I had a friend call me and ask for help in getting her house in order. We spent some time going over a few items.
The first item we talked about was capturing a vision of what they wanted their house to look and feel like. We wrote down what they were committed to as a family and how the house played a role in that commitment. I find that if I take the time to write it down, it is more likely to stick.
Then, we walked through the outside and the inside of the house and defined each space. We wrote down what each space was to be used for.
Then, within each space, we created, and wrote down, the zones of activity and/or storage for each space.
Now that each room has been defined, and each room has zones for activity and/or storage, we moved on to the management of stuff…
We worked on one room at a time. In that room, pick up an item as ask the following questions:
- Does this item serve me?
- If yes, ask: Is this item in the appropriate place? If it’s not in the appropriate place, move it to the appropriate place.
- If no, then toss, donate, or return the item. If you are having an issue doing this, ask yourself what it the emotional tie to this item, and get clear as to why you are struggling. It could be just that you are getting overwhelmed by the process. Take a break and come back later.
We talked about how the more we have, the more we have to manage. There is a line that is crossed from items serving us and us serving items.
We talked about how there is a freedom in not having to manage stuff. And that “white space” is soothing and energizing at the same time.
Lastly, we talked about creating a daily home management routine that will help her maintain an efficient home.