by Marla Dee
Marla’s Monthly Message
At the beginning of a new year, the inner urge to finally get FREE of clutter and disorganization can hit hard. Yet it feels impossible and overwhelming. We don’t even know where to even start. Let me make this simpler for you.
I want to start with where “getting organized” began for me. 20 years ago I read a line that changed my life. It was from Karen Kingston‘s book Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui. She said, “Imagine how it would it feel like to be surrounded only by the things that you use and that you love”? When I read this, I was struck with lightening. I wanted to know what this would feel like. But I didn’t know where to start. So, I decided to just do a drawer, which led to a closet, then my kitchen and within a year my life was radically different.I got hooked. It was so freeing. This led to my business being born because I wanted so much to share this feeling of freedom with others.
So let me ask you….WHERE? If you could start anywhere with your organizing, where would it be? If you could do one area, one layer or one project this year what would it be. I want you to be clear on this. Is it your bedroom, your kitchen, your paper? Maybe it’s your calendar? By knowing where you want to start, everything gets easier because you can let go of the others. Honestly if you get one project done each year, that is good enough.
Then I want to ask you… WHY? Why do you want to start with this area? What is the meaning for you? This whole month we will be exploring your why. Why do you want to get free of the clutter in this area? Why do you want to get organized in this space? When you are clear on the personal meaning you will be motivated to make the change.
And now, at the beginning of 2019, I can honestly say that I know what it feels like to be surrounded only by the things that I use and love. I am deeply grateful to be living in a quiet country town surrounded by nature and open space. I joyfully get to fill my days only what I most want to do. I want to be a messenger of hope. I want to help you get free of the clutter or chaos that is keeping you stuck. I would love to have you share your where and why with me. This will help me support you throughout this month and this year.
Please know that I am here for you. Let me know if you want to talk or if you want help in any way. I want to be your guide and witness your success.
Your Guide, Marla Dee
and the Clear & Simple Team
by CS Team
By Guest Blogger: Haley Keiser of O2E Brands
The season of warm company and home cooked meals is here! No matter how much comfort the holidays bring, they are often accompanied with a moderate load of stress, especially if you’re hosting a gathering for all your family and friends. Although your list may seem daunting, take a deep breath and use this preparation guide to leave the stress behind!
Eliminate Clutter
Regardless of the size of your home, you’ll want to start with clearing the space to plan for the increase in foot traffic – especially if you live in a small apartment. Walk through each room that your guests will be spending the most time in and rid it of accumulated clutter. It’s easy for guests to feel crowded and uncomfortable with a lot of people in one space, opening up space will not only put your guests at ease but also make a much safer space.
In each room, have three bags or baskets on hand. Place any clutter into one of the following piles, “Move Elsewhere”, “Donate”, or “Throw Out”. Everything stored elsewhere should be in a location that your guests don’t have access to, such as the garage or a storage room. If you’re in a crunch, use a service that will sort and pick up your clutter for you. We highly recommend 1-800-Got-Junk.
For those that have no idea where to start, hiring a professional organizer to ease your stress might be worth it. Lucky you, we can help!
Rearrange Furniture
Exposed chords or wires are a disaster waiting to happen. Either rearrange the furniture or temporarily cover them with a rug or duct tape. Move any coffee tables or centerpiece furniture away from the couches so guests have an easier time getting to a seat.
Clean the Place
Once the clutter is cleared and the furniture is in its place, the process of cleaning will be much easier! Similar to decluttering, start in the rooms where your guests will be. This way, if you run out of time, the extra rooms that weren’t able to be cleaned aren’t such a big deal.
Begin with dusting and surfaces in all of the main areas of the house, such as the kitchen and the living room. Vacuum or mop the floors, depending on your flooring style. The day before your guests arrive, make sure to give the house a second sweep. Clean the bathroom toilets and mirrors the day before so everything is fresh and shiny!
Add a Taste of the Holidays
After the place is tidy, add a few tasteful decorations in each room. You don’t need an abundance of fancy decorations to impress your company. Your guests understand that you aren’t the Hilton.
Hang a simple wreath to your front door and welcome your guests with a small chalkboard sign in the walkway. Drape holiday-themed tablecloths over your tables and add a small DIY centerpiece. Really get your guests in the holiday spirit with a few holiday scented candles or air fresheners.
The day of the party should be dedicated to cooking and greeting guests. After all, the beauty behind the holiday season is the time spent with the people you love most. If you find yourself stressed, don’t be afraid to ask for a helping hand.
You’ve got this!
by Kate Fehr
Suspendisse potenti. Aenean et metus fringilla, pharetra diam vel, posuere diam. Nullam ante dui, lacinia at viverra sit amet, malesuada at sem. Aenean pulvinar magna non orci commodo congue. Praesent rhoncus efficitur risus, sit amet pellentesque mi tempor eget. Ut interdum enim non sapien iaculis congue. Maecenas ac leo ullamcorper, congue ligula sed, condimentum mauris. Ut sagittis, ipsum at rutrum vehicula, mi nulla fermentum est, ac cursus nisl mauris quis dui. Nam dignissim nec nunc in placerat. Maecenas vel blandit nunc, in molestie nulla. Vivamus non tortor porttitor, elementum dolor ac, faucibus lorem.
Integer ut fringilla eros, vel mattis sapien. Morbi eu orci auctor, porttitor purus vel, sodales turpis. Vivamus gravida enim vel dolor interdum, vitae pulvinar ligula lacinia. Aenean imperdiet est in tincidunt interdum. Nullam nec tempus est. Proin porta porttitor bibendum. Praesent luctus neque ac aliquam efficitur. Maecenas dignissim turpis ante, ac malesuada nulla luctus a. Integer varius, dolor in pulvinar ultrices, nisi justo egestas dui, nec tempus elit sapien sed quam. Maecenas id vestibulum dui.
by Kate Fehr
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nam eros velit, porttitor vel faucibus non, ultrices in ligula. Morbi sit amet lectus est. In commodo a nulla ac hendrerit. Sed lacus massa, volutpat nec ullamcorper ac, venenatis vel mi. Donec nisi ex, fringilla non eros ut, pellentesque rutrum ligula. Etiam tempor malesuada ex. Cras fringilla at leo eget eleifend. Nulla consectetur nulla vel felis molestie, eu elementum tortor condimentum.
Nunc luctus ex id gravida dictum. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Proin tempor, sapien vehicula vestibulum consequat, lacus nisl consectetur enim, non finibus sem nibh non lacus. Aliquam dictum pharetra ligula, eget egestas massa ultricies sed. Morbi tristique sit amet lectus at scelerisque. In sed sapien velit. Morbi imperdiet velit quis faucibus gravida. Sed eget sodales massa. Fusce non nisl aliquet, aliquet metus ornare, fringilla sapien. Vivamus sollicitudin consequat suscipit. Cras viverra blandit est vitae posuere.
Vestibulum ut nunc posuere, tincidunt sapien ac, accumsan ligula. Vivamus convallis massa elit, non tempor leo tincidunt a. Integer quis elit rhoncus, lobortis metus id, ultricies ipsum. Etiam id neque a dui tempor maximus sit amet non diam. Interdum et malesuada fames ac ante ipsum primis in faucibus. Duis gravida ligula id diam convallis ultricies. Proin facilisis orci in posuere lacinia. Fusce non felis dignissim nunc tincidunt eleifend in sed mauris. Integer semper aliquet magna et bibendum. Ut eu dolor leo. Curabitur mauris nunc, aliquam mollis mi at, interdum eleifend dui. In vehicula lacus elit, quis porttitor justo feugiat ut. Ut sodales tortor ut tellus maximus, egestas vestibulum nunc ultrices. Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia Curae; Nunc id ipsum et justo varius porta. Proin libero mi, sodales et lectus ac, tempus congue nisi.
Suspendisse potenti. Aenean et metus fringilla, pharetra diam vel, posuere diam. Nullam ante dui, lacinia at viverra sit amet, malesuada at sem. Aenean pulvinar magna non orci commodo congue. Praesent rhoncus efficitur risus, sit amet pellentesque mi tempor eget. Ut interdum enim non sapien iaculis congue. Maecenas ac leo ullamcorper, congue ligula sed, condimentum mauris. Ut sagittis, ipsum at rutrum vehicula, mi nulla fermentum est, ac cursus nisl mauris quis dui. Nam dignissim nec nunc in placerat. Maecenas vel blandit nunc, in molestie nulla. Vivamus non tortor porttitor, elementum dolor ac, faucibus lorem.
Integer ut fringilla eros, vel mattis sapien. Morbi eu orci auctor, porttitor purus vel, sodales turpis. Vivamus gravida enim vel dolor interdum, vitae pulvinar ligula lacinia. Aenean imperdiet est in tincidunt interdum. Nullam nec tempus est. Proin porta porttitor bibendum. Praesent luctus neque ac aliquam efficitur. Maecenas dignissim turpis ante, ac malesuada nulla luctus a. Integer varius, dolor in pulvinar ultrices, nisi justo egestas dui, nec tempus elit sapien sed quam. Maecenas id vestibulum dui.
by Kate Fehr
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nam eros velit, porttitor vel faucibus non, ultrices in ligula. Morbi sit amet lectus est. In commodo a nulla ac hendrerit. Sed lacus massa, volutpat nec ullamcorper ac, venenatis vel mi. Donec nisi ex, fringilla non eros ut, pellentesque rutrum ligula. Etiam tempor malesuada ex. Cras fringilla at leo eget eleifend. Nulla consectetur nulla vel felis molestie, eu elementum tortor condimentum.
Nunc luctus ex id gravida dictum. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Proin tempor, sapien vehicula vestibulum consequat, lacus nisl consectetur enim, non finibus sem nibh non lacus. Aliquam dictum pharetra ligula, eget egestas massa ultricies sed. Morbi tristique sit amet lectus at scelerisque. In sed sapien velit. Morbi imperdiet velit quis faucibus gravida. Sed eget sodales massa. Fusce non nisl aliquet, aliquet metus ornare, fringilla sapien. Vivamus sollicitudin consequat suscipit. Cras viverra blandit est vitae posuere.
Vestibulum ut nunc posuere, tincidunt sapien ac, accumsan ligula. Vivamus convallis massa elit, non tempor leo tincidunt a. Integer quis elit rhoncus, lobortis metus id, ultricies ipsum. Etiam id neque a dui tempor maximus sit amet non diam. Interdum et malesuada fames ac ante ipsum primis in faucibus. Duis gravida ligula id diam convallis ultricies. Proin facilisis orci in posuere lacinia. Fusce non felis dignissim nunc tincidunt eleifend in sed mauris. Integer semper aliquet magna et bibendum. Ut eu dolor leo. Curabitur mauris nunc, aliquam mollis mi at, interdum eleifend dui. In vehicula lacus elit, quis porttitor justo feugiat ut. Ut sodales tortor ut tellus maximus, egestas vestibulum nunc ultrices. Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia Curae; Nunc id ipsum et justo varius porta. Proin libero mi, sodales et lectus ac, tempus congue nisi.
Suspendisse potenti. Aenean et metus fringilla, pharetra diam vel, posuere diam. Nullam ante dui, lacinia at viverra sit amet, malesuada at sem. Aenean pulvinar magna non orci commodo congue. Praesent rhoncus efficitur risus, sit amet pellentesque mi tempor eget. Ut interdum enim non sapien iaculis congue. Maecenas ac leo ullamcorper, congue ligula sed, condimentum mauris. Ut sagittis, ipsum at rutrum vehicula, mi nulla fermentum est, ac cursus nisl mauris quis dui. Nam dignissim nec nunc in placerat. Maecenas vel blandit nunc, in molestie nulla. Vivamus non tortor porttitor, elementum dolor ac, faucibus lorem.
Integer ut fringilla eros, vel mattis sapien. Morbi eu orci auctor, porttitor purus vel, sodales turpis. Vivamus gravida enim vel dolor interdum, vitae pulvinar ligula lacinia. Aenean imperdiet est in tincidunt interdum. Nullam nec tempus est. Proin porta porttitor bibendum. Praesent luctus neque ac aliquam efficitur. Maecenas dignissim turpis ante, ac malesuada nulla luctus a. Integer varius, dolor in pulvinar ultrices, nisi justo egestas dui, nec tempus elit sapien sed quam. Maecenas id vestibulum dui.
by Kate Fehr
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nam eros velit, porttitor vel faucibus non, ultrices in ligula. Morbi sit amet lectus est. In commodo a nulla ac hendrerit. Sed lacus massa, volutpat nec ullamcorper ac, venenatis vel mi. Donec nisi ex, fringilla non eros ut, pellentesque rutrum ligula. Etiam tempor malesuada ex. Cras fringilla at leo eget eleifend. Nulla consectetur nulla vel felis molestie, eu elementum tortor condimentum.
Nunc luctus ex id gravida dictum. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Proin tempor, sapien vehicula vestibulum consequat, lacus nisl consectetur enim, non finibus sem nibh non lacus. Aliquam dictum pharetra ligula, eget egestas massa ultricies sed. Morbi tristique sit amet lectus at scelerisque. In sed sapien velit. Morbi imperdiet velit quis faucibus gravida. Sed eget sodales massa. Fusce non nisl aliquet, aliquet metus ornare, fringilla sapien. Vivamus sollicitudin consequat suscipit. Cras viverra blandit est vitae posuere.
Vestibulum ut nunc posuere, tincidunt sapien ac, accumsan ligula. Vivamus convallis massa elit, non tempor leo tincidunt a. Integer quis elit rhoncus, lobortis metus id, ultricies ipsum. Etiam id neque a dui tempor maximus sit amet non diam. Interdum et malesuada fames ac ante ipsum primis in faucibus. Duis gravida ligula id diam convallis ultricies. Proin facilisis orci in posuere lacinia. Fusce non felis dignissim nunc tincidunt eleifend in sed mauris. Integer semper aliquet magna et bibendum. Ut eu dolor leo. Curabitur mauris nunc, aliquam mollis mi at, interdum eleifend dui. In vehicula lacus elit, quis porttitor justo feugiat ut. Ut sodales tortor ut tellus maximus, egestas vestibulum nunc ultrices. Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia Curae; Nunc id ipsum et justo varius porta. Proin libero mi, sodales et lectus ac, tempus congue nisi.
Suspendisse potenti. Aenean et metus fringilla, pharetra diam vel, posuere diam. Nullam ante dui, lacinia at viverra sit amet, malesuada at sem. Aenean pulvinar magna non orci commodo congue. Praesent rhoncus efficitur risus, sit amet pellentesque mi tempor eget. Ut interdum enim non sapien iaculis congue. Maecenas ac leo ullamcorper, congue ligula sed, condimentum mauris. Ut sagittis, ipsum at rutrum vehicula, mi nulla fermentum est, ac cursus nisl mauris quis dui. Nam dignissim nec nunc in placerat. Maecenas vel blandit nunc, in molestie nulla. Vivamus non tortor porttitor, elementum dolor ac, faucibus lorem.
Integer ut fringilla eros, vel mattis sapien. Morbi eu orci auctor, porttitor purus vel, sodales turpis. Vivamus gravida enim vel dolor interdum, vitae pulvinar ligula lacinia. Aenean imperdiet est in tincidunt interdum. Nullam nec tempus est. Proin porta porttitor bibendum. Praesent luctus neque ac aliquam efficitur. Maecenas dignissim turpis ante, ac malesuada nulla luctus a. Integer varius, dolor in pulvinar ultrices, nisi justo egestas dui, nec tempus elit sapien sed quam. Maecenas id vestibulum dui.
