Smarten Uo Your Space

Successful people are smart about what they keep around them. You will often see keepsakes of their interests and achievements, signs of projects in progress and always a well organised space. There may also be a comfortable chair to sit quietly whilst contemplating decisions. What you wont see is clutter, junk or an ailing plant, nor piles of old magazines or paperwork, dreary, uninspiring artwork or displeasing hand-me-downs.
Get your surroundings to nourish and support you to the full. It is acknowledged by behavioural psychologists that when you see things around you that uplift you, inspire you and bring you a sense of joy, you are more likely to feel well and interact positively. A tidy clear space that looks great, maybe boosted by some cheery colour accents, has a huge beneficial effect on health, mood, concentration and productivity.
When children grow up and leave home, it is an opportunity to repurpose a bedroom and create new space for yourself, for work, hobbies, exercise or tranquility; a sofa bed will suffice for occasional overnight stays. When it is time to move, it will help to sell your home faster and more successfully if you declutter all your possessions before the viewings commence. Definitely do that before moving. Taking old baggage with you will only bog you down, rather than freeing you up to enter a new phase of your life.
Here are a couple of stylish Feng Shui design solutions to manage challenging situations. Lighten up dull areas and dingy corners by placing a plant there and concealing a low-level uplighter behind it, their illuminated joint effect is magical. Turn an empty recess into a smart functional space by installing floor-to-ceiling display shelves for decor items like crystals, battery operated candles and plants or flowers, plus books and essential folders
with matching decorative covers. Placing baskets along the lower shelves is a stylish storage solution for often-used small items. Alternatively, add doors to the lower shelves to create a cupboard for toys, games and so on.
Before you give up on tarnished paintwork, try cleaning it with white spirit vinegar and washing up liquid added to warm water. Add a few drops of deodorising essential oils such as Lemon, Lemongrass, Ho leaf or Litsea to the rinse water, then buff to restore a good- as-new sparkle.
In addition to what you can see around you, this is a quick revitalising method to spruce up the unseen subtle energy in your living space. First of all open windows and remove stuck negative energy by clapping your hands or banging on a metal object whilst walking round, paying attention to the corners and beneath furniture. Then spray the air with your favourite essential oils diluted in water and have positive thoughts while you do it. Shake the spray bottle before use to blend the molecules. It can be done whenever you feel the desire or need to refresh the atmosphere.
The prime smart move is to clear your own head space by avoiding decision fatigue. Streamline your wardrobe to simplify choices. Split complex tasks into several mini-steps, making realistic achievable deadlines for each one and sticking to them. Develop the skill of delegating certain chores to give yourself spare time for doing more important things, or just use that time to relax.
An inspiring worthwhile read:
“Getting Things Done, the Art of Stress Free Productivity” by David Allen More ideas for smartening up your space: http://www.fengshui-living.com/blog/2023/4/13/innovative-clutter-clearing

Innovative Clutter Clearing

The Art of Tidying

Its an established cliche that clutter holds you up, bogs you down and confuses your mind. It is neither comfortable nor convenient to live with, a visible form of stagnation and an invisible weight on your shoulders. It literally gets in the way of everything.

Even in living spaces that look great, most of us have some clutter tucked away and would appreciate a helping hand to motivate action.

My own home is a neat little urban apartment for two, and we hate to live with clutter. The kitchen has only the essentials for cooking super meals. Our minimal wardrobe space precludes silly shopping sprees. Our workspace is a clever use of limited square footage. Everything has a dedicated place and our possessions are pared down to the bare minimum - or so I thought !

When a client lent me her copy of ‘The Life Changing Magic of Tidying’ by Marie Kondo, I just had to read it. It certainly captured my imagination and a desire to at least experiment with some of Marie’s innovative suggestions. It is quirky, rather simplistically written, somewhat repetitive and with an evident emphasis on the lifestyle and customs of Marie’s Japanese clients.  Nevertheless it is charming, intriguing, motivating. The urge to try out some of her unusual tidying tricks is irresistible.

My scarves are rolled and stood on end in a pretty box that fits perfectly on the shelf where they belong, formerly laid flat and awkward to maintain. It looks like an exclusive boutique. Underwear revamping followed. Lots of cute touches to try out everywhere.   

The clearing mood progressed happily on to letting go of a few folders of well preserved ‘important’ papers and such in our well-organised tiny home office. It did not look much stored neatly on shelves.  imagine my shock when the security shredding firm gave me a receipt for my 44 kilos of discarded paper. Yes really. Need more encouragement - get the book and get started.

Thank you Marie Kondo for your inspiration.  No wonder the book is a best seller.