Creatively Organized Spaces for Organizing & clutter clearing tips for simplified living

Minimalist Madness-who says you should be one!?

June 8, 2015 by Heather Filed Under: Organize, Wellness & Mindset Leave a Comment

I’m seriously sad to read the article, Let’s Celebrate the Art of Clutter in the NY Times. Here’s a case for Minimalist Madness, lets talk about it and what it means to be a professional organizer…

Where did this author (who I admire for her blogging over at SlowLoveLife) get the impression that the professional organizing industry is there to make clients feel guilty about their stuff? We have an incredible trade organization, NAPO, that works diligently to teach organizers (those who choose to invest in their career by joining) skills and mindset to help clients without any judgement and how to know when to walk away or suggest other professional’s involvement (such as Hoarding situations). Generally I try to alleviate any sense of guilt, it’s does no good for anyone and is not the motivating factor I every try to work with.

Each client and person is different and those of us who are passionate about helping people organize are usually trying to help those who WANT to be helped. Most of us follow ethics that very much frown upon someone else hiring us to work with a family member or friend (best of intentions can lead to much psychological damage), I would never do it! I find the topics of organizing and stuff both very subjective. I agree that minimalism is being “oversold” in some ways but I’ve walked into many a clients homes who are frustrated and overwhelmed about all the stuff they do not cherish, but don’t know what to do with. As long as you are not a slave to “Stuff” that you do not love, want etc then why keep it? I hope Dominique Browning is leaving a sizable inheritance to her children to maintain her warehouse of stuff indefinitely, better yet she should donate it to the Smithsonian archive…I’m sure they would love that!

We all live within a spectrum of chaos and order, collecting and being minimalist…one is not right, the other is not wrong.

Saying that the entire organizing industry is built on trying to make people believe they should live a certain way is uninformed and irresponsible. What is your personal legacy? Do you want to be known for your stuff?

Embraced by the Hands of Chaos

May 26, 2015 by Heather Filed Under: Inspiration & Education, Wellness & Mindset

During my transition from Textile Design career to professional organizer I wandered upon a meandering path and came to recognize the beauty of not having an exact direction or total clarity. There were moments of utter darkness and chaos and moments of magnificent beauty and peace.

This transition was a time of loss of lifestyle, community, career, family and of our 3 kitties. We felt very alone, but we wanted something different so we embarked upon an adventure of risk. There was a period of 18 months that I had no JOB, leaving me with a lot of time to feel like all I had ahead was more chaos and lack of direction. I knew with my intuition that this would change and that if I could find a way to embrace the “dark night of the soul” that I could be transformed. This dark period felt chaotic as my mind argued that this was crazy and we would not make it. This poem by the Sufi Mystic Hafiz is fitting.

Love wants to reach out and manhandle us,

Break all our teacup talk of God…

The beloved sometimes wants

To do us a great favor:

Hold us upside down

And shake all the nonsense out.

But when we hear

He is in such a “playful drunken mood”

Most everyone I know

Quickly packs their bags and hightails it

Out of town.

What on earth had we done? We invited ourselves to be turned upside down! We choose to put ourselves on this new path because we had a vision of something better! After darkness always follows light.

Having emerged now from this period of darkness I see how profoundly rich and fertile a time it was. I often think of the time’s of “Darkness” as a time of being empty but I now realize that the process of creativity is one of emptying and giving birth. Darkness is a time to let ideas grow and take root, to find stillness and prepare for the birthing of great creations to come. I am finally learning to embrace the creative process that cycles through chaos, darkness, emptiness and the birthing of new ideas and creations .

The Goddess Chaos (Eris) birthed all of creation and she will tell you nothing is more chaotic than birth but the result is a creation miracle!

Recognizing Patterns in Organizing

May 19, 2015 by Heather Filed Under: Art & Design, Organize

I recently decided to submit an entry for a public art installation piece (I’ll share more about this soon!) and while writing the proposal I stumbled upon a wonderful “ah-ha” about recognizing patterns in the work and art of my life. This is what I realized.

In my former career as a textile designer my eye was keenly trained to notice and create patterns. I see the beauty in repeating forms everywhere I look and the ability to see a pattern emerge is a gift that serves me today in a completely different way as a Professional Organizer.

In my current work I spend a great deal of time helping clients to simplify, de-clutter, streamline their lives and find order where there has been chaos. When we begin together we often set an intention (or goal) to help define boundaries of the order they would like to see emerge. With that in mind I look around their personal universe for patterns and clues, noticing areas of chaos and order. I use the information that I gather in their universe to help them re-define a new sense of order in their space and life.

Above: Obscurely Relevant by Jane Allen Nodine. As objects are grouped into collections order emerges from chaos.

Helping clients free themselves of baggage, past burdens, excess and the cathartic process of releasing things is essential to the work we do together. Have you ever had a realization that helped you understand your gifts in a different way? A shift in perspective can be such a fun experience of self realization if we are open to it!

Finding Inspiration & Creative Community

May 4, 2015 by Heather Filed Under: Art, Inspiration & Education

I just finished reading The Artist Way (for the 3rd time) which is always such an incredible tool for re-connecting with my inner artist child and better insight into my creative cycles and obstacles. This time around I facilitated a local group of artists and over the past 12 weeks we have all become so close and such a wonderful supportive, sacred circle for one another. I have learned as much from them and our weekly gatherings as I did from the task and wisdom of Julia Cameron’s book.

This past week I had some beautiful opportunities to play, explore and restore my inspiration and connect with creative community. Can you relate to how challenging it can be to step away from the must-do’s or obligations of our daily grind and re-connect with your sacred creative self? As creative beings we owe it to ourselves and our communities, family and one another to take these much needed breaks and re-fill our creative well. One of my favorite tools in The Artist Way is the artist date. Over the 4 or so years since I first read the book I’ve lost touch with the tools from time to time but finding the time to be in Joyful celebration of our creativity is such an incredible gift! As long as I think of it when I’m planning my week I am almost always able to sneak a little artist date into my week.

This past week I took two day long artist dates! This is often how I reward myself for hard work and successful completion of projects. The first fun date last week was to Art Fields (now in it’s 3rd year) in Lake City, SC. There were over 400 exhibiting artist of almost every medium you can imagine! It was incredibly inspiring and humbling to see how much local talent there is in the Charleston community and the region. I won’t comment on the winning pieces (other than to say not what I would have picked). If you want to see all the works they are on the Art Fields website and I’ve got more photo’s of some of my favorites in this album.

These two pieces were at the top of my favorite’s list, both were playful, 3-D hanging installations. The piece above won the Artfields People’s Choice Award for 3-D work and the one below is called Atoms & Stars (and there were a lot of Bees, which always make me happy!).

As if seeing over 400 works in one day wasn’t enough! I also went to a gallery hop and saw one of the artists I’ve interviewed on my blog, Mary Edna Fraser‘s work in it’s final week at the City Waterfront Gallery.

Her retrospective show Above-Between-Below was incredible, and sadly it’s over but if you want to see more check out my album here. I admire the passion, purpose and fine craftsmanship of Mary Edna and she is one of the most fun, energizing people to be around, she’s infectious (in a GREAT way).

Full Moon Spring Walk

April 4, 2015 by Heather Filed Under: Inspiration & Education, Photography, Wellness & Mindset

If you are just seeing signs of spring emerge where you are this Easter weekend I hope you will celebrate the season by going out in your environment to really notice all the ways that Spring is emerging.

Just now there is a Full Moon Eclipse. I’ve planned to spend it on the beach, stretching my arms and eyes out to both the Sun rising and full Moon setting, directly opposite one another. At this beautiful time of year I invite you to share a Spring walk through a very special garden outside of Charleston-Cypress Gardens.

Come along with me…

Spirea

Red Bud

Wisteria

Tulip Magnolia

Anemone

I’m not sure about you but Spring has certainly come on in a big way in my life-personally and in business. I’m a busy, busy bee, how about you? I hope your weekend is deeply restorative and relaxing-filled with all the delights of Spring as it Bursts Forth! Happy Easter, Full-Glorious-Spring-Blood-Moon-Celebration!

PS. If you would like to see a few more shots from Cypress Gardens, visit my Flicker album.

Clutter::magically transformed by some arcane formula

March 27, 2015 by Heather Filed Under: Organize

Guest post from the desk of Celeste B.

Math Number and Symbols

Wallace says tax season is not so bad but then he is treasurer of a multinational corporation and has a staff of over 100 accountants. He also likes to begin our tax returns January 1 with the close of the year. He has a shoebox of sorts into which all sorts of bits and bobs are tossed during the year and which become magically transformed by some arcane formula involving geometric progressions and quantum mechanics, of which I have no familiarity, into a sensible spreadsheet of numbers. My bookkeeping system is similar except that I hand over my shoebox to him, with helpful annotations on lined paper or stationery from fine hotels.

Since this is National Recognize Clutter Week it might be good to stress some practices for yourself to use in pursuit of orderliness. I can recognize clutter as well as the next person when it begins to slide like a glacier into the hallway or down the steps but perhaps the idea is to pause and to use one’s eyes before things reach that stage. This tactic will help avoid well-meaning interventions by family members. If psychiatric professionals enter the picture you may as well admit defeat. Until then you might start by stepping back from that kitchen drawer of plastic lids and containers and examine what is really going on there. This is one example of personal chaos that many people endure.

Tell yourself that every sturdy Chinese dinner container, yogurt tub and olive selection container does not have to be given a second chance. Recycle it, for Pete’s sake! It will have another life as an LL Bean jacket or something equally as useful so you need not feel like a wastrel for having pitched it. Unless you are packaging leftovers for a family of 10, you might want to save the space and time spent matching odd lids to odd shapes by limiting to 4 each of the basic shapes and lids. I suggest soup, personal portion size, two person portion size and flatter baked goods caddies as the ideal start. This also helps control bacterial contamination which may lurk in difficult to clean lid crevices.

Step back and examine your laundry area. Do you have multiple half-used products? It is fine to have backup supplies but don’t go overboard. The store is not far away and they will probably have what you need in stock. Check your drawers. Utensil drawers, that is. Use drawer dividers to sort every day and specialized tools. Inventory those and find homes for tools you never use, whether they were given to you by your mother or not. Put those in a wall display if you want. Eliminating clutter is about practical space saving and convenience for you in the long run. These are some of the wicked places where clutter congregates and which deserve a fresh spring appraisal. Redd up, as they say in Pennsylvania!
Kisses,
Celeste

Thank you Celeste! Your practical tips and lighthearted attitude will help us all laugh at our clutter conundrums no doubt!

*If you would like to hear more from Celeste please contact me. I’m sure she would be delighted to learn of your enthusiasm and I’m happy to pass your message along as well as ask her to join us again with more fun and lighthearted posts!

All the Luck you Seek is Within!

March 17, 2015 by Heather Filed Under: Inspiration & Education

We each have the opportunity to find the luck we seek within our choices, our intentions, our thoughts and actions.

Sometimes we need a little reminder of this. This is not to say there are no miracles, that magic and mystery do not exist, but you must believe in your heart, find it within first. Let today be a day to reflect on the Pot of Gold available to each of us and let’s reflect it towards one another. Do you believe in luck, miracles and mystery? Gratefully, I do and that’s all I need to find myself the luckiest woman!

My Big Inspiration Wall

March 9, 2015 by Heather Filed Under: Art & Design, Home, In the Studio, Inspiration & Education, Organize, Organizing Projects, Systems & Techniques

I am blessed with a spectacular studio that overlooks the marsh with windows on 3 sides…lots of natural light, palm trees, Spanish moss and resurrection ferns dripping and hanging from live oak branches.

I’m not short on inspiration but what I am short on is wall space (because of said windows). This has been a challenge for me since we moved in and the one wall I do have is brick which is difficult to attach anything to. After researching several options, I finally made a request of my handy husband to help me solve this challenge.

Design wall’s that quilters use involve a lot of fleece and I’m not a quilter (although I dabble in quilting techniques) so I felt the expense and effort of all that were un-necessary. I also considered cork, again, a resource I didn’t want to waste especially since I planned to paint the wall to blend in…Finally I settled on inexpensive Fiberboard after realizing this is what is used in many schools (my studio at SCAD included) and it would be just the thing to help me go vertical…Here my handyman Mr. B puts the finishing touches on the painted fiberboard before handing it over for me to “play” with.

This piece of fiber board is 4′ x 6′ (cut down from 4′ x 8′) and was only $9. It sucks up paint like crazy so you might want to use a primer-sealer (like Kilz) so you don’t have to apply a million coats). We attached it to the wall with Washers (painted) and screws (into the morter-this brick was so hard it destroyed 2 of my husbands masonry bits).

What a delight it is to have a space to hang both design pieces I’m working on and inspiration for future work! Above and below are details of what’s now currently hanging on my wall. I’ve got quilt blocks I’m kind of stuck on (not knowing what to use them for or if I need to make more), indigo shibori, yarns, mixed media, photography and other bits of inspiration and work in various stages of finished/unfinished.

I’m by no means a minimalist but I don’t love it when my space is too visually cluttered. With this new wall hung I can corrall all sorts of things that have been floating around my studio into one space to feed my inspiration and allow me to step back and see the pieces that I’m stuck on from a different perspective. Do you have the luxury of a inspiration or design wall in your art or office space?

How I found my Superpower Gifts

February 27, 2015 by Heather Filed Under: Inspiration & Education, Wellness & Mindset

I recently attended a 3 day Business Retreat called “Click” in Asheville with my coach and mentor, Christine Kane. I had never thought about what my superpower gifts were before then! At this event, I met about 150 of the most inspiring, intelligent, purposeful, smart, talented entrepreneurs I’ve ever been with in one place…Christine rocked us out of our comfort zones and called us to Become more of who we are called to be and to get out and share our SUPERPOWER Gifts with the world!

By the time I left I realized my Superpowers are “Visioning” what a space can become, guiding clients through that process and making them cry with tears of joy when the space has been transformed;)

my superpower gifts

Photo Courtesy Christine Kane-Click live retreat, Asheville, NC 2015

In 2011 I went through Christine’s Uplevel Your Life program and it was a trans formative process of awakening and being called to live my dreams. That 7 week program helped me realize so many things! I was being called to BECOME both the Artist I’ve always known I am and a Professional Organizer.

That was a BIG year! I launched my business, went to Penland to explore my art and my husband and I packed up and left family and friends in DC to move to Charleston, SC without jobs lined up or much $$ left in the bank…it was the biggest leap of Faith I’ve taken so far and it’s been an amazing and rewarding ride.

What track are you on? Where will it lead you?

This is what it means to take imperfect action with intention and faith and it is the most rewarding action that will ALWAYS move you towards your truth.

I knew that Christine’s way of working with Soul and Strategy got me results and I continued to follow her over the past few years. Towards the end of last year, after losing a big client, I realized I was being called-pulled to once again UP my game again (because we always will be called and it’s our JOB to respond!) so I enrolled in another Christine program called Becoming 360.

Sometimes we have to uncover and make our roots visible to feel grounded!

This program helped me root into my current and future direction for my business and since then I’ve been working behind the scenes to make some BIG changes such as Re-launching my website, launching a newsletter for the first time and adding Virtual Organizing to my services…All of these changes and additions will be revealed at the first of next week and I can’t wait to share them with you!

I’m standing at the summit, envisioning all the future has to offer! Can you see it too?

So…this weekend my site might be down for a bit here and there as we work to migrate everything over to the new site. I am so excited about this and have been working with a fantastic web designer, Sarah of Dodeline Designs to make this transformation happen exactly as I envision it! I’ll see you on the new site very soon, have a wonderful weekend!

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Trend Tuesday::Organizing the closets

February 17, 2015 by Heather Filed Under: Closets, Home, Inspiration & Education, Organize

Lately, I’ve noticed a few closet organizing trends for design and organization that are fun, functional, and stylish. For some they may be a little over the top but for fun let’s take a peek into some of these closets. A few are more like Boudoirs of the old days than any closet I have encountered! Below are a few trends and the takeaways I think are helpful from each of these examples.

Monochromatic; using colors that are “signature” such as this palette of purple, grey and neutral. This makes the whole look less distracting and easier on the eye. It’s a great way to incorporating clothing into an “open closet” wall of a room.

Above and below; jewelry displayed in the closet. Whether it’s in the closet or on a wall in your room this trend is a lovely way to better see what you have and decorate empty wall space!

Above (Lonny Closets) and below; fun, funky and stylish furniture in the closet. I love how both of these pieces are being used for functional storage but also bring a sense of style and sophistication to these spaces. The closet becomes stylistically a part of the larger spaces.

Below; most of us probably don’t have this many jeans and yes this photo was probably taken from a shop display but I using S-Hooks in all sort of unconventional ways is a brilliant idea for the closet and lots of other spaces!

Give some of these fun closet organizing trends a try in your own space and let me know if you find any other fun ideas! If you want to see more Inspiring Organization check out my Pinterest Board here where you will also find links to all the photo’s above (hover over images for credits). For more closet inspration, check out this post.