Month: December 2021

Beginnings

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Hello, friends! I hope you all enjoyed the holiday weekend.

Now that Christmas is over, talk of change is popping up everywhere. Normally, I don’t get all sappy and reminiscent this time of year. (Going into 2021, I was just grateful to be leaving a tumultuous year behind us.) Looking back at the past year, however, I realize how much has changed in my life. I got married, made a huge career change and launched my own business, decided to ditch some old habits, and finally started living a life that I actually enjoy. I have no idea what is waiting for us all in 2022, but whatever it is, I hope it’s a year filled with more of the things you love.

Lots of people will begin their decluttering journeys next year. Knowing where to begin the process can be a real challenge in the beginning. My advice to you is to start small. Look at the following list and pick just a few of these things to start with. You don’t need to start with every room. Just pick one and do a little at a time. The goal is to get rid of the things no longer serving you, not to create additional stress for yourself.

…and don’t forget to have some fun with it! 😉

Don’t forget to join the New Year, New Habits Challenge on social media if you want to really get a jumpstart on kicking those bad habits to the curb!

Join the Challenge!

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Now that we’ve begun discussing habits, I invite you to join me in the “New Year, New Habits Challenge.” This is where we’ll jumpstart the process of turning our bad habits into better ones, ones that will help move you towards the life you want to have.

It doesn’t have to be scary or overwhelming. Rather than try to tackle all of your bad habits at once, I encourage you to pick just one habit. One habit that’s adding clutter to your environment, such as:

  • Leaving dirty dishes in the sink every night
  • Letting bills and paper accumulate on your desk
  • Stuffing things in closets or under the bed instead of finding a proper place for them
  • Ignoring the laundry until it’s overflowing from your hamper
  • Leaving children’s toys all over the floor, rather than pick them up

Whatever bad habits you have that are creating stress and chaos in your life can be changed. (They didn’t become “habits” overnight.) Beginning January 1st, I challenge you to spend 14 days tackling one of those habits. Even if you only spend 10-15 minutes on it a day, I promise you’ll begin to notice a difference and it will become easier.

Don’t forget to spread the word and share your pictures on social media. Tag @TheRemakeStudio so others can join in and work on remaking their lives, too!

New Year, New Habits

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Most human behavior is the result of habit. Setting your purse on the table when you get home, the way your husband leaves his shoes next to the bed, the way your kids leave their breakfast crumbs on the table…All habits. Even though you are completely unaware of it, many of the things you do on a day-to-day basis are the result of your brain signaling for you to repeat previous behaviors.

As we move into the new year, think about the habits you’ll be carrying with you. Think about the life you want to create for yourself. Are your habits supporting that life, or are they pushing you further away from it? If your goal is to be more organized and live with less clutter, stress, and frustration, that habit of letting dishes accumulate in the sink for days may not be serving your best interest.

This is the time to take action and change those habits, to move towards the life you want. “Why now?” you may ask. Why not now? You owe it to yourself to create a life of happiness. So let’s make it happen!

Move Over, Wrapping Paper

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Every year tons of cardboard gift boxes and wrapping paper get thrown in the trash on Christmas. (I’m not even going to look up the exact number, because I know it’ll be depressing.) Instead of contributing to all that waste this year, consider using different types of organizing bins, boxes, and baskets to hide presents in that the recipient can use later.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Stackable acrylic and bamboo boxes are great for holding jewelry, cosmetics, gift cards, and other small trinkets. (Here’s a cute fabric version, too.)

Photo storage cases are great for things other than photos, like craft supplies and small toys.

With all the different designs and sizes of fabric bins available, you can gift pretty much anything in style these days. (Personally, I like these best for bulkier items, like sweaters, boots, and purses. (The Bigso boxes from the Container Store would be another great option.)

Use magazine holders for books, comics, and magazines.

And, of course, there are always baskets for everything you could possibly imagine. (Just look at this adorable cat shaped basket!)

*This post was inspired by a reel I posted on my social media account last week. Visit me on Instagram to check it out.

The Weight of Disorganization

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Failure. Guilt. Shame. Did you know that these are common feelings among people with super cluttered homes? In a society that encourages rampant consumerism and materialism, areas of our homes can easily become dumping grounds for gadgets, toys, and clothing that we’re pressured into buying. All of that stuff, on top of hectic work schedules and endless hours of parenting, can start to feel incredibly burdensome when we are faced with the dilemma of how to keep it all organized.

As a professional organizer and fellow human being, I understand the overwhelming emotions that can stem from a messy home. I have been a victim of embarrassment, anxiety, and feelings of inadequacy, all because my home wasn’t as clean or tidy as I wanted it to be. And while most of us could probably benefit from learning to cut ourselves some slack, if the same stressor continues to make an appearance and wreak havoc on our emotions, shouldn’t we learn to tackle that, too?

YES.

Change can be daunting, especially if you’re already stressed. However, many people find that once they begin the organizing process those feelings of being overwhelmed start to fade. Organizing will help you regain control of your life by giving you back all the time and energy that gets lost among the clutter. You’ll also gain a greater sense of peace and satisfaction with your surroundings, thus making “home” a place of comfort once again. Don’t you deserve to be happy in your own home?

The answer is YES. Now, let’s make it happen!

Holiday Declutter: Avoiding Burnout

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Most of the people I know seem to fall into one of two groups:

a. The “I love everything about the holidays” group

b. The “Ugh, it’s the holidays” group

If you identify with the first group then this post is probably not for you. (Go put up some more lights and buy your family matching plaid pajamas. This is your time to shine!) If you find yourself in the second group, then I welcome you to the club.

Many people get super stressed around the holidays. When you’re a kid it’s all Santa, presents, and excitement. Sadly, it no longer feels like “the most wonderful time of the year” when you’re an adult and all sorts of additional expectations are thrown at you. There are presents to buy, parties to attend, dozens of cookies to bake, and family members demanding your presence. This is where step one of the organizing process comes in very handy. (Yes, the principles of organizing apply to areas outside of the physical mess in your home! Don’t worry, there will be plenty more on this later.)

The first step of organizing is to declutter. Simplify. Purge. Edit. It doesn’t matter which term you use, the principle is the same: Cut back. If you want to be less stressed around the holidays, then it’s time to cut out the excess. Despite what anyone else says, you don’t have to do everything during the holidays. Did you get that? You don’t have to do everything during the holidays. A lot of people feel like they have to cram their schedules with as much “stuff” as possible this time of year. If you’re already working a 9-5 job, parenting, taking care of your house, running your kids back and forth to soccer practice, and doing all the normal day-to-day responsibilities adults get stuck with, adding an additional week’s worth of activities on top is going to leave you exhausted and stressed. For what? For the sake of saying you did a Christmas photoshoot every year? For the sake of seeing those relatives that you don’t speak to the rest of the year? For the sake of attending more parties than you did the previous year?

If any of those things are important to you/your family, then that’s great. Keep it up. You should do the things you enjoy during the holidays. If you’re just doing them to please other people, or because you feel like a “failure” if you don’t do them all, then you need to reevaluate. Will some people be disappointed? Maybe, but that’s their problem, not yours. Focus on yourself and the things that bring you joy, too.