centralized large chalkboard or dry erase calendar in the home. This is a great addition to the landing space or command center and can be a great reminder when headed in or out the door each day. There are definitely pros and cons to each calendaring options, find what works best for your people.
4 . Art & Schoolwork Management
A great habit to adopt for school work brought home is “touch it once!” If the assignment is a worksheet or test from class that has no emotional connection to your child, and your child is ready to let go, after acknowledgment of their efforts and skill they now have by doing the practice, it goes to the recycle bin immediately.
As for artwork, a great rule of thumb for what to keep is to see if you can see the unique work of your own child in each piece. Once that decision is made, a clear Rubbermaid tote with your child’s name and school year(s) can be used if originals want to be kept.
Another option we love is ARTKIVE. ARTKIVE lets you send in all the originals to be professionally photographed and bound into a hardback book or a framed piece!
Image: Home Stories A to Z
5 . Designated Homework Areas
This can be such a stress reliever in many ways encouraging productivity, organization, and quality of work. Establishing a homework zone can communicate the same thing to a child as “going to the office” can for an adult. You set the tone for their work flow and focus by designating study areas. This can be as simple as a lazy susan with cups of supplies easily moved to the middle of a table, or as established as a study nook in the home. Wherever the investment, the reward will be worth it!
Being Present in the Middle of May
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.”
Loving Mom Well this Mother's Day
My mom & my girls 2016
After leaving the home of a client who recently lost his mom, I’ve been a bit more reflective thinking of my own mama and my life as a mother. I am so very fortunate to still have my mom here and healthy. She is one of my biggest cheerleaders and supporters by encouraging me, toting my kids from here to there, attending all kinds of her grandkids’ games and performances, and mostly loving me well in all my ups and downs that motherhood, marriage, and owning a business can bring.
We’re 3 days away from Mother’s Day 2019 and I’ve been contemplating how do I really celebrate my mom, let her know how priceless she is to me, and create a memory that I can enjoy when she’s no longer here. As some of you who know my mom or may have read in previous posts, my mom is quite the collector of things. She’s got some mad skills when it comes to finding deals, personal shopping for family and friends, and creating an amazing storyboard of all her finds and family pieces in the place she and my dad call home. Having lived in the same old farmhouse for over 40 years allows one to create quite the collection. : )
I say all that to explain why giving my mom some of my time, a little muscle, and some serious purging encouragement would (wink, wink), by far, be the best gift I could give my mom this Mother’s Day. Now for you, your mom may be a natural born minimalist and giving your time in her home may not be the best help. My encouragement to anyone reading who has a mom that they’d like to love well this Mother’s Day is to take a minute now and think about her. What’s her season, her newest hobby, a restaurant she’s always wanted to try? There are lots of directions we could go here, but my hope for you is to be able to find one act of sacrifice on your part that would be life-giving to her. Below is a short list of ideas, and I would love to hear your ideas in the comments below!
Whatever you land on, I hope you get a chance to connect with your mom, be it in person, over many miles, or in your memories.
And to all you mamas out there, Happy Mother’s Day!
Big love,
taryn
IDEAS FOR MOTHER’S DAY GIFTS
Technology teaching session // Help her get up to date on the technology she needs to stay connected either with giving her your time, the time of your teenage kiddo, or professional help from a local techie like Neighborhood Nerds or Happy Mac
Take her out to brunch or lunch // Some great spots in Knoxville are: The Plaid Apron, Olibea, Holly’s Gourmets Market, Wild Love Bakehouse, Farmacy, Cazzy’s Corner Grill, Jackie’s Dream Cafe
Make an appointment for the both of you to get a mani/pedi instead of just a gift card for her // Natural Alternatives, Lox Salon, Moda Nail Spa
Offer to assist in getting her photos printed and make a photo book or maybe just get some recent one in frames around her home
Schedule a photo session with your mom and extended family with a professional photographer
And our favorite… give her a Help You Dwell gift card! Our Mother’s Day Special is available until Saturday night at midnight & you get a whole hour for FREE!!
Image Texture Photo
Start 'em young
Taryn with Kate, Will, and Eli Ruth // 2008
I became a mom with very few plans in place for how I’d spend time with my child or children, how I envisioned my home being set up for little ones, or how many kids I wanted to have. I’d always hoped to be a mom. I just didn’t really have specific ideas of exactly how that might go down. Almost 17 years into motherhood, and 3 amazing kids later, I am both thankful for that somewhat clueless beginning and at the same time, a bit regretful that I wasn’t more intentional.
Image: Texture Photo // 2018
I’ve found that not having concrete expectations of how motherhood would go was a gift in that it allowed for a whole lotta grace. Not so much pressure on them or on me to be someone I had dreamed up in my head. I think I have been able to pay closer attention to each one of my kids and their unique personalities, ways of relating, and specific needs better since I didn’t have rigid expectations of what I wanted parenting and my kids to look like.
Being somewhat clueless also paved the way for new relationships and a sweet reliance on family. I am fortunate to have started motherhood off with some incredible new mamas who I’ve shared this crazy adventure with and who are still some of my dearest friends. We learned so much from one another. I am also a very blessed gal to have a mom and mother-in-law who have shown me what great love and sacrifice for your kids looks like. All good gifts in the midst of my cluelessness.
However, there is one area that I do wish I had been more thoughtful about at an earlier stage — how to create spaces in my home, and spaces in our days, for my kids. I had to make a lot of mistakes in this area before realizing there’s a better way. Of course hindsight is 20/20, but if I had taken a bit more time to think through what items &/or areas in my home that would encourage my kids to learn, explore, and love well, I would’ve saved myself lots of hours of singing (and doing) the “clean-up, clean-up, everybody everywhere” song and dance, procrastination, guilt, and frustration.
On May 2 at The Back Porch Mercantile, this is the exact topic we will be teaching on.
How do we get a baby’s room ready with all the needs but not the excess?
What’s the best way to create a play area for toddler’s that allows them to explore but doesn’t turn my house into a plastic toy jungle?
Do I keep all my preschooler’s handprint art and the other 724 pieces of art they’ve created?
Toys through the years and how to store them in a way that your kids can actually clean them up.
How do we do birthdays and holidays well without filling up on too many gifts?
What to do with all my elementary-age child’s school work?
How do teach my kids to organize?
I have learned lots raising this boy and my two girls. I’m still learning. And whether you’re a new mom or a few years in, my hope for you is that through some intentional, thoughtful planning, you can create the best space for your kids and for you to be the best mom you can be.
Image: Paige Severance (and her cutie twins!)
get outside!
We love this time of year. Watching everything come back to life after the long (wet) and dark winter is so refreshing. The change of season can bring shift in our perspective and revival to our spirits. With the start of spring comes excitement and ample opportunities to enjoy beautiful east Tennessee.
Image from Visit Knoxville.
Here are a few ways we encourage you to get outside & welcome the new season…
Explore Knoxville’s tree-based adventure park, Navitat, at Ijams Nature Center, or take a hike on one of the Center’s trails.
Pack a picnic lunch and bring a blanket for a sunny feast at Sequoyah Hills Park.
Sweep off porch and patio areas. Make them more inviting with a new welcome mat or strand of lights.
Enjoy a beer with a friend at the Bearden Beer Market to support Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful.
Celebrate EarthFest’s 20th year anniversary at SoKno Taco Cantina.
Image from Outdoor Knoxville.
Enjoy a Signature Spring Wildflower Hike at Norris Dam State Park.
Participate or cheer on participants downtown for the Covenant Health 5K & kids run.
Instead of going to the gym, head to Lakeshore Park and traverse the loop at any pace you please.
Begin preparing your gardens and attend Easy Vegetable Gardening seminar at Stanley’s Greenhouse.
Make a bonfire & invite new neighbors to enjoy it with you.
Paper Organizing Tips
From junk mail, bills, and cards, to kid artwork, schoolwork, and other miscellaneous files, paper can be overwhelming. While technology has eased some of the physical load paper brings, it certainly cannot (and I’m not sure ever will) eliminate paper in our lives. So… what to do?
Here’s a few tips:
Treat your paper piles, filing cabinet, desktops just as you would your closet.
Purge before organizing. This may sound painful, especially if you have a lot to go through, but it’s so important if you really want to get a handle (and more space in your house!) on your paper.
Going though every single piece of paper in your house may be too overwhelming right now, but in the meantime, you want to get control of what’s coming in.
Handle the mail every day.
Don’t bring the mail in until you can go through it right then.
Sort the papers into trash, recycle, and keep.
The “keep” category would include anything that requires action — bills, RSVPs — or anything you want to read — cards, newsletters. Put the “keep” mail in one place, preferably some sort of basket, bin, or box (not a pile).
Sort through other incoming papers daily into trash, recycle, and keep.
The stacks that come home from work or school can add up, so be sure what you’re deciding to not trash or recycle is truly worth keeping.
Encourage your kids to help choose which projects or artwork stays, and which ones to let go of.
Set one time a week to go through the “keep” bin.
Pick a time that makes the most sense for your schedule — Sunday afternoon might work for many, or maybe you have a morning or afternoon that’s typically free of other obligations. It’s all about creating new rhythms and habits to stay on top of the paper beast with a simple system.
Questions on how long to keep files?
5 Reasons to Hire a Professional Organizer
Texture Photo.
1 - You are likely a busy person
When you hear the word “busy”, you might quickly assume that this is a negative word… not necessarily. Depending on the family members you have, social groups you are a part of, church you attend, or organizations you support, there are so many events, demands, projects and opportunities you could participate in. This is a wonderful dilemma! To fill our lives and schedules with meaningful encounters and engagements is a luxury. Instead of blocking off a whole day or week of your time to get your home in order, allow us to come help you with the task. We can free you up to be able to participate in all of the things you love, without the weight of a disordered or cluttered home. If “getting organized” is merely an item on a long to-do list, it’s probably going to get overlooked and pushed down the list week after week. However, if you have a scheduled appointment, you are much more likely to make it happen. We are ready to help, and we can hold you accountable to your goals. We can even work on your space while you aren’t home if that works best for your schedule. Fill your time with the things that bring you life, and let us handle the rest!
2 - You have too much stuff
Over time, the items in your closet, dresser, cabinets, pantry, basement, garage and attic have accumulated and expanded. That’s a lot of places for excess to pile up. At some point you may have had “just” what you needed to live well and enjoy your space, but chances are, you have more than enough now. This “more than enough” is taking up precious real estate in your space. It might even be causing you to waste time and energy, while also costing you more money and stress than you intended. You might have to climb over excess to find specific items in storage areas. You probably spend too much time filing through hanging clothes to find that one top you are looking for. Before a system of order and simplicity can be implemented, there must always be a purge. This is sort of like taking inventory of all of your belongings, touching them and making an intentional decision on whether or not each item stays or goes. We do our very best to inform our clients about where to donate specific items that will be put to good use. Purging is not for the faint of heart. You often need a second pair of eyes to make decisions— we highly advise you to not do this alone.
3 - You are emotionally attached to your stuff
Texture Photo.
We’ve all lived through painful experiences and losses. Sometimes belongings are are passed down from a loved one that we aren’t sure what to do with. Not knowing the monetary value of items can also cause confusion in the decision making process around what to keep and what to let go of. We all grieve and process transitional life experiences differently. Give yourself grace here. There is no “right” way to do this. Gifts can carry such heavy sentimental value, while at the same time serving no real functional purpose. We are able to impart this foundational truth to many clients while sifting through emotionally difficult items - letting go of an object does not erase or eliminate the memory associated with said item or the person who gave it to you. Think 50 years down the road - do you want your friends & family to feel weighed down by any gifts you have given them that they simply keep because they feel guilty getting rid of them? Or, do you want them to feel the freedom to cherish memories without holding onto every single gift or trinket?
4 - You aren’t sure where to start
When it’s your own clutter you’re trying to tackle, it can be personally overwhelming and debilitating. (This is even true for us, the professionals). We oftentimes start small, because the sense of success and accomplishment from one organized area, is what will fuel you through the larger more labor-some areas of your home. When getting to know our clients, we always listen first - this allows us to make a prioritized plan of what spaces should be organized first and in a way that serves you best. We ask questions to find out what matters most to you, what is valuable to the people in your home, and what you hope the overall outcome of organization in your home will look and feel like. We are mindful of the fact that each space affects other rooms in your home and take that into account when coming up with a plan. This allows us to be more efficient with your time, energy, and resources. Although you live day to day in your home, we enter in with a fresh perspective because it’s all new to us. Most importantly, your clutter doesn’t scare us - we see the potential from the get go! Once we’ve hit the “reset” button on your home, you’ll be more able to keep up with the rhythms and routines of organization.
Texture Photo.
5 - You’re facing a life transition
Life is always shifting and changing. Just when we settle into one season, the next one is creeping up on us. Sometimes sudden life altering events come crashing in with no warning. From small changes to sudden or tragic ones, all changes leave us needing to re-settle and reinstate order so that we can press on and adjust. Sometimes an urgent move or job shift creates a pressurized demand for changes to happen quickly in your home. We often are just the compassionate helpers and additional hands you need to finish a looming project. Welcoming new people into your home such as a baby, an aging parent, a foster child, or a relative for a temporary or extended stay, can create a list of to-do’s that can feel impossible. If you’re facing complex or challenging life transitions like divorce or death of a loved one, we are able to help you find a path forward. We make it our mission to help make practical and manageable plans to help our clients through these difficult situations. In such chaotic and painful times, we strive to bring a spirit of hope and peace of mind all the while, getting tasks accomplished.
It’s been a privilege to work with our clients over the past 4.5 years. Everyone has a unique situation and it’s our greatest joy to listen and learn how we can best serve you.
donating and selling books
As organizers, one of the questions we consistently get from our clients is how and where to donate or sell the books that they are ready to pass along. We've compiled our list of recommendations and are eager to share it with you.
If you are ready to organize and purge your books, we recommend that you take the time to look through all the books throughout your home. Rather than simply purging a bookcase in one of many places that you keep reading material, plan to put your hands on every book in the house! Don't forget cookbooks, textbooks, and children's books. Once you've gone through all of them and have your purge pile, the following steps will come in handy...
Step 1: Determine whether each book is donate-able/sell-able or whether it simply needs to be recycled. If it's water damaged, dry rotted, or torn up it's not worth donating. Go ahead and recycle that sucker.
Step 2: Donate: If you don't want to fool with selling, simply donate your books to your local library or to a thrift store. If you have children's books to donate, you can also drop them at one of the many free little library's around town.
Step 3: Selling: There are many approaches and ways to go about selling your books. For a quick way to offload mass quantities of books, McKays is our recommendation. The amount of books you drop off will determine how you sell/how long you wait. For guidelines check out this link. In addition to McKays, Amazon now has a buy back program for certain books that they will pay shipping for and purchase from you in exchange for an Amazon gift card. For textbooks we recommend Barnes and Noble's buy back program.
Step 4: Enjoy the space you've created in your home by purging the books that you no longer need or want!
Outdoor Space Organization
What is "Stitch Fix"?
What is Stitch Fix?
The simplest answer is: an online subscription and personal shopping service in the United States. They put in the work of styling an outfit for you behind the scenes. Then it ends up on your door step. Pretty clever and convenient, right? We wanted to try it out because we are dedicated to bringing simplicity and intention to even your wardrobe.
How does it work?
3 easy steps: 1- Fill Out a Style Profile, 2- Request a Fix Delivery, 3- Keep What You Want.
The process was in depth without feeling endless. They gather the information once, to be able to meet your needs over and over again. Their hope is to save their customers time and money. They have developed a system that streamlines the shopping process and provides you with a few fresh clothing pieces that you might not have found on your own.
The Cost:
You pay $20 stylist fee, but this payment goes toward any items of clothing that you decide to keep & purchase. It's a minimal investment to get a feel for their process and see if it is a good fit for you.
Image via Stitch Fix.
Our Review:
Stitch Fix has really fine tuned their process to be as painless and simple as possible. It was convenient and fun! Enjoying items that were specifically picked for you, can be such a treat. Shopping can feel overwhelming and burdensome as far as time, money and energy go. Another perk is that they put together an entirely new outfit for you, even if you don't choose to keep each piece - they've provided a fresh look from top to bottom. We can all so easily get in a style rut with the clothing we have. Their packaging was pretty and simple, everything was delivered in great condition and their instructions are very easy to follow. Overall, even if you don't keep any of the items in your Fix, it is a fun experience. We really enjoyed getting to see new brands, and items we don't typically see in most department stores. The downside: if you are a bargain shopper and love to search for the best deal - this might not feel as satisfying to you. If you also love to browse endless aisles and racks of different options - this could feel limiting to you.
What are your experiences with online clothing/style subscriptions?
Organizing tips for cleaning off your desk
This past Monday was National Clean off your desk day! Yes, there is actually a national holiday for that! Who knew?
Getting your desk or home office space organized can often be overwhelming so we've compiled a few tips to help you get started.
After
Before
Step 1: Sort everything! Clear the surface and empty each drawer. Make piles of office supplies, things that don't belong on your desk, and go through that paper work! A good place to start in terms of paper is to think about the broad categories--Recycle, shred, file, attend to. The attend to pile will be the most time consuming so don't get hung up here quite yet.
Step 2: Find a place for each category. Using drawer organizers or a rolling cart if your desk doesn't have drawers for supplies makes it much easier to maintain order so that you aren't facing a disorganized and overwhelming desk again in 3 months.
Step 3: Allocate. Put everything in it's place-- including filing, shredding and recycling piles. Add a few simple decor items or a plant to your desk top if you'd like. I find that I'm more likely to use my desk if I've "beautified it".
Rolling Cart
Step 4: Work through that pile of paperwork that needs attention or action. Pay any outstanding bills, add any appointment reminders to your calendar, flip through the magazines and purchase or discard, and start a to do list of anything that can not be attended to at the moment. Keep that to do list on top of your active pile and commit to working through it over the coming weeks. If you have a place and a plan for your desk, the maintenance piece will just be your active paper pile.
Step 5: We would love to see what you are up to! Post a before and after picture of your desk and use our hashtag #helpyoudwell Or if you'd like to skip steps 1-3 and let us do it for you, email us at info@helpyoudwell or give us a call (865)245-9080!
Items Inspired by this Post:
Introducing Origami Day!
I am so excited to introduce HYD's new friend, Samantha Lane, founder of Origami Day, to you. HYD is so thrilled to learn about her new company and how she's helping folks with time management and personal productivity!
Samantha came up with the idea after a health scare a few years back that led her to rethink how she was spending her own time. Soon thereafter, she attended a time management class where the lightbulb came on and Origami Day was born. Samantha's been applying Origami Day practices in her own life for some time now. After walking alongside friends and colleagues assisting them with their calendars and how to use their time more wisely, she realized she had lots to offer our busy culture.
So what is Origami Day? We'll start with the fabulous, simple, and very functional products:
The 2018 Origami Planner Notebook
This planner/notebook is so lovely and brilliant as it allows you to see the month as a whole, helping you keep track of the bigger picture with a year view as well. But that's not all, the journal has space for note taking, big ideas, and other important scribbles. These features allow you to only grab one item instead of a planner and a journal and a notepad. Available locally at Rala and online.
The Origami Day Planner Sheet
These sheets are designed with a unique grid that allows you to plan your week thoroughly. The next step is to fold your sheet along the provided lines allowing you to see your present day and the following day encouraging you to stay present and not be overwhelmed by the entire week. Available online.
Time Management Presentation
Samantha leads dynamic sessions that will inspire any audience to get excited about Time Management or Personal Productivity. Whether you are looking for a workshop, a conference speaker, or another special event, Origami Day is a great choice.
Origami Day is more than just the products though. It's also a new way of thinking. Samantha is dedicated to creating a culture shift, even if it's just on a small scale. She's come to realize that...
“... how we spend our day is how we spend our life.”
Samantha Lane, Founder
Just as HYD has seen the freedom and renewal that comes from decluttering the stuff in our homes, Samantha is now experiencing the great power that comes from decluttering one's schedule to create space and time for the things in life that truly matter.
And be on the lookout for some exciting collaborations between Origami Day and Help You Dwell this Spring!!
-- You can subscribe to Origami Day's newsletter here for Time Management tips and for upcoming events --
Ideas for an Organized + Meaningful Thanksgiving
Before you get overwhelmed or let another list of ideas make you feel like you aren't doing "enough"... we're sharing these tips to bring just a little additional function or fun to your Thanksgiving, but it doesn't have to be complicated. There is something very sacred and special about welcoming guests, family and friends into your home with as minimal fuss as possible. The hospitable act of opening your door, your table, your kitchen, your heart and your family is not to be taken lightly. Give yourself some grace. And if you are the one visiting someone else's home, go with gratitude. What if you chose not to get caught up in the expensive decor, fancy fixings, or newest trends this year? We challenge you to make a little commitment to yourself and whoever you are gathering with - that you will simply be grateful to gather, and the rest is all secondary.
Our ideas to bring functionality + fun to your Thanksgiving:
Image from The Pretty Blog.
Turn up the tunes. Make a family mix playlist on Spotify, so that everyone gets to hear a few of their current favorite songs. Or you can pick a genre or artist that everyone will love and have it playing in the background all day.
No Phone Zone. What if you and your guests all put your phones away (silenced and in another room) during your meal? Consider how this could eliminate distractions and foster togetherness at your table.
Take your feast outside. If the weather allows, shift your Thanksgiving meal outside - embrace the crisp fall air and a change of scenery. Ask your guests to bring camping chairs and set up a fire to enjoy after the feast. This will allow time to linger and savor the day a little longer. This blog post is an incredible inspiration for your outdoor Thanksgiving.
If you have help, take it. Don't try to be a superhero - let your people pitch in and give you a hand.
Walk it out. If you can find just 20 minutes, grab a neighbor or loved one in town and step away from the kitchen and enjoy fresh air and company for a brief break. If you enjoy your Thanksgiving meal for lunch, this is a great idea for the whole gang after the meal. Get your body moving for just a bit, you might even enjoy that pumpkin pie a little more if you do.
Links we're loving:
Image from The Pretty Blog.
Printable Thanksgiving worksheet - beautifully simple design and thought-provoking questions. This is a great way to include everyone at the table in conversation. Spend time sharing your answers!
Leftover Labels from The House that Lars Built blog.
Kraft to-go food boxes on Amazon.
Get real fancy with this Pie take home box printable. Print it on a fun color card stock paper.
Get the Look - Holiday Table Setting
Whether you are planning an epic Friendsgiving, or hosting your annual family Thanksgiving dinner, your table is about to take center stage and we are here to help you celebrate. Your table can create mood, reflect your personality, and provide a festive gathering space for loved ones. We have highlighted a few styles we love as well as offered some simple tips on how to achieve these looks on your own this holiday season.
RUSTIC: The design emphasizes rugged and natural beauty. It embraces nature-inspired textures and simple earthy colors. The ultimate goal is to create a feeling of unpretentious and organic warmth.
Photo via: Deer Pearl Flowers
Take a few steps outside and search for natural elements you can incorporate.
Keep the color palette simple by using soft neutrals, browns, & greens.
Mason jars are always a winning element with this look.
CONTEMPORARY: This design features neutral elements alongside bold color. The look should focus on the basics of lines, shape and form.
Photo via: Lauren Conrad Blog
Use natural materials such as marble plates or wooden chargers to create an effortless contemporary look.
Brass is making a come-back. Stand out with a soft palette and bold silverware.
TRANSITIONAL: This design envisions new takes on old classics. Mixing and matching your old items with your newer style is key.
Photo via: The Perfect Palette
Bring out your traditional silverware and mix it in with your updated tableware.
Spray paint some small pumpkins, pine cones, or berries to create a fun new twist.
As shown above, mix and match gold and silver to really make your table pop.
Let your table be a refection of you and your family.
Keep it simple.
Use what you have.
Add personal touches.
Mix & match.
Add greenery, plants & flowers.
Create height with stunning center pieces.
And most of all, create a space where you and your guests feel welcome to gather.
