October Organizing Look Book

We spent some time hunting down a few of our favorite Fall/Winter organizing tools to help you enjoy this season. Whether you're taking on the garage or just need some order at the front door, this list has what you need to get started.

Order at the Door

Fall weather means tracking in more of the outdoors. Drop your shoes or boots onto one of these snazzy trays to cut back on the cleaning.

Antiqued Copper Boot Tray from Garnet Hill

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Cooler weather means more layers. Need a quick place to stash extra jackets this season? Add a seasonal coat rack near your entrance for easy access & quicker tidying up. So many looks out there, we had to give you a few choices for the tall & pint-sized folk as well.

Vintage Factory Coat Stand by Restoration Hardware

IKEA PS 2014 Hat & Coat Stand

Utility Coat Racks in Colors by Room & Board

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Getting the Garage in Gear

The pleasant temperatures make it a great time to tidy up the garage, garden shed, or attic space. Here a some storage ideas that can make those spaces work for you. We love these overhead storage shelves that give you more floor space plus the option of hanging bicycles is fantastic.

Overhead Ceiling Racks available on Amazon.com

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This next storage option is genius. Yard tools can often be a bugger to store well. Unused filing cabinets can be a pain to get rid of. Solve both problems by losing the filing cabinet drawers, lying it on it's side, add a splash of cute paint, & viola! you've got yourself some sturdy storage! Click the link below to find out details on this very doable DIY project.

DIY Tool Stash from Gardenista.com

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Organize your flower pots, smaller garden tools, & watering can onto a potting bench. Just a little investment can go a long way to bring order to your gardening space. The link will take you to lots of styles available on Ebay.com.

Ebay.com

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As always, we LOVE to hear from you! Have any tips or ideas to share? Let us know in the comment box.

Need some help organizing your extra spaces? Call us at 865.245.9080 & we'd love to help!

Fall Capsule Wardrobe (With a Twist)

Well it's officially getting cool enough to pull out some long sleeves. I won't lie, I've enjoyed the lingering warm weather but I'm really excited about sweaters and boots.

http://adiaryoflovely.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/weekend-wear.html

My summer capsule worked really well for me. My mornings are so much simpler and I don't spend nearly as much time getting ready. I did notice that there were a handful of things that I really didn't wear more than once or twice and that I want more variety in my next capsule.

A new idea I'm trying out this time is having two capsules: A work capsule and a weekend/not working capsule (focusing on nicer items). Towards the end of the summer I noticed that a lot of my clothing was looking worn out and realized I don't have many articles of clothing that are a step up from the everyday. I'm hoping that having these two separate capsules will motivate me to wear the grungier stuff for working (because organizing and helping people move tends to wear on clothes) and invest in some nicer options for nights and weekends. This could also work if you have a career that requires a nicer dress code. I think having the two separate capsules makes it easier for me to by pass the items that don't make since for the activity. I keep mine in separate places for the convenience. My work clothes are stored in drawers and my nicer clothes are hung up (sans sweaters that just do better folded)

Mid clothing tornado

Excuse this extremely unflattering picture of me but it had to be included. This is proof that I do understand what it's like for all of you amazing clients who give up things that you have sentimental attachments to but just don't make sense anymore. I've had this plaid shirt since high school. It doesn't button. It hasn't buttoned for 5years. I let it go this week. It was hard but I'm not regretting it.

I pulled out all my cool weather clothing from storage and tried on everything earlier this week. The quick try on eliminated about 15 items. Onto the hard part; narrowing down the things that I still like and wear. Again, it always helps to have a second opinion so I called in my trusty business partner. With Taryn's help I was able to narrow down even further and came up with 40 items. (The technical number is supposed to be 37 but I'm extending grace for myself-I'm also not including work wear in this number) I also know that there are a number of items that I would like to replace but don't want to get rid of until I have replacements. My mindset going into the fall is that if I purchase items, I have to trade them out for items in my current capsule. If you need incentive to purge, we are hosting a pretty amazing Fall/Winter Clothing Boutique and you will want to make room I assure you!

I know my closet's not pretty, but this is real life people. You work with what you've got :)

Sweaters and knit shirts

Sidenote: When I packed up my summer items to store I filled only one large tub instead of the two I filled last year. This is great news because we have fairly limited storage at our house.

Below is a run down on what I kept...

Fall Capsule Nights and Weekends: 40 items

3 sweaters, 14 shirts, 1 vest, 2 pairs of corduroys, 1 pair of black pants, 5 pairs of jeans, 2 pairs of booties, 3 pairs of boots, and 8 pairs of other shoes. (Self diagnosed shoe addict over here)

Fall Capsule Working wear: 16 items

2 pairs of Jeans, I pair of black jeggings (I'm kind of embarrassed that I have these but they are so comfortable), 9 shirts, 2 sweaters, and 2 pairs of shoes (that look terrible but I still love to wear them)

Have any of you tried out capsule wardrobing? What do you think? If not, what's holding you back? I'm super curious to know if some people just don't like the concept or if it seems daunting etc.

Letting Go of the Sippy Cup

Sometimes we just don't see it coming. Life brings changes we never dreamed of. The changes can be full of hope and excitement with so many opportunities and possibilities in front us. Other times, these changes can be the opposite. The loss of a dream, a relationship, or even a life.

Recently, HYD had the great privilege of walking alongside a loving mama named Leanne who had to say goodbye to her baby son. Leanne also happens to be a dear childhood friend of mine. November 14, 2012, Baby Drew entered this world as a mighty warrior fighting for life from day one, 8 months later, he "passed peacefully from parent's arms into the arms of Jesus." I won't begin to share with you the journey this was for my friend & her family, you can only imagine. God never left their side, but the pain endured and the loss they continue to feel matches nothing I've ever known. If you're interested in reading more, here is the CaringBridge journal.

What I do want to share is what life is like two years later, when the room in their house that was to be Drew's still sits waiting for him to come home from the NICU at Vanderbilt that he never left. Drew's mama has tried for months to redo the room, find new purpose for it, and let go of some of Drew's baby gear that he'll never get to use. There are so many emotions attached to these items.

When we lose something precious, our grief process may have some similarities to others but truly it is always our own process. Drew's mom has clung desperately to her faith, her family, and her friends. Leanne's transparency through this journey has been immeasurable. It has also allowed countless others to confess the hard, ask for help, and find healing through inviting others to share their own burdens.

In this season, after all the CaringBridge readers are gone, the sympathy cards and casseroles don't come any longer, and most people think her family ought to be "back to normal," Drew's mom knows that the healing will never be full until she holds her boy again in Eternity. Until then, there's a room in her home that needs new life. This is where Help You Dwell comes in.

Leanne knew it was time. She was ready. She called and said she didn't know where to start.

Caroline and I got there at 10:30am and by 2pm, Drew's room was well on it's way to be a guest and family craft room for both she and her 9 year old son, Nate. 

The process was wonderful and hard at the same time. Drew's mom got to sift through some of the thoughtful, handmade gifts she's received along the way. HYD helped her make decisions about how to donate certain items and how to discard others. One of the hardest items to let go of were the sippy cups she had saved for him. Any of you who've had the blessing of multiple children have saved items from your older kids that the younger ones can use. This bag of sippy cups had been Nate's. All the other items she had saved could be donated or given to a friend to use, but sippy cups aren't really items to share with others. You really just use them for your own kids so she knew they would just have to go in the trash. It's amazing how so much of a person can be wrapped up in an object.

Listening, waiting, and gently encouraging her to let go of the bag of cups wasn't easy but it was good. She would agree. We moved on to the next items and by 2pm, the room was transformed into a place that allowed her to see all kinds of possibilities.

In closing, I want to also share a little of my friend's experience having Help You Dwell enter into this intimate & sensitive place to walk alongside her in this journey.  Upon writing this blog, I shared it with her before posting & she responded with her journal entry just after we had come. Here is an excerpt she gave me permission to share...

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Yesterday, Taryn and Caroline came and helped me declutter Drew's room. It was an amazing, productive, and heart wrenching time. It felt like forever, but it was 4 hours. Funny how you lose a sense of time when you're in that kind of space. (at one point, I commented that cleaning out spaces seems to go a lot faster on HGTV) I was so anxious leading up to our time and asked so many to pray for that time. God was faithful to be there. He gave me a willing spirit to get rid of stuff and to stay on task. He also blessed me with 2 precious sisters to walk with me in this process. What a gift!!

Several times since they left, I have gone into Drew's room and just enjoyed the space. It's open and mostly organized. (there are still boxes to go through, but they are in the basement and out of sight... this could be dangerous. You know, out of sight. Out of mind.) I love the space and the reward of having purged so much stuff yesterday. However, I know the room isn't finished. We began the day yesterday discussing what the space should be. I LOVE, LOVE that Help You Dwell's goal is to make spaces functional and to bring purpose to a room.

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Caroline and I know that when we enter someone's home or even workspace, we often come across the parts of our clients' spaces that stay hidden. We expect to hear stories although they're never required. And always, there is no judgement on our part. We expect a mess, that's why you called us in the first place. 

Taryn, Leanne, Caroline

Fall To-Do List

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Do you ever get to the end of a season and realize that there were so many things you planned to do but never got to? Us too.
There are so many fall festivals, holidays, and events going on and we've made a to do list of sorts to help get the ball rolling for your harvest plans. We love the idea of having seasonal bucket lists as well; things that aren't necessarily all planned out but a list of ideas for the occasional Saturday when you find yourself with no plans.

Source

We suggest carving out an hour with your calendar ASAP to get things on your schedule.

Festivals: Click on the links for more info

• Happy Hollerpalooza (This Saturday- Sept 26)

• Tennessee Fall Home Coming Folk Festival (Oct 9-11)

• Open Streets (Oct 25)

• Foothills Craft Guild (Nov 20-22)

Activities/Holidays:

Photo by Sarah Musgrave

• Host a bonfire

• Take a hike in the Smokies (not sure when trail to choose? Check out the Top 10) If you are looking for a family friendly hike with young kids, "Andrew's Bald" is perfect.

• Plan and purchase or make Halloween costumes for your kids (Need some ideas? Here are a few)

• Seasonal decorating (Southern Living's Fall Decorating Ideas)

• Tailgate with friends before a football game

• Finalize Thanksgiving plans

What kinds of things are on your to do list for this Fall?

"Mi Casa Es Su Casa" : Home Tour with Becky Hancock

This month Help You Dwell sat down with Becky Hancock to get her two cents about creating a home and the process of bringing old things back to life.

Steve and Becky bought their historic home in June of 2004 and have taken on several projects and renovations to make it their own.

One of their favorite projects to date is their kitchen. Using vintage 1950's metal cabinets rescued from a tear down of another building, a kitchen table that belonged to Becky's grandmother, and a light fixture that Becky found at The Salvage Shop, as the style reference, they were able to formulate a plan for a retro kitchen design. In a record breaking 7 weeks, (with front end loading) they totally redid their kitchen and ended up with an absolute gem.

Upon walking into the house you feel a mixed sense of walking back in time (or down memory lane) and feeling totally at home. No doubt, the items chosen in the Hancock home evoke a sense of nostalgia to everyone who comes by. Becky's decorating and home making philosophy stems from the fact that she is drawn to things that represent a happy memory; things that remind her of people, old times, or things that tell stories. Because of this, she is naturally drawn to vintage items. Every item I asked about during the tour had a story behind it and naturally served as a conversation starter. Along with nostalgic items, it's clear that both Steve and Becky are musicians and long time music lovers by the instruments and music paraphernalia that also adorn the home.

Dining Room built-in

Master bathroom extension

Dining room

Old family photos throughout the house create a kind of "walking photo album" cataloging multiple generations.

When asked about living in a downtown neighborhood, Becky explained that her time living in New York created in her an appreciation for living near people of all different nationalities and walks of life. The downtown neighborhoods in Knoxville provide a diversity that much of the city doesn't offer.  Becky talked fondly about getting to know many of her neighbors and the value in building community with all kinds of people. Aside from being able to walk downtown and being close to work, Becky loves old homes and loves being able to be a part of restoring the home she and Steve own.

Becky and Steve Hancock

Becky and Steve are hospitality driven and have opened their home multiple times to friends and family who need a place to call home for various seasons of life. In the spirit of hospitality, Becky says her philosophy of home is "Mi casa es su casa. I want people to feel at home when they are here, that our house is always open; a safe, welcoming, authentic space when you need it."

Thanks Becky and Steve for showing us around your beautiful home!

Why not just leave all that stuff in the attic?

People often take action on spaces or rooms that guests or family see and utilize but what about the spaces that most people don't see; the ones that internally weigh you down? Most of us have a stash hidden in our closets, attics, or basements. Why not leave it there?

Image from Sundaytimes.co.uk

The problem with accumulating things and then hiding them away is that one day they have to be dealt with by you or by the family you leave behind. Often times we carry around subconcious guilt or anxiety about those spaces. We form attachments to our stuff or maybe attachments to the idea of having access to stuff. There is a process that one must go through to mentally prepare to let go of things. Part of the decluttering process begins with a good look at how you think about your things. For many of us, holding on to things is a way to feel safe about a future need that may or may not ever occur. We encourage you to think about what it would be like to only keep items that truly give you joy? Sometimes it's simply a matter of stopping to think about the purpose you originally had behind a purchase. You may find that it's served it's purpose and can be passed along. We've found that decluttering doesn't come naturally to many people. Organizing and decluttering your home can be really overwhelming, even scary at times. On top of those things, letting go is HARD! It usually takes an outsider to help you not get stuck in your head when trying to make decisions on what to keep. It's only natural to begin thinking of all the reasons to not get rid of things when the real question (and way less time consuming question) is whether keeping it will bring you joy. Being ready to declutter doesn't happen over night, it's a personal journey that doesn't work if you've reluctantly agreed after being coerced by a friend of family member. The decluttering and ultimately the organizing process only works when you truly want to be free of your stuff.

Image by Texture Photo

Our goal is never to convince anyone to do anything they don't want to do but rather for you to be so convinced that you need freedom from your things that you make the move to call us. We want you to be the hero of your clutter problem and we are here, ready to guide you along the way.

Behind The Scenes with KARM Thrift Stores

HYD and part of KARM Thrift's team

Have you ever come to a place where you realize you have too much stuff but have a hard time letting it go? We run into this a lot and have found that letting go of things is easier when you know your items are blessing others. Now, when we are helping with a project, we can tell you more about where your donated items are going and the needs that you are meeting simply by giving away your items to people who truly need them. We are really excited to be partnering with KARM thrift and would love to share with you a few of the ways that KARM is helping people all over our community, region, and beyond.

KARM Thrift Clearance Center

Last week we took a tour of KARM's clearance center and learned about what KARM does with items that don't sell or items that are too damaged to sell. KARM Thrift operates 17 thrift stores and the Clearance Center. The clearance center is the last stop for items that didn't sell in a thrift store, or are slightly damaged but could be fixed. Everything at the clearance center is sold at a deep discount. The Clearance Center is the general hub of all KARM thrift operations.

Caring for the community: The team at the clearance center works with a number of non profits and ministries in town to provide for people with no means. They do an incredible job of efficiently and effectively making good use of every donation possible. Below are a few of the ways KARM is giving back.

• Assist with clothing for kids entering the foster care system

• Create move in baskets for elderly individuals moving out of homelessness & into housing

• Provide clothing for babies born at Fort Sanders Hospital whose families don't have resources

• Provide household and toiletry items for people living in poverty in rural Appalachia

• Provide clothing for men coming out of prison and working with Focus Ministries.

• Invite teachers from public schools to come get free art supplies

Sized clothing for kids entering foster care and stock of baby clothing for Fort Sanders babies

The green side of KARM Thrift: All garments & textiles that cycle through the clearance center end up in one of 3 groups. Group A are items that didn't sell but don't have any defeciencies. They are then sold to thrift stores in cities that don't have a donation base large enough to stock a thrift store year round. Group B are items which are slightly damaged be it a stain or a tear or a missing button. These items are sent to third world countries. Some of these clothes are used as is, while others are remade into clothing to fit the appropriate culture. Group C is made up of more heavily damaged items. These are put through a compressor and sold in bales to buyers who then remove buttons and zippers to be sold and separate the clothing by color. White fabrics are cut out and sold to paint companies as rags, colored fabric is sold to auto shops and mechanics, while still others are sold and shredded to become insulation in cars.

Bales ready to be shipped to buyers

KARM uses sheets to wrap bales so that the items inside don't get too damaged to use

We are so excited to be a community partner of KARM Thrift and are even more excited to be able to assist you in the donation process. Check out their website for locations, hours, and to learn more about KARM Thrift and their mission.

"I'm not a professional organizer..."

 OK, well maybe my profession is organizing, but I've never been too comfortable with the title "professional organizer." It continues to be more about the person than the organizing. I think of myself as a "personal organizer." 

Photo by Texture Photo

As Caroline and I talked about this earlier in the week, we both agreed that we love bringing the order and peace to someone's home or work space. It truly gives us such satisfaction to create living and working spaces for clients to move from that "stuck" place into a place where they can live more fully.

Image courtesy of Christina Rosalie

At the same time, letting our clients off the hook a little, showing grace as they share their story, and celebrating the victories as we finish spaces is by far the highlight of what we do.

 

Getting to hear the story that brought clients to where they are, whether they need HYD a little or a lot, and then getting to see hope rise as the clutter begins to clear is why we show up.

That's all we ask of our clients too. Just show up. It might be that the idea of letting go of sentimental or valuable items seems daunting, your budget is limited, or you just don't know where to start. HYD gets all that. To be practical, that's why our initial consultation is free. We want to hear what's going on, give you tools to help, and show up to work alongside you in the way you need us too.

And finally, I can't finish this quick post without thanking those folks that have allowed us into their homes and offices thus far. We have so loved this journey and wait eagerly to be part of yours.

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 New Home : The Hive

The past couple weeks have been quite a whirlwind for our little Knoxville business. For the past year and a half, we have been so grateful for the incredible clients we've met, the beautiful homes we've had the chance to work in, and the opportunities and relationships that have come our way. We've enjoyed all our meetings and markets in our 'mobile offices' all over town including KBrew, Three Rivers Market, The Smith home on Coker Ave, Remedy Coffee, The McLean home on Maplewood Dr, Old City Java, Olibea, MidMod Collective, and Nostalgia.

This week, however, we are over the moon to announce that Help You Dwell has a place to call home! It's called The Hive.

HYD now has a place to spend time preparing, planning, learning, and growing as a company. The Hive is a place for us to better serve you, our client. It's a place for us to be inspired, connected, and to collaborate with creative and innovative minds of other small business owners.

Photo by Emilee Stanley

The space is in the former KnoxTenn Rental building at 854 N Central St 37917 located right next door to Magpies Bakery. (We're also pretty pumped about having them as neighbors : ) Rebecca Ridner, a local stylist of all things lovely, is the visionary of the building and has created a beautiful space for women entrepreneurs. HYD shares a studio with one of Knoxville's most talented wedding photographers, Carrie Jo Pinckard of Texture Photography. Other women currently working at The Hive are Katie Roach, florist of The Katelier, Ali Daugherty, blogger and graphic designer of Freedom Crown, and Rebecca Ridner, prop, wedding and interior stylist.

The Katelier

One of the aspects of this space we love the most is the common area that we all share for hosting pop-ups, workshops, or photography sessions. The light is fantastic, the atmosphere is peaceful and inviting, and the location is in one of our favorite areas of the city. We look forward to hosting our first event, which we mentioned last week, HYD's first Boutique Clothing Pop-up on August 23 from 2-5pm. We'd love to show you around a bit as you peruse Colette's Closet of top of the line clothing at consignment prices.

Keep an eye out for announcements about workshops
and other events this fall at The Hive.

And come by to see us anytime you're in the neighborhood!

A Community Shopping Event

Help You Dwell cordially invites you to join us for a boutique clothing pop up shop from 2-5pm on Sunday August 23rd at 854 North Central Street! For all of the details check out the facebook event page. We are partnering with Angie Hamstead, curator of Colettes Closet for a unique (one day only) shopping experience. Bring your friends and come out for an afternoon of light refreshments and top of the line brands of clothing at consignment prices.

You can expect to find the following brands: Parker, Joie, Elizabeth & James, Anthropologie, Rebecca Taylor, BCBGMaxazaria and more. The images below are a few of the items available to purchase at the pop up.

Angie has an eye for clothing and for styling outfits. We are so excited to offer an exclusive shopping experience. Colette's Closet includes a wide range of styles including "not your typical" orange clothing for the stylish vol fan, stylish work attire, fun casual pieces, funky jewelry, and unique dresses.

A note from Angie...

"Colette's Closet began two years ago as a way to honor my mom. I am blessed to be the daughter of Mary Colette Thompson Scott. She is a beautiful person with a nurturing, caring soul and loving spirit. As her only daughter, we have logged many hours of shopping together over the years. Over the past decade we have grown a special love for consignment shopping. We have so much fun "treasure shopping" for great finds at awesome prices. We have always had champagne taste on a beer budget! In February, 2013 my mom had an unexpected heart attack that resulted in a six bypass surgery. We are so blessed that she came through the surgery and recovery with flying colors. The inspiration for Colette's Closet came to me while sitting in the ICU waiting room the day after her surgery. Colette's Closet has proved to be a great avenue for spreading the love for consignment shopping and the thrill of finding designer clothing at affordable prices. Last year I had the privilege of hearing the Dalai Lama speak in Birmingham, Alabama. He told the audience that "when one has, one shares." In that spirit and in honor of my mom, I donate 10% of all proceeds to an organization that benefits women or children. Smile Train was my charity of focus last year. I am proud to support Thistle Farms this year."

If you aren't familiar with Thistle Farms, it is "A community of women who have survived prostitution, trafficking and addiction. They believe that in the end, love is the strongest force in the world for change."

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The Quick List for Back-to-School Organization

Here in Knoxville, the start of school is just over a week away for most of us. It's time to plan, shop, and prepare for another year of learning and growing. To start off the school year right, HYD wanted to share a few tips that can help make the transition more simple and efficient.

1. School Supplies

• Obtain your child's class supply list from his/her school as soon as possible.

• Take advantage of Tennessee's tax-free weekend August 7-9

• Wait for discounts on items like clothing, electronics, and shoes that typically drop in price around mid-August

• For eco-friendly options, check out MightyNest and earn money for your school while you shop.

2. Ease into School Routine

• These last weekdays before school begins, begin waking late sleepers up a bit earlier and re-introduce school year bedtime.

• Keep snacks readily available for kids throughout afternoon as meal times during school may differ from summer eating routines. Real Simple has a great list of snack options.

• Remind your kids what you expect from them in their morning routine and after-school routine so they know what they're responsible for. Here is a checklist HYD likes.

3. Calendar Prep

• Find your school's or your school system's calendar for the year and place all important dates including holidays, in-services, half-days, and report card days on your personal calendar now.

• Create a central calendar the whole family can see with school and after school activities using a paper or whiteboard so it's easy to read and adjust like this one.

4. Prepare for Paper Piles

• Make an effort from day one of school to fill out each form as you get them, place them back in your child's folder, and back to school before it gets lost in a pile.

• Create a system for keeping art or school work that allows you to discard all other items the day they enter your home. In other words, go through folders each afternoon/evening, look at each piece of work, if it is an original that you would've liked to have seen as you looked back to that age and you have no other like it, keep it. Otherwise, recycle it.

5. Teacher(s) Support

• Try not to miss any opportunity to meet your child's teacher or teachers. If you're not able to meet in person, reach out with an email to introduce yourself and offer help to make the school year successful. This is invaluable to both your child and his/her teacher. Teachers need our support, encouragement, and helpful knowledge that only we can give them about our child.

Help You Dwell wishes you and your family a safe and successful 2015-2016 school year!

Downtown Knoxville's "Elvis Artist" Dwelling : Home Tour with Mark Burns

If you have ever taken a walk down Gay Street in Knoxville, Tennessee, you have probably noticed the larger than life mural of Elvis. We had the opportunity to sit down with the artist, Mark Burns, and his wife Lorraine to talk with them about downtown dwelling and what home means to them.

Mark and Lorraine always told themselves that once the kids grew up and the dog moved along, they would make the move to downtown living. Three years ago they jumped on the opportunity and haven’t looked back. Lorraine says they have never regretted the move.
When we walked into the Burns home we immediately felt at ease. No doubt a combination of easy going personalities and a tasteful yet casual atmosphere create that feeling.

We began our conversation wondering what their decorating process looks like. We so appreciated Lorraine’s practicality when she started off talking about making wise purchases and not jumping on the trends. Lorraine describes their style as more traditional. With Mark’s art thrown into the mix, the space takes on a personality of it’s own. The Burns’ loft has tons of beautiful exposed brick with large windows giving them a great eastern view. Lorraine pointed out several pieces in their home that have been passed down from multiple generations of family. “Changing up your accessories and rearranging furniture makes it easier to feel like you have freshened up your space without going out and spending tons of money on new things.”

One of the things the Burns love most about downtown living is the community they have found. They love being able to walk out the door and run into friends. The Burns specifically love the diverse group of people that live in their building: The Phoenix. Mark and Lorraine spoke of spontaneous “porch parties” where residents congregate on the patio right outside the lobby on Gay Street. Mark describes downtown living as a different kind of social opportunity. “Lorraine and I will take a few drinks down to the patio and before you know it, 8 more people have joined us.”

The original Elvis Eyes

“My art has always been about “speaking community. There has always been debate about the purpose of art. Many people think art is about making a statement but to me, I just love hearing the conversation that art sparks. I don’t care about making a statement, I just paint what I like and watch how it impacts people differently.”

— Mark Burns

Mark uses the patio space as more than a social gathering spot, he frequently sets up shop to paint or sketch on the patio in the open air. In late high school, Mark was offered both a football and an art scholarship to the University of Tennessee. Mark accepted the football scholarship and majored in art. After an illustrating job in Atlanta and some freelance work, Mark found that he preferred the freedom of making art on his own time and picking his own subjects. He has made art for his own enjoyment rather than as his full time job for the past several years. Mark has gravitated towards pop art for as long as he can remember. He commented that he started out airbrushing t shirts the night before the Worlds Fair opened in Knoxville and over the next several weeks and months became quite accomplished. After putting art away for many years, he has, in more recent years been enjoying creating art for the public. “The Elvis mural really seemed to connect with people. I love seeing people stop to take pictures with the mural. Outside art is communal, it brings people together. My art has always been about “speaking community”. There has always been a debate about the purpose of art. Many people think art is about making a statement but to me, I just love hearing the conversation that art sparks. I don’t care about making a statement, I just paint what I like and watch how it impacts people differently.”

Mark painting out on the patio in front of the original Elvis mural

In the same way that Mark creates art, we love the idea of creating a home that you like,  and not being concerned with making some kind of statement. If you love the space you live in every day, you’ve created a home that is rightfully a work of art.

Digital Photo Organizing Idea

Today when I checked my photo software on my computer, I had 29,083 photos. The first problem here is that I need to get many of them off my computer & onto a hard drive so my computer doesn't go kaput on me, but that's a post for another day. The second deal here is,

"How in the world will I ever organize that many photos?!?"

Well, I'll be honest here, I don't plan to go back & organize all 29,083. Thankfully my software does organize them by date so that helps. Over the years, the digital photo world has made gift ideas, especially for grandparents, much easier. I can always go back, by date, & find just the photos I need for a calendar, a mug, a mouse pad, a photo book or a framed photo. Just to be able to do that has been great. But so many times I was just making gifts for other households & not my own. How was I to get these photos into books in my own house?

Many years ago, I took a scrapbooking class from a friend who talked about the importance of our handwriting in a photo book. Now the online books are great, don't get me wrong. They're quicker than making a scrapbook, colorful, & fairly easy to make. However, you don't get to write in them like you do scrapbook that you place photos in by hand.

About 8 years ago, when my oldest turned 5, I had an idea. (Of course, this is before Pinterest when I still had my own ideas.) I had my son make his own scrapbook of the his favorite photos from his first 5 years. I had him write captions in it, add stickers he liked at that age & just let go of any expectations I had for how it would look. It turned out great! At that point, I decided that I would encourage each of my kids to create their own book every 5 years. So far, we've gotten 4 books done & my middle child turns 10 in a couple weeks & we're already gathering photos on a file with her name on it to get printed to make the 5th book.

So, no there are not thousands of photos printed in dozens of books or frames. In fact, we've missed a bunch, but there are these treasures that will be with them forever. And my kids each have books that remind them who they are. They see their own handwriting at 5, 10 & eventually 15. They have looked at those books more than any other book in our house. They show them to their friends, laugh out loud, tell stories about the photos & enjoy them thoroughly. It wouldn't be the same if I had made them or had them done online.

This would also work for us big people too. Take the pressure off yourself of trying to organize all of them. The next time you're inspired, pick a year or three or five or maybe one event & start a file labeled "photos for book," start pulling in your favorites, get them printed & have at it. It doesn't have to be fancy with all the stickers & such, just your photos, your handwriting, your story. Trust me, that's the best one to tell.

How to Hang a Gallery Wall

In my dining room lives a sad wall. It's sad because it's windowless, goes on for days, and is screaming for attention. Currently it is stark white and has nothing on it but that's all about to change. If you follow us on facebook or instagram you know what I'm talking about.

I came home from Home Depot with approximately 4,000 paint color cards and finally landed on one over the weekend. The ol' sad wall is getting a coat of Behr's Vintage Coral Paint from their Marquee Odyssey Collection. The lighting in the two pictures is kind of wonky but the one I picked is the bottom option in the first picture.

But that's not all. I have big plans for this wall. It's going to be adorned with an array of art. If you have never installed a gallery wall it's pretty simple. Follow these steps to create one of your own.

1. Search your house, garage, parents attic, thrift stores etc and collect a group of wall hangings. Think outside of the box and get varying shapes, sizes, frames, etc. Consider hanging actual objects as part of this gallery as well. Don't be afraid to mix wood frames with metal etc. Some people prefer a color theme but it's not necessary.

2. Gallery Walls work best at eye level. You don't want things too high or too low. If your wall is shared by furniture, make sure you leave several inches between the top of the furniture piece and the bottom of your lowest hung art. You don't want your gallery to look crammed onto the wall. Smaller pieces need to be hung lower or at eye level while your larger pieces can be hung higher.

3. Arrange all of your art on the floor in front of your wall to figure out the order and spacing before you hang. Don't get too hung up on perfectly re-creating your floor arrangement but use it as a guide. I usually snap a picture of the arrangement on the floor just to refer back to as I'm hanging.

4. This will make some people cringe but I hardly ever measure before hanging things. If you are fine with a few imperfections I highly recommend eyeballing it. It helps if you have someone helping you so you can have them hold each piece up while you step back and evaluate before nailing it in. 

5. Hang the big stuff first. Smaller pictures or paintings can be moved around more easily. The larger pieces will inform the whole collage.

6. Step back and enjoy your work and the awesome art you have collected and can now display in your home.

Celebrate your Independence from Clutter!

That's right. We want you to get free from the clutter. HYD is celebrating our great nation's independence by offering 1 hour of free organizing or staging.  No matter how big or small the project, we want to give you some of our time to get you closer to freedom from your extra stuff & bring some peace & order to the spaces that need it most.  Details below...

How do you get this free hour?
Call or email us by July 18 to schedule your free consultation.

All you need to do is:
Email us at info@helpyoudwell.com or call us at 865.245.9080 to set up your free consultation today!

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HYD can help you with all kinds of organizing & staging needs.
We can help with:

- Organizing Home or Workspace, including every room in your house as well as your place of business
- Organizing your Home or Workspace before a move & assist with organized packing
- Staging your home to sell using items in your home to make it look it's best
- Create space for a new inhabitant:  baby, parent, roommate, etc
- Refresh your existing space using items in your home &/or workspace

A Home That Serves: Home Tour with Travetta Johnson

We sat down this week to chat with our friend Travetta Johnson about the concept of making a home and her ideology on decorating. Travetta and her husband own a beautiful Victorian home in a downtown Knoxville neighborhood. 

When you walk into the Johnson's home you immediately feel like you can breathe a little easier. I've always loved Travetta's ability to create beautiful spaces that somehow feel like home to everyone that comes through the door. Walking through their house is almost like reading a book. Travetta loves art, objects and pieces of furniture that tell a story.

I asked Travetta to tell me about how she decorated and chose the pieces in her home.

I love mixing old and new styles. I'm drawn to items that have history. There is something really sweet about your grandchildren being able to use the highchair that you used as a child or reading the same books over the span of generations. Pairing the older more antique items with more modern, clean lined pieces creates a really nice contrast. One concept that I have found really helpful when decorating an eclectic home is to mix things from different time periods keeping in mind that pieces that were made at least 50 years apart tend to be more cohesive. In general I focus on simple beauty by using things that invite people in, like flowers from the garden, a bowl of fruit, a photograph. To keep things interesting, I consider contrasting texture, color and shape when I curate a space. Establishing a natural flow between our home and the outdoors helps create a comfortable feel throughout the house. There is something nostalgic about porches, open windows and the hum of house fans.

Tell me about what roles your home has taken on in various stages of your life.

I read a book when I was in my 20's that changed the way I thought about my home. The book focused on the difference between entertaining versus hospitality. I want my home to be less about making impressions and more about making people feel welcome. Home is a place for people.

I've found that the role of my home has changed in different seasons of life. In early marriage our home was based around that concept of hospitality. We often hosted potlucks, game nights, and bible studies. When we had young children, home evolved into more of a place of retreat and nurturing. As our kids got older the hospitality theme resurfaced and now with grown children, grandchildren, and aging parents our house has served as more of a care-taking and provisional refuge again.

How do you find the balance of creating beautiful spaces without becoming obsessed with the appearance of your home?

The phrase "Man was not created for the Sabbath but the Sabbath was created for man." comes to mind. In this same way, we are not created to serve our homes but rather our homes are created to serve us. Homes feel ordered when they revolve around people and not vice versa. I've found that my taste and style has developed over time. I no longer feel the pressure to constantly redecorate in order to stay on top of the trends. There is a really sweet balance of creating beauty and comfort in your home and yet being content with it once it is settled.

Organize with Style - Our Recent Finds

This week we're sharing some of our finds in the organizing world
to help clear up a little clutter while looking fabulous too.
Hope they inspire you as much as they did us!

West Elm

These baskets by West Elm have endless uses while brightening up any space. Use them for towels, a hamper, toys, or as an entryway catchall.

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TopHome

We love this 8-pocket bag that can be used for any small items like cosmetics, cell phone, keys, or any small personal items you need a home for.

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Bliss Home

Find a home for all the little notes scattered around with this magnet board from Bliss Home.

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World Market

The cutest metal picnic basket for a delightful outdoor summer meal! Such a delightful way to pack up your picnic.

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West Elm

Drop your spare change, your keys or any other little treasures into the Heritage Catchall.

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After The Leaves Fall

Using reclaimed barn wood, After The Leaves Fall, creates beautiful storage for your earrings, bracelets, & necklaces with this lovely jewelry organizer.

Father's Day Gift Guide

On June 21, we celebrate the dads in our lives. HYD's gift guide gives you a head start on your hunt for the perfect thing. Some finds are local, some regional, others just straight from the heart. Let us know if you've got any to add to our list!

“A dad is someone who wants to catch you before you fall but instead picks you up, brushes you off, and lets you try again”

Go Forth Goods

1. The Traveler Mug by Go Forth Goods is one of our favorite handmade gifts for dad this year. Great for a mason jar full of coffee or sweet tea on the go!

Nothing Too Fancy

2. A vintage-inspired, super soft T-shirt from Nothing Too Fancy located near Knoxville's Market Square on Union Ave. They have an amazing selection of T-shirts with all kind of Tennessee goodness.

Mast General Store

3. Give dad a basket full of his favorite treats while you let him eat it guilt-free! HYD recommends checking out Mast General Store on Gay St. for a selection that never ends.

4. My husband's favorite accessory, his Patagonia Tech Web Belt. This guy is multi-purpose keeping dad looking handsome, his pants up and opening a bottle if the need arises. Find it in Knoxville at River Sports Outfitters or Uncle Lem's Outfitters.

Wildsam

5. Wildsam Field Guides not only navigate you through a city but tell the story of the place as well. Part documentary, part map, part oral history, these guides give the dad in your life just the adventure he's been looking for.

6. A gift card to one of these fine coffee establishments is great way to thank dad & to get his engine revving in the morning. Find them at Old City Java, KBrew, or Remedy Coffee.

7. If none of those strike your fancy, give dad a gift he will always cherish. A photo of the people that gave him his title. (Choosing a pic that includes the time he caught that really big fish is just a suggestion.)

Real Life Capsule Wardrobe

Before: Disregard the top half of the closet in both pictures. It belongs to my honey and he isn't quite sold on the idea of a capsule wardrobe.

After

Yall.....things got really real over here last week.

Let me begin by saying that I probably purge more than 80% of the population and thought a capsule wardrobe would be a cinch for me. It was wayyyy harder than I imagined.

Through the process I realized several things.

1. It's somewhat easy to purge your own closet of things that you don't like anymore, never liked and kept out of guilt, or things that are (let's face it) NEVER GOING TO FIT again. I did this kind of purging before I brought out the big guns.

2. An extra set of eyes is super helpful. I called in reinforcements and tried on almost every article of clothing I had (an embarrassing number) and said "fire away" to two amazing humans who said "please don't wear that in public" or "you should definitely keep that" to each item I tried on.

3. I realized that I was keeping several things that I loved and wore almost the entire summer (4 years ago) and just hadn't stopped to realize that I don't love anymore.

4. I filled up 3 laundry baskets of clothing/shoes to get rid of or sell and don't regret any of it. I was honestly shocked that was able to let them go so easily after I had a second party agree they were past their prime or unflattering.

5. I might have a shoe and shirt problem. You guys... it's bad.

Here are a few pictures during the process. My room was totally clean pre-capsule making and this is what it looked like after about 30 minutes. YIKES!

The hardest part was the final narrowing down to the smallest amount of clothing I could manage --we are talking a total number of 40 items including pants, shorts, skirts, dresses (not fancy ones--just everyday ones), shoes, and shirts. NOT EASY YALL!

My capsule broken down contains 5 pairs of pants, 2 shorts, 3 skirts, 1 dress, 2 vests, 19 shirts, and 8 pairs of shoes.

The only purchases I made were two pairs of shoes for my summer capsule. Both from Target. I've been wanting a pair of more stylish tennis shoes to wear for the summer and I spotted these and couldn't resist.

I'm only a few days in but I'm totally sold already! My mornings are drastically less chaotic because I have so much less to weed through. I love how open my closet feels now. I even went out and treated myself to some new wooden hangers.

We would love to hear from you! Would you ever try doing a capsule wardrobe for a season? Have you done it before? We want to hear about it!