Summer is my favorite time of the year because of its inherent simplicity. A simplified and organized home and life is a state of being I’m trying to capture and create as a constant reality throughout the year for both myself and others. And now it’s a concept I’m excited to be able share as part of the Openhouse Blog . Yes, Homegoods is one of the stores I LOVE to shop at for “organizing” products (who knew?!) for both myself and my clients. I might just let you in on some of my great buys too.
Summer vacation is a wonderful opportunity to gain a little perspective on our cluttered lives. Campers and Cottagers experience first hand the simplicity of fewer “things”that need caretaking and the beauty of simple, spare and natural decor. Hotel Guests revel in the relaxation that accompanies a clean and organized space at the end of a long journey or a busy day. They appreciate how just a few decorative elements create a feeling of luxury.
But then we get home with the luggage and the laundry and the brochures and souvenirs and all our best intentions to simplify our life and home become nothing more than beachside dreams. My own recent trip with my family to Amish Country was a strong reminder that simplifying your life is not that simple.
So, I thought I’d start by sharing 3 quick tips for a NEW start toward a more simplified life and home:
Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today
Every “thing” in your home should have a place as close as possible to its point of use
When you replace an item, toss or donate the item it replaced.
What steps have you taken to begin simplifying your life and home? What areas of your home would you like to see more organized? What great organizing products have you found at HomeGoods?
1. Packing and Unpacking
Both create chaos in the house and in my head as I try to remember everything. And there is never a trip that does not include about 15 minutes of a very unpleasant sensation in my belly as I drive away, all the while ticking through the list of things that should be in the suitcase.
To minimize the anxiety, I agree with myself that the transitional chaos is OK because it will only last for a contained amount of time.
As I proceed through my day, I place items in or near the suitcase when I naturally encounter them. Does the baby need a diaper change? I follow that by counting out how many disposables I’ll need to take on the trip and leave those near the suitcase. I pack toiletries last, placing them in the toiletries kit, instead of back on the shelf, after their final use. When most of the stuff is gathered, I think through the coming days’ outfits, gather those, and then organize everything that’s piled nearby into the suitcase. One day of chaos ends in a well-prepared travel bag.
The same goes for unpacking. I open the suitcase in a central location, fetch things as I need them, and put them away in their drawers and closets after I’ve used them. All dirty laundry goes directly into the laundry basket for transport to the washing machine. Things headed to the same vicinity of the house may be piled together. Whenever I pass in that direction, I take a handful from the pile with me. I permit stuff to be half-way to its “final resting place” for one day only.
This seems to feel less overwhelming than trying to do it all at once or putting up with extreme clutter in this small condo for more than one day.
by Dawn — 7/24/08 at 11:30 am #
2. Excellent advice for simplifying the packing/unpacking process, Dawn. Thanks so much for sharing.
by joan — 7/24/08 at 12:46 pm #
3. Hi Joan,
I’m a big list-maker…I keep a packing list on my PC and print it out whenever we go on vacation. It’s funny how as the kids grow, my list changes…unlike Dawn, we’re finally out of the diaper-stage so traveling is much more streamlined now!
Susan
by Susan — 7/24/08 at 2:56 pm #
4. For me, organizing is a repeating cycle. Each area gets attention when it cries out for relief! This summer, reports of floods, fires and other natural disasters are reminding me that my emergency preparations could use beefing up. I’m determined to do something, even if it’s not perfect or complete — one gallon of water in case of earthquake (I’m in California) is better than no water at all. I’ve signed up for Anywhere Vault to store vital information off-site and I’ve stocked a Hecht of an Organizer box with a few essentials for the trunk of my car. Much more could be done, but let’s not allow the perfect to be the enemy of the good!
I look forward to visiting HomeGoods next time I’m in Boston, visiting my son who lives on Boylston. (He can always use a little organizing help and he appreciates aesthetics!)
All the best, Margaret L., New Leaf + Company
by Margaret — 7/24/08 at 8:35 pm #
5. Hi Margaret; Thanks for your very thoughtful post. It is a sobering reminder to all of us that we need to think about what we’d do in the event of an evacuation or worse, if we were stuck in our homes for a period of time because of a natural disaster. I also love your emphasis on doing “something” even if it’s not perfect or complete. And thanks for sharing the steps you’ve taken already.
by joan — 7/25/08 at 5:27 pm #