Who Needs Help?!
Posted by Joanna on Dec 26, 2008
Ever since August, after my husband and I had painted and cleaned an apartment we are managing for my daughter, our own basement has(had) been a mess. Paint cans and rollers and paint trays and a box that arrived with that sort of balloon like “bubble wrap” which Bob had left on the floor after opening up the box. Mind you- I only see the basement when I go down to do the laundry.
In Feng Shui however, they say that the basement is like your unconscious… bothers you even when you aren’t aware of it. And I definitely had a sense of being plagued – at least each time I went down with the wash.
But life is real and there’s TONS else that’s more important to do. No question about that! Whenever I thought about dealing with the basement it was a no-go. No matter how many times I put it on my TO DO list -it just sat there. YUCK!
Finally last week, despite the holidays just around the corner – I’d HAD IT with the basement. I phoned my friend Suzette, who used to be my assistant, to ask if she could possibly come over and help ME.
Well, it took us FOUR hours last Friday working together! No way would I have done it on my own ! At one point, Suzette asked me what was in the old work bench with drawers. NOTHING! It’s been
sitting there with a bit of gardening stuff on it since we moved in. Well she said, ““What about THAT for paint brushes, rollers, scrapers, clean rags etc etc.” So we put the stuff in the drawers and labeled the drawers. Not rocket science but feels BRILLIANT!
You wouldn’t believe how much better I feel. I have a yummy sense of the order and calm that are down there below me! And there was clearly NO WAY I was going to get it done by myself .
I am SOOOOOOOOOOO glad I asked for help and can start the New Year with an UN-annoying basement. I think most of us have more than enough good intentions! And then bang our heads into whatever it is that makes it hard to DO what we intend! Thus my advice to myself and you is: if you are STUCK in any way ASK FOR HELP! That, in fact, is going to be my ONLY New Year’s Resolution! Want to join me?
Wishing you an incredible 2009!
STUFF & Kindness …
Posted by Joanna on Dec 12, 2008
You are trying to do holiday shopping - frustrated because you KNOW that the people you’re trying to find gifts for already have gobs of stuff!
Remember the ads “For the man who has everything!…” and then there’s some expensive gadget you’re supposed to buy to show that you love him and have been thinking of him.
WAIT! STOP! HALT! Consider the purpose of a gift! It seems to me that the main purpose is exactly what the ads suggest- to let the receiver know that you love them and have them in your radar. I think that most of all we want that sense of caring both from giving and receiving…a sense of kindness in the air. But can that happen without STUFF? I think so.
Here are some possibilities:
A. Think about the person- their favorite dreams and activities -and find a related non-profit group and donate to it. Then put together information and a card saying that a donation was given in that person’s honor. (This may take a leap of faith at first but I know families where this has become the major present each year.)
B. Give some “warm fuzzy time” … coupons for time together! A promise for a shared activity that might not happen otherwise. Coupons -good for three long walks together or whatever it is that you know the person especially loves to do with YOU. Or give a service instead of stuff - something you or someone else can do - snow shoveling, a massage … *
C. Agree to only re-gift this year! Who says that NEW is better? Is there a book you really LOVED reading that your friend would enjoy? Is there something wonderful in your space that you really don’t notice anymore- that would be very welcome in someone else’s life?
I bet you will have more ideas. Some may involve money; some may not. Some people like to ask for wish lists; other’s find that annoying. To me the bottom line is - does the gift express your warmth toward
the person? Put on your thinking cap for gifts that don’t add to an already overstuffed life or landfill.
Wishing you warm sharing and happy celebrations!
Blessings, Joanna
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* I suppose this is the time to remind you that Breathing Space Gift Certificates are available and can be a perfect gift!
Need help??? Try this lovely offer from Inspired Home Office
Posted by Joanna on Dec 12, 2008
3705 Quinaby Rd NE, Salem, OR 97303, USA
Getting Clear
Posted by Joanna on Oct 16, 2008
If you have a second- stop reading and make a cup of tea or hot cider NOW ! I will. I’ll be right back.
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Ahhhhhhhhhhh. Now take a long deep breath - and have a sip.
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It’s early morning here. The moon is going down in the west over the rosy red/gold trees that seem to color the air even before the sun comes up.
It seems to me that this is very much a time in our lives,in our country and in our world for GETTING CLEAR. What I mean, from a Breathing Space perspective and also a spiritual one (whatever your personal faith)is that this is a time to be quiet and get clear - for me too. I am very much including myself in this.
It seems to me a truly right time to get clear
About what really matters to you
About what you truly need
About how to live according to your highest principles.
Perhaps this is the key to what I experience on Sister Parish trips El Salvador. In the small community I go to there is almost nothing of the daily stuff that we might consider NECESSARY yet I get a tangible sense of the people having a huge amount of love and joy.
So maybe now is our time to practice a bit of what they seem to know — for getting clear about priorities.
In the world of STUFF — it’s a good time to again look at all the stuff you already have … and yes, to use the “KEEP TEST”. A really good time to consider what you have around you and why. Does it feed your heart and soul?
If there is something in your space that you neither use nor love, if it doesn’t make your heart sing…pass it on to someone else who WILL love or use it!
As a result, you will have more time and energy to focus on the people you love and the things you love to do.
A small example — Three weeks ago I brought home some very nice corduroy slacks from a church rummage sale thinking I would add to my Fall/Winter choices. They were by donation and looked nice when I tried them on. BUT - for some reason the pant legs REALLY aren’t long enough.
I could keep them around and keep on trying to make them work- but do I really need them? Will they make my life easier in any way?
NO!
I figure I will take them to our local Hospice store today and someone else will be able to get a warm pair of nice looking pants at almost no cost…and I won’t keep wishing they were slightly different. Why spend even one second more wrapping my brain around my pant legs!!!
Although I have had bunches of other tips that I’ve been planning on sending to you– this is decluttering at it’s most basic.
Wishing you a growing sense of peace and clarity with warmest regards, Joanna
Getting Unstuck!
Posted by Joanna on Jul 24, 2008
Last week I FINALLY tackled something that has been even more of a
SHOULD than writing to you. As I finished up I thought - THIS is
what I will write about for my long overdue tip — the sense of
oppression that can come from a not faced, not done task. And the
immense relief that’s possible. Perhaps you have experienced what I
am talking about … maybe at this very moment you have some of
that very frustrating glue keeping you stuck.
You know, people often think that because I help people get
organized, I am EXTREMELY organized myself. Well…. Though I do
like the space around me to be as clutter free as possible, at times
I get mired myself, especially when I’m avoiding something that
needs to be done.
What was my glue this time? Well, way back on June 2nd, after a
pretty difficult day, I was typing at my computer when suddenly our
downstairs neighbor was hollering to me! When I rushed to see what
was happening I discovered a major waterfall streaming onto the floor
from my kitchen sink. I hadn’t heard a thing! Turning off the water
I raced downstairs and found water pouring out of her ceiling light.
Oh my gosh! Turn off the electricity. Get flashlights and towels!!!
We live in an old house- with plaster, lath and so forth and the
downstairs apartment has a painted tin ceiling! I dealt with the
immediate water and mess but over the next few days the ceiling
started breaking out in rust spots. Since the problem was 100% my
creation, it was also mine to fix.
The reasons why I didn’t get to that ceiling? I can’t remember half of
them. Every time I saw the ceiling I would mentally cringe. Meanwhile
other things that felt hard to do were adding up. I’m talking about
WEEKS of avoidance… and luckily a very patient neighbor.
But this afternoon as I write to you whole project is done. Once I
started it only took me a COUPLE OF HOURS and nine dollars at the
hardware store to do the job. PLUS, I got several other things done
while the primer dried! Oeeeeeee.
So.. .dear reader, may you use this tip as a magic wand. It comes with
my hope that in the next couple of days you will jump in and tackle
ONE task you have been avoiding like the plague… don’t THINK about
it any more, just take the first step! Go get the ladder and start.
Wishing you a fine two weeks … do let me know if you there’s any
specific organizing challenge you’d like to have discussed!
Radical Changes In Your Space
Posted by Joanna on Jul 17, 2008
When did you last make a major change in your home or office?
Having lived in our current home for 4 years this month, we finally solved a space problem by taking a somewhat radical step. It’s worked out GREAT!
Why didn’t we do it before? I think because the idea was too “out of the box”, at least our box.
In it’s briefest telling - what we did was shrink our living room and music room/dining room into one room, making the living room which had been seldom used into our bedroom and making our bedroom into my office. Voila! A) No more renting office space, B) We are relaxing more on the sofa in the living room because it is now central, and C) We love our new bedroom!
From our bed we can look out into the trees instead of at the house next door and the French doors to the porch make the bedroom feel quite luxurious whereas we hardly saw them when they were “living room” doors.
Why am I telling you all this?… Because, I want to encourage you to consider your current use of space. Is there a way to rearrange things to create a space you’ve been wanting? Whose rules are you following? And whose home is it anyway?
Do send news about any radical space changes you make! OKAY?
p.s. Questions? Ask away!
While the weather is still good
Posted by Joanna on Jun 20, 2008
It’s a great time to
1) Relish life …
2) Let go of things you don’t love or use…a super time for FREE
at the curbside or yard sales if you enjoy them! (Or just take
the stuff to your local good will!)
With all best of wishes, Joanna
p.s. Basements are good places to declutter on TOO HOT days - other
indoor spaces at times when it is truly too rainy to be outside. Tackle
a small area with gusto - and get outside again soon!
Organizing & Feng Shui etc.
Posted by Joanna on May 9, 2008
Amelia Kinney kindly gave me permission to use her email to me
in full - has some great ideas and alternate perspectives!
Thank You Amelia!
I want to also wish you all - a HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY! The way I
see it- we all (female and male) take on the mother role at times !
From Amelia:
Dear Joanna,
I’ve been doing massive deep cleaning, sorting, purging and
organizing for some months now. And I’ve been following your tips,
after having hired a Feng Shui specialist two years ago.
In regard to your 3/13 e-tip, I would have to differ. I decided I
could not wait to buy organizing tools, having lived with heavy
chaos for the past 11 years. I purge, sort and organize all at the
same time. I’ve found that having and using organizing tools
before I’ve finished purging and sorting gives me some peace of
mind while tackling the rest of the task at hand.
I began my creating order odyssey with my smallest room, the
bathroom; it happens to fall in my Wealth Gua. And I knew I needed
money or wealth to complete the rest of my home. I organized and
painted the bathroom so well that magical money and resources
landed in my lap that enabled me to go back to school and start my
own business. I didn’t even have a car that would drive me back &
forth to my school. But the car happened, too.
I was tackling my work desk the other week and I realized that in
order for me to keep my sanity and to keep up my motivation to
continue purging, sorting and organizing I had to use organizing
tools as I went along–not at the end. Even if only one corner of
one room is clear and organized, that space provides clarity of
mind. In fact, as I think back, I began my efforts two+ years ago
with clearing the kitchen table, that is, taking everything off of
it and wiping it down. A clear kitchen table: just that amount of
external clarity provided enough internal clarity not to be
overwhelmed with a whole houseload of chronic and severe chaos.
I also hire a friend from time to time to help me keep up with the
basics, like doing dishes and vacuuming. When I have no money I
barter services or goods for services. In the beginning, in
exchange for an hour’s cleaning I would cook a complete homemade
dinner. That way we both ate and my house was clean–if still
cluttered.
Get a paper shredder. I got mine off of Freecycle.com
Getting bookshelves was a very important event for me.
If you’re are like me, make sure you date boyfriends or girlfriends
who like to clean and organize. That helps immensely. Myself, I
hate cleaning, sorting and organizing. It’s just not where my
aptitudes lie.
- The past is the past is the past: when in doubt throw it out.
- When shopping for new or recycled things: when in doubt, leave it out (don’t buy it).
Sincerely,
Amelia Kinney—Yes, you can use any of my suggestions!
Your New Year Vision
Posted by Joanna on Jan 5, 2008
Happy New Year!
I’ve been thinking about you - wanting you to start off the New Year
with a sense of comfort and possibility about the spaces you occupy.
I was about to send a specific action tip, but talking about it with
my friend May of www.delicioushealing.com, we realized that we both
wanted our first communication of 2008 to be about the heart of
matters.
So breathe! There’ll be plenty of “what to do” organizing tips
coming your way in 2008 … starting with the one I was about to
send, but right now, as the New Year begins, take a long deep
breath in/out …ahhhhhhhh - and then another, and one more. Yay!
Now, in your thoughts choose one space you wish was working better
for you. If you can spare 15 minutes now to mull over the
questions below - great. If not- make note of the space you want
to think about when you have a tad more time.
Here are a few questions that will help as you consider your space.
Depending on your usual thought process and your current mood some
will work better for you than others. See which one(s)speak to you!
- What is the purpose of this space? Has the purpose changed? And if so- does the physical lay out and the stuff in it still fit?
- How would I most like to use the space? Can I make a shift in that direction?
- What do I really NOT like in this space?
- What do I NEED to have in the space?
- Is there something I would like to feature? A piece of art or a plant or something else?
- If I had a magic wand how would the space feel and look?
Answers to any of these questions will help you envision changes in
your surroundings that will give you a boost as the year unfolds.
As always, I’d love to hear — either by email, phone,(or as a comment
on my blog where these tips
are also posted) what you discover, and what happens after that.
Wishing you great spaces and lots of good surprises in the year
ahead!
Dealing with Your Closet
Posted by Joanna on Sep 21, 2007
Since for many the weather is rapidly changing, I decided to revisit
the closet discussion.
Nowadays lots of folks don’t do the summer/winter clothes thing…
rather leaving everything in their drawers and closet regardless of
the season… BUT for more ease in your daily life I DO suggest
trying the seasonal drawers and closet idea.
The gist is that it is SOOOO much SIMPLER to be able to reach into
your closet and be able to actually WEAR anything and everything
you see and touch.
I confess that my personal system is pretty unsophisticated. I don’t
have multiple closets. Rather, I use the large padded computer bag from
my first ever computer for the majority of my off season clothes.
My winter coats are in the closet in my office but just about
everything else fits in the bag. I place small wrapped travel soaps
in between layers for freshness.
Last night I took out my “winter” bag, unzipped it, and tried
everything on so I could give anything I don’t want or like anymore
to the rummage sale happening at our church this weekend. Summer
clothes that are in good enough shape will be tucked away in the
bag today.
I DO know that plenty of people really love clothes and have a lot
more variety than I do… but I still suggest that you make the
clothes that a) fit you, b) fit the season, and c) that you LIKE to
wear- the only ones you have to look at on a daily basis.
