How can Your Space Support You?
I watched Carolyn Wonderland (a performance artist) a few weeks ago on a small stage in Wisconsin, positively ooze and gush her beautiful gift out to the world. It sparked something in me. In every moment of our lives, isn’t that what we all want? To be so connected, so plugged in and so in the flow of such marvelous energy?
EVEN IN OUR WORK? EVEN IN THE SMALL MOMENTS OF OUR LIVES? These questions have popped into my head from time to time, I have been inspired by some AMAZING teachers, friends and mentors, even those in my life who some would call enemies (inspiration can come from anywhere. ;)) I do not pretend to know all the answers to these questions, isn’t that what life is for? Sorting it all out? I have pieced together a few ideas and every day I make a choice to go the direction of MORE fun, joy, and connectedness. Here is my list: ~Breathe and Be Present! (For me this includes: meditating {I’m starting tomorrow}, walking and yoga.) ~Get out of your Head and Into Your Body! (my favorites: walking, rollerblading, dancing, singing (in a crowd or in private!)) ~Hang out with People you LOVE! (this may also include passionate people who inspire you, some that challenge you, and maybe it’s just some good old alone time!) ~Get Crafty! (Crocheting, what else is there?) ~AND, (my favorite…) Attend to your Environment! Let’s do a little meditation… Picture yourself in your most joyful and happy state. You’re free! The birds are singing! The flowers are in bloom! Then picture your living space. Do the two feelings match? Is your space resonating with the version of you in the flow? Are you at your happiest and most full of joy in your own home? Did the sun shine? Or did the thunderclouds appear? Wouldn’t it be great to do something about it? Our spaces and our belongings make a HUGE impact on our lives and on our way of showing up in the world:
Any item in your space that does not lift you up or is not absolutely necessary for your existence has GOT TO GO, it messes with the FLOW! Attend to your space, edit your belongings, make things beautiful and watch the magic happen! I would love to hear about what happens for you when you consider a more simple and beautiful space for yourself, please let me know in the comments below! And, as always, I would love to support you if you make the decision to dive in...just contact me… Love, Jane PS: If you want to make sure to continue receiving the blog + newsletter, sign-up here and we will add you to the list!
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 I was part of the moving crew to help my daughter move last week...Part way through the unloading, she turned to me and asked, "Do you think we have too much stuff? You'd tell me, right?"
Here's how you know if you have too much stuff:
Here's what to do about it: Plan ahead! Start at least 6 months ahead of your move to downsize your items. For some people it's easiest to work on one room at a time. Other people like to choose a category, like books, and go through the whole house plucking out books that they no longer read or that no longer delight them. Give yourself time to sort through and edit everything before you even think about packing. It's way too much to do all at the same time. Ask yourself the hard questions, and EDIT ruthlessly! "Do I want to carry it?" (Even if you're not actually going to carry the boxes yourself, use that as a measuring tool and figuratively ask, "Do I want to carry this ______ with me into my new life?") "Does it serve the future me?" "Do I get excited at the thought of unpacking it?" "Do I Love it? Need it?" "Will I ever miss it if it's gone, or does it thrill me that someone else will love it?" Give back! Many of us are keeping items for others, and this is often well intentioned, done out of a spirit of helping, love and kindness. What I often see, however, is that these items become a burden. They are items that belong to our children, our parents, or our long-gone relatives. We are the ones that keep this stuff because we have a basement, an attic, a storage locker. I am here to tell you that the time is now! If you are contemplating a move...send out the word to the relatives: YOU HAVE 3 MONTHS, (UNTIL {3 months from date...}) TO CLAIM YOUR ITEMS! AFTER SUCH TIME, THEY WILL BE DONATED AND SENT BACK OUT INTO THE WORLD TO ENCHANT SOMEONE ELSE. I WILL NOT DRAG THEM WITH ME INTO MY NEW LIFE! (or something like that...) Blame me, Blame the blog, Feel the pinch and do it anyway. (If you must, try a nicer approach first...nice does not usually convey a sense of urgency.) A move is such a big transition and if you happen to also be downsizing, this is a crucial step. Now, unpack, enjoy, CELEBRATE! You did all of the hard work, enjoy the beginning of your new life feeling lighter, sparkly, and spacious. If you are NOT moving, apply the above principles to your current location and have the sparkly and spacious feeling right now! If you are headed for a move, let me know how I can support you, I have helped dozens of people get real about what to pack and move. I would love to help you, too! Lots of love, Jane 
So, you’ve decided to tackle your clothes, huh? Would you like a few tips? Here’s the exact process I use when working with clients and their clothes.
And by the way, this is how we tackled a client’s closet last Friday. We go through her closet yearly so now it’s a breeze...so easy, in fact, that we had time to GO SHOPPING! First, start with the dresser. I would recommend going one drawer at a time so that the job does not become overwhelming! Or pick a category like shoes, sweaters, workout gear. Remember start small and manageable, build your editing muscle without overwhelming yourself. Take everything out (of the drawer, shelf, or section of closet) and give the drawer or shelf a cleaning. (I LOVE Thieves Cleaner, smells like cinnamon and cloves. I’m looking forward to a scratch/sniff app someday, then you can smell for yourself). Then the FUN begins...EDITING! This is where you sort out what to keep, donate, or mend. Some things to keep in mind when working on EDITING For each item:
This step may involve trying on and taking a very objective look in the mirror, it may also involve support from someone who knows you well and can be honest :) Be RUTHLESS!!! Someone would LOVE to find this stuff at the Goodwill OR take it to a consignment shop (if you have time) and get back some cash $$$ for your cast-offs. During this process, it can be helpful to make a list of items to buy…Do you need to replace the jeans, sweaters, or shoes you just bagged up for donation? Are you starting a new phase of life, do you need a wardrobe upgrade? What staples are missing from your closet? Are you in need of neutrals? Color? Texture? Lots to consider! Psssst...you might even want new hangers, all the same, beautiful, luxurious! Putting things away should be no sweat now that there’s plenty of space! Ahhhhhh, space for a couple of new things maybe, but just SPACE so that the drawer shuts and the clothes aren’t jammed into the closet and feels really, really good! It makes getting dressed and finding outfits a cinch! Maybe in the try-on phase, you have even discovered a few NEW combinations! Now, CELEBRATE! Sit down with a cup of tea, a piece of dark chocolate, talk a walk in the sun, or (my favorite) do a happy dance...enjoy your success and PLEEEEEEEASE send me a picture or video… (I am starting a collection of happy dance videos. Wouldn’t you love to share?) Good luck and let me know how it goes for you in the comments section below! XOXO Jane
Last week, I worked with one of my favorite families to create a fully functioning recreation section of their basement. As you can see from the picture, there were many categories of sports stuff (and a few non-related items :)) tangled up in this area of the basement. This family is busy! Sporty! Active! They love to travel and even go for months at a time on sabbatical. So, time is valuable to them, as it is to all of us! The whole family knew that if they needed ski, soccer, tennis, football, picnic, basketball, biking, or skating gear that they came to this area to look for it. And, as you can see, it had POTENTIAL to really get better and make their lives easier saving them some precious time in the process! We built wire shelving, and labeled clear tubs with categories for easy access. the tops are OFF the tubs and they pull out like drawers so that finding and putting away items is very easy for everyone. Not only is the non-related stuff gone, but the storage looks beautiful and most importantly, it will save this family tons of time locating and then returning their items to their respective spots. Now, imagine applying this idea to your home office, your attic, your garage, and closets. What if organizing and creating accessible storage saved you 15 or even 30 minutes a day? Wouldn’t you LOVE that? What would YOU do with extra time? Please leave me a comment below and let me know... Until next week! Love, Jane THE MOST IMPORTANT PART!!!!!
Editing the items from Marie's closet was the next step as we get ready for the new closet to be installed. ~First was the very exciting, (for Princess, the Kitty) throw-everything-on-the-bed stage. The items pictured here are only dresser drawer items which included her workout clothes, sweaters, t-shirts, tank tops, pajamas, bathing suits, and scarves. (We repeated the process for shoes, handbags, and hanging things.) ~Second, we sorted her clothes into categories: items to keep, donate, dry-clean or have tailored. **When deciding to keep clothing or not, always ask the question, "Do I choose it?" This question seems to ease the decision-making process and the editing can go a little more smoothly. Who wants a closet full of stuff that you never choose?** Try using this technique and let me know how it goes for you... ~Third, we put everything back so that when the closet installation happens, it will be easy to take it out and return it to the new, beautiful space. Ok, teensy confession...this was my closet top shelf and it stayed this way for a couple of weeks. I was pulling down what I wanted for an event and they all came tumbling down on my head. So, I threw them all back up there, and went about my life for awhile. Here's what happened...every time I went into the closet, my energy went down, and usually I let out an audible "ughhhh". After a couple of weeks, I got inspired...I had 2 bamboo pot lid organizers (ordered from Kitchen & Company)left over from a previous re-work of a client's kitchen. They worked beautifully to hold the smaller clutches and bags upright and made them soooo accessible. Bonus...there is space (ahhhhhh) AND, in the process, I got rid of two clutches I no longer wanted. :)
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Jane Antonovich
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