monday motivation - worth keeping

 This past month, I have been finding motivation in what is worth keeping.  Some might call it de-cluttering and others might call it simplification.  After all what surrounds you should make you happy and not bog you down.

 My awareness to live with less has not only created room for more but it has opened my eyes to what is truly worth keeping.  Take time today to genuinely care about what is worth keeping.  Gather, arrange, renew, reuse, recycle, restore harmony in your home.  Toss, give or donate the things that you no longer have need or want for.

"Surround yourself with people who make you happy. People who make you laugh, who help you when you’re in need. People who genuinely care. They are the ones worth keeping in your life. Everyone else is just passing through."

— Karl Marx 

all images from pinterest

secret stash

 Do you have a stache or a secret stash started?

My stache jar is ready.

Bins or baskets are perfect for storing up stashes of yarn

A jar of Christmas.

Perfect for an early start to next year's gift stash.

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A stack of stash of kitchen towels to wrap up some bubbly.

Are you feeling inspired to start a New Year along with a secret stache or stash of something fun?

all images found on pinterest

letting it go

It is not my nature to share dirty laundry here on this blog but this past week I had the good fortune of working with Amy from "Simply Organize it."  I connected via "living social" where her services were offered at a special rate.

Amy agreed to come to my home and was ever so kind and ever so calm.  She kept asking me "where's the stuff?"  The stuff was in my back storage area and garage.

Lots of questions asked.
Do you love it?
Does it bring you joy?
Do you need it?
Is it weighing you down?
If you let it go, what are you opening yourself up to?

Soon I realized "it" needed letting go and the things that once were needed, loved or used now needed a new home.  Amy took all these things and will deliver to various places for someone else to find a use for "it."

During our renovation and construction, it caused me to move things many times, to pack up things and to unpack things realizing that it either had no place or no need.

I let go of toys, an old sewing machine that needs a new cord, tables I thought I would paint, bags of clothing to hand down, kitchen items and lots more.

The greenery you see tucked on the bottom was Amy's.  Thanks again Amy for coming to lend a hand and for carting all of it away to help to make room in my life.

Do you need help to simply organize it so you can free up more time for living a clutter free life?
If so, contact Amy.  I would highly recommend Amy to you.

prep time

Having a place for things in one's kitchen certainly helps with prep time.
My Alessi cruet sits to the right of my stove since I am right handed and serves me well when I am preparing food.  Fresh sea salt and black pepper sit there waiting for a pinch or a grind.
The lovely mushroom topped canister was given to me by a dear friend long before my kitchen renovation began.  It is empty now but I just love having it out.

Time to re-fill the extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, sel & poivre along with tucking utensils bak into 

drawers and vessels.  Knives, mits, tongs, spatulas, wooden spoons and graters are all ready for a good holiday workout.  Having these items all at the ready do aid in speeding up prep time.  Now to get back to my artwork.  I think I need the same sort of set up once I can move into my new studio.

Is your kitchen ready for a holiday workout?  How do you handle prep time when it comes to meals?
I look forward to sharing my orderly baking cabinet stocked to bake holiday treats.

less and less

Are you living with less and less?  While I am re-stocking my kitchen, I find myself letting go of items that no longer seem to be needed.  After months of using less, I have realized the lesson of less is more.

Over the weekend, our 14 year old Volvo was donated and picked up as it was time to let it go.  One of my goals is to use my car less and less and walk more often.  That old car and all the miles of memories gone in an instant.  One less car.

Tell me one thing that you are finding that you use less and less?  Take one thing out of your day or off your list and see if it frees up your life for more room to live.

crazy busy

Is this you? Are you overstretched, overbooked, and

about to snap?

Excuse me while I tend to getting some work done during this crazy busy month of December.

Checking my lists. Lots to do!

Do you have one strategy that helps you stay on top of your game and alleviates that crazy busy about to snap feeling?

Here are few notes from your comments;

wing it

make a list

meditate

hide

plan only weekend events

listen to music

light candles

take a nap

label me

hop over here to see my list of top 12

and then come back.

I was so impressed by a client I recently worked with. She told me that she loved high end designer labels but she also loved no-nonsense labels. You know what I am talking about, just labels that clearly state what is inside.

How handy is this Housekeepers box?

Matches at the ready.

Kindling ready for a fire to take the chill out of that first fall blast of air.

Hard to imagine a fire after a blazing week of high temps.

How about a "cutlery" box at the ready?

What would your labels say all about you?

Check out the all about you site over here.

netiquette

pve with jessLC ( I snagged this photo of Jess and I)

Dining here with fellow blogger and entrepreneur Jess LC was indeed a highlight of my weekend in Chicago.  Jess is one of the most efficient bloggers who shares resources for designing a life with intention.  

Jess designs jewelry as well as provides small business advice, giveaway tips, scrumptious recipes all with the intent to design your best life.  Jess began her blog only in January as a way to journal her intentions.  I truly believe that Jess is working toward a book which will influence the expectations for a new type of social behavior.  Our actions can improve ones life through addition by subtraction.  I encourage you to email Jess with something that you would like to get rid of in order to make under your life.  Jess loves email and is the tops in netiquette.  I anticipate hearing great accomplishments about Jess in the future, she is not afraid to share nor to ask questions in order to design a life with powerful intentions. Intentional behavior can also be just thoughtful and deliberate goal-directedness.  Design a life of intention....and then tell Jess about your make under.  Trust me, it works!

personal concierge

In an effort to streamline and organize, I reached out to my divine concierge for some professional help.  In a matter of hours, the piles of paper were edited and filed away in designated spots.   Items that were no longer needed were carted away to find a home and not a landfill.  My divine concierge is all about working with a "green" attitude.  File folders for filing, and a sweet file for sweet savings all at my fingertips.

File Folders suddenly became host to a clear list of categories.  From piles to files all in a matter of minutes.  Do you need a personal concierge to come to your home or your office and give you that gentle push to organize an area, clean out a closet to free up space?  The act of letting go in order to gain space or freedom from clutter is an incredibly positive experience which I highly recommend. How would you benefit from having your very own personal concierge?  

I hope I leave you inspired.