Happy Spring! I know you may still have snow on the ground depending on where you live but here in Texas, the bluebonnets are blooming, pollen is EVERYWHERE (Ugh!) and the temps have been in the breezy 70’s. When the weather gets like this, I get spring fever and have the desire to clean house–or clean office–or both! Spring is a great time to revitalize your space…here are some quick tips to help you get started…
Have you ever visited a home where you immediately felt comfortable and welcome? You know the kind. The colors pop, lights twinkle, conversation flows smoothly and the energy just feels good. Healthy and prosperous spaces are usually filled with love and respect as people intentionally care for each other and their possessions. To create harmony in your home and/or office, follow these simple steps for some powerful and lasting results.
1. Reduce clutter! The most effective way that I know to reduce clutter is to implement systems. That way, things will get put away where they belong! Life happens. Between junk mail, the kids’ muddy soccer cleats, the home office and pet toys, homes can get a little chaotic. Put systems in place like:
- a coat rack and a basket for shoes by the door
- a dish for everyone to collect their keys and cell phones
- a folder filing system for bills
- a hook to keep Fido’s leash convenient
An easy way to figure out what systems you need is to do a quick inventory of your home or office. Walk around your home with a sheet of paper and catalog the “hot spots”, the areas where there is either a mess or the energy feels chaotic.
After you’ve made your list, choose the top area that feels like it could use the most attention and analyze it. Why are things out of place here? What kind of system could we implement to make the flow better?
You can do this alone but having an objective perspective from a friend or professional organizer or interior designer can certainly expedite the process. After you’ve implemented a system or two, chances are, you’ll feel some relief and be motivated to put even more systems in place.
2. Add color! Colors can have both psychological and physiological impacts on your life. When you need to bring new life to a space, try adding some new colors to revitalize the energy in the room.
Surround yourself with bright colors to inspire you or soothing colors to relax you. Google “the psychology of color” and you will find all sorts of graphic images detailing the properties associated with each color.
Choose a nature pallet. If you love the beach, consider decorating your home with sand and linen toned fabrics, dark chocolate brown accents (found in a lot of exotic seashells), pinks and sea blue. If you love the mountains, use dark greens to represent trees, navy blue to represent a lake or waterfall and white accents for rocks and stones.
Paint a wall or a room. Paint is the easiest way to transform a space with little cost (and some elbow grease!). Consider how you want to feel in a certain room and match the color to the energy you want to evoke in that space. Or if you don’t want to paint the walls, try painting an old piece of furniture that could use a lift!
3. Create sacred spaces! It can be hard to keep all of the rooms of your home clean and tidy all of the time. But with some conscious choices and clear boundaries, you can create pockets in your home that feel like a sanctuary.
If you like to meditate, pray or read, create a quiet corner. Include special pillows, a prayer shawl, candle, icons, favorite books, a journal – anything that supports you in incorporating peace and quiet into your life on a regular basis.
If you are creative, claim a room (or corner of a room!) as your studio space. If you keep your art supplies in an easily accessible place, you’ll be more likely to give yourself permission to create and actually use them!
Make bedrooms food, work and noise-free zones. Televisions, computers and phones don’t help us to sleep. No wonder so many Americans have insomnia because they go to bed and watch the news and hear stories of war and violence before sleep.
Or try keeping just one room in your house always neat and tidy. Doesn’t it feel great to walk into a room that is clutter free? Your eyes have enough time to rest on pretty artwork, admire playful throw pillows or cherish your grandmother’s silver. Reduce the amount of “stuff” you have and you’ll feel liberated.
Revitalized Action: What area of your home or office needs revitalization? Pick one small project and start!
Here’s to colorful and clutter-free sacred spaces!
Elizabeth