ORDER + STYLE

APRIL 1, 2020

NEW DAY. NEW WAY.

If someone had said a month ago, “You will be confined to your homes and will need to stop work, play and any type of group socializing”, I’m sure we all would have laughed, and walked away. But as each day unfolds we are experiencing this: new day, new ways to live. It is not a time to be in top gear all the time, give yourself permission to go slow some days and just enjoy this window of change.

There are ways to keep ‘the normal’ and relish in the time we have been granted to do those extra things for ourselves, our loved ones and those people who have no one and need our help. Here are just a few ways to navigate these new days, new ways:

• BEGIN ON THE SAME PAGE. Talk with your family members to make sure every family member knows how they can help out during this time.

• SET UP STRUCTURE. Maintaining a routine is important but it need not be strict. Try and stay close to your normal routine and enjoy having more spare time than usual.

• GET THINGS DONE. There are certain things that will be important to get done - school, working from home, chores and life tasks. But it’s also a great time to clean, fix that broken gate, organize your tax papers… the list is long, I’m sure.

• INDULGE. Spend some of this extra time on yourself and improving your life. Cook fresh meals, walk outdoors, play board games with your family… give something back to yourself.

• GIVE EACH OTHER SPACE. When you are all used to heading out the door each day independently, having that door closed for most of the day can be a challenge. Create different personal zones for everyone, a place to go and just chill without the distractions and noise of others. Remember to respect that everyone is different and may need different things during this time.

• A CHAOTIC HOME CAN LEAD TO A CHAOTIC MIND. Start your day by making your bed. Having a home that is clean and organized when the world around us seems so disorganized and unpredictable can bring a sense of calm to all those involved. Do a ‘ten minute tidy’ throughout the day, this will help you stay on top of the flow of stuff and keep your home feeling less chaotic with so many players around.

• READ A BOOK. Chances are there are many books in your ‘to read’ pile, now is the time.

• DON’T FORGET TO HAVE FUN. Yes, strange times for all but it will help to put the real problems in perspective and eliminate imaginary ones.

• DEVELOP KINDNESS, ENTHUSIASM AND A SENSE OF HUMOUR. Three essential ingredients for life, especially in these times. Reach out to those friends and family who are alone, a phone call can go a long way.

• BE SATISFIED WITH LESS. Less will always be more, even more so now.

Time to organize

4 steps to success

No matter the project, follow these four simple steps to achieve success every time.

define

Before you start any organizing project, the key step is to ‘define’ how you want to use your space. This step can be done by asking yourself these simple questions. What activities will take place there? How many zones will this space need? Who will be using this space? What furniture or organizing tools will the space require? What currently works in this space? What doesn’t work in this space? How do you want this new space to look and feel? Once you have answered these questions and defined your space, you are ready to start. Stay true to this definition throughout the project.

MINIMIZE

This is not only the hardest step, it is the most important one and takes the longest. In this step, you must touch everything in your space and minimize your inventory. The goal is to be able to see your whole inventory and make the necessary purging decisions about that inventory. Asking yourself these questions will guide you to the items that stay or go. Do you love this item? Does it make you happy and deserve a place in your life? Have you used it/worn it in the last year? Does it work/fit? If you didn’t have it, would you miss it? Is it broken or in need of repair and/or worth paying the money to fix? Does it belong in your active inventory or does it have sentimental value and belong somewhere else with keepsakes? The goal is to be left with your true inventory and once you have that, you can move to the next step to organize.

ORGANIZE

With your valuable true inventory, you can now begin to organize. Organization is two-fold. It is about finding a home for everything in your space but also introducing systems of flow that will help to maintain and keep the new order moving forward (The one in, one out rule). This step also involves introducing organizational tools that will make your new space function well and create homes that are accessible, visible and beautiful.

STYLIZE

Every space - no matter the size or scope of the project - should be stylized. The only way your house becomes your home is if each space protects your personality through colours, art, personal items and photos. Because minimization is all about taking so many things away, this step is about introducing your personality back into your newly organized space. You should smile each time you walk into that room or open that drawer. Always remember to pat yourself on the back… for a job well done.

“Be kind, ridiculously, radically, endlessly kind. Be part of someone’s good day.” bobohu