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Organize Your Bedroom

Is your bedroom a peaceful sanctuary or a cluttered disaster?

A client story…

We stand side by side in the doorway to her bedroom, looking at the clutter that has taken over the bed, floor, and all horizontal surfaces. She can’t even sleep in this room anymore. As she starts to tell her story, I feel her sadness and shame.

Using the See it. step, I ask my client how things got like this? What happened? Well, her life is a busy one. Between raising 4 girls, work that she loves, and many interests, there isn’t time for her own stuff. Her bedroom, like so many of my clients, became a dumping ground for homeless and undone items. It’s the one room in her home where she doesn’t have to hold it all together. It’s only now that her girls are grown and gone that she can take time for herself.

As we move into the Map it. step, she gets to share about her vision for this bedroom. She’s been dreaming about it for years and has gathered lots of pictures. She wants a sanctuary. What a joy to witness her and put the plan on paper.

Now she is excited and ready to dive into the stuff and make choices that support her vision. Following STACKS (Do It.) one step at a time makes going through all her things possible. We start with the floor, move onto the bed and side tables, and end with her dresser and closet, completely transforming the space into her dream room.

She looks at me with tears in her eyes and exclaims, “I did it!”

SEE IT. MAP IT. DO IT.© is the 3-step organizing formula that works for all the areas of your space and life. Let’s use it to transform your bedroom.

SEE IT – Take a look at where you’re at. Have each person answer the questions below for the whole bedroom (we will do the clothes closet later). When you are done, take time to share with each other.

What’s working? You can be specific or general.
What do you love about the look, feel and function?
Are there things you know you want to change?
What’s not working? What don’t you like?
Are there things in your bedroom that don’t belong there?
Are you doing things other than rest and intimacy in your bedroom?

MAP IT – Make a written plan for what you want. Go after what you really desire as this is the most important room in your home.

How do you want your bedroom to look, feel and function? Have FUN!
Create an online board of images that inspire you. Go for it!
Create a mind map showing all the elements you most want.
Is there a theme for your room such as beach house?
What colors and textures would make you happy?
What do you want to add to your bedroom, like a reading chair?

DO IT – Take the steps to make it happen. Look on your calendar and set up time for the transformation. Try playing music and make this joyful.

Choose which area you want to start with. We suggest starting small and building up from there. For example, you could do the bed and side tables, then go to the dresser and rest of the room.
Go through the S.T.A.C.K.S.© Steps for the project (Sort, Toss, Assign, Contain, Keep it up, Simplify). By following STACKS the process you will save time, energy and money.
Once you complete each area, take time to celebrate. Why not have a date night in your new bedroom! We promise you will sleep better and wake up happier.

Clear & Simple, SEE IT. MAP IT. DO IT., Marla Dee, Kate Fehr, Organize Your Bedroom

Clutter Clear Your Bedroom

by Marla Dee

Here are 3 simple ways to start that can be done in under an hour!

Does your bedroom refresh you or stress you?

Transforming your bedroom into a peaceful place begins with clearing the clutter.

This is the greatest gift you can give your body, your mind, and your heart.

Marla Dee

If you were standing in the doorway to your bedroom right now, would you be happy or stressed? Is your bedroom a resting zone or a check out zone? Your body is feeling everything in your bedroom, even when you are sleeping.

Because the bedroom is behind closed doors, it’s easy to ignore the clutter that builds up there. It often becomes the dumping ground for the homeless stuff. Yet continuing to ignore your bedroom means always waking up feeling tired and overwhelmed by life.

I want to offer some simple places to start since this project can feel huge. This starts you clearing without getting lost in the details. Keep in mind we will take you through SEE IT. MAP IT. DO IT.© for the whole room next. Choose one of the following ideas, schedule the time, turn on music and dive in. Have boxes and bags on hand for goes elsewhere, donations, trash, and goes to someone else.

HOUR OF POWER:

Set your timer for one hour and journey through your bedroom gathering all the obvious stuff that doesn’t belong there, is no longer useful, or that you are ready to let go of. Keep in mind that you are only going after the obvious and easy stuff. If you have to stop and think about it, then wait. You are only doing one hour but you might be surprised how much goes away.

CLEAR THE FLOOR:

Start at door into your bedroom and work your way around the whole area staying focused on the floor. Pick up and bag all the stuff that you know needs to leave. Don’t worry about the other stuff, it comes later. Then grab the vacuum or broom and enjoy cleaning away the old dust and grime.

UNDER THE BED:

You can start the clutter clearing by pulling out all the stuff under the bed. You want to avoid using this as a storage area if at all possible. Remember, your body is feeling all the stuff under there while you are sleeping. Once you clear the space, take a few more minutes to clean it also. You will love how it feels.

When you are done, take some deep breaths and notice how different the room feels. It can be fun to take pictures of all the stuff leaving. Let yourself take in the change and celebrate what you have done.

Now enjoy a good night’s sleep!

Your Guide Marla Dee. I love teaching the Clear & Simple Way to live free of clutter and get organized at last.

Organize Your Year

by Marla Dee

Organizing your year begins with organizing yourself!

Your life matters in this world – your gifts, your choices, your message, your love, your thoughts, your feelings, your struggles and your growth. You are worth spending time with. So before you dive into the actions of your year and day, take the time to get clear on what matters most to you!

Marla Dee

See it. Map it. Do it. is the 3 step organizing system that works for all the areas of your space and life. Let’s apply it to your year.

Learn how here

SEE IT – Take a look at where you’ve been. You begin with acknowledging and learning from your past. Answer one or more of the following questions as they relate to last year.

What worked? What did you accomplish?
What can you celebrate?
What didn’t work? What dissapointed you?
What did you learn about yourself, life and others?

MAP IT – Next it’s time to make a written plan for where you want to go. If you were taking a road trip, you would have a general idea of your destination and the stops along the way. Mapping out your year is similiar. Just get the big pieces in place.

Choose one word for the year. Make it visual so you see it often and get reminded of your focus.
Choose your three core values for this year. You can deepen this by adding a sentence of what meaning they have for you.
Write down your five most important roles. Most of us have many roles and it is vital to know which ones matter most when you are making decisions each day.
Write the most important goal, creation or change for each role.
Choose a tool to write all this down you can review it often. Choose one that works for your personality, It can be paper or digital. Get creative with this so you love it.
Get your ONE PAGE MASTER MAP FORM here.

DO IT – Take the steps to get there. Now that you have your map and tool for the year, it’s time for action. Here is the system to bring your goals into your daily life, to break down the big changes to smaller steps.

For each month – Take 30 minutes and begin with reviewing last month. What got done, what didn’t and why? Then look at your year map and write down the 3 most important actions for this month. Use your tool to make sure you see these easily for your weekly planning.
For the week – Take 30 minutes, look at your month and write down the 3 most important actions for the week. Use your tool to make sure you see these often. I strongly suggest a weekly accountability partner!
For each day – Take time every morning with yourself, time to center and listen to what is going on inside you! Choose ways to do this that are meaningful and attractive to you. Then write down the 3 most important actions for the day. Lastly, close your day with celebrating your day and yourself.

Organize Your Year See it. Map it. Do it. Clear & Simple Steps

Getting clear on your year and what you most want!

When you are surrounded with clutter, it can be tempting to dive into the piles or stay distracted by the chaos. It can be overwhelming trying to figure out where to start making changes. The best place to start is with yourself. Only you can decide what is most important in your life. So, before you dive into the actions of this year, take the time to get clear on where you’ve been, discover who you are now and where you want to go. Take this time for yourself and use SEE IT. MAP IT. DO IT.© to create what you are longing for.

This eBook will guide you through using SEE IT. MAP IT. DO IT.© to get clear on your goals and support for the year. You will create two powerful master maps and get a system for bringing the goals into your daily life.

Getting your own PDF copy today for $20!

Your Guide, Marla Dee.

I love teaching the Clear & Simple Way to live free of clutter and get organized at last.

Letting Go of Your Old Self

by Marla Dee

Let go of the old you to make room for the new you!

It takes slowing down to spend time with yourself

It takes humility to be honest with yourself

It takes courage to let go of what’s blocking you

It takes trust to let a new you emerge

Marla Dee

This new year can be a new journey of adventure and growth for you. It is time to become the person you are ready to be, the person you have been building up to for years.

In order for the new to come into being, you must start with releasing the old stuff, your old self. It is impossible to bring in new when the container is already full. Nature insists that we clear space first. Before your dive into what you want this year, it is essential to let go of what is now past time.

Letting go takes presence, courage and support. Get real with yourself. Why hold on when the new you is ready to emerge. Are you willing to take time with yourself? Grab a favorite pen and notebook. By reflecting on the queries below you will receive the insight that is waiting.

What am I holding onto?

Where have I been stuck?

What is causing me pain?

What needs to change?

What am I ready to let go of?

Pattern
Habit
Belief
Place
Role
Commitment
Person or group
Old way of being

Do you need support to let go? If so, what kind? Now give yourself permission to have it.

Once you have done this, take time with your body, your heart and your head to release the old self. Breathe, feel, walk, run, or whatever your body wants. On the other end of this release is freedom.

Lastly, close down this time with yourself by fully taking in this new freedom. Open your body, mind and heart. Feel the open space and let the new come in. Now you are ready to start exploring what you want next.

Join us for a whole month of organizing your new self for this new year.

Your Guide Marla Dee. I love teaching the Clear & Simple Way to live free of clutter and get organized at last.

Top Ten Tips for Summer

by Marla Dee

SEE IT – get in touch with what is most important to you

MAP IT – make it happen by writing it down on your calendar

DO IT – then enjoy each event to its fullest!

Put FUN First – Choose the most important fun activity and fill up on the juicy energy it offers.
Before you leave on vacation – make two copies of each document in your wallet. Keep one in a safe place at home and take one with you to put in the hotel safe. Then you are prepared if anything should happen.
Connect with the Earth – Choose one morning or evening each week to be your time to connect with the earth – a long walk, sitting outside under a tree, a bike ride, or soaking up the sun. Let this be a time that fills you!
Garden – If you want to garden but just never have the time, plant a container with a favorite flower or vegetable. You will still enjoy gardening but on a more manageable scale.
Family Passes – Buy a family pass to your favorite summer place, then as a family review the schedule of events and mark your calendar with those you don’t want to miss!
Three Most Important Things – Every morning, when you are planning your day, write down the three things that truly matter most that day. The sense of accomplishment that you will feel when you complete these three things will free you to do other things.
Organize Last Years School Papers – Make a date with your child to spend an afternoon to go through all of the papers you saved from the last school year.Lay them all out on the dining room table or the floor. Enjoy reliving the last year. Then choose the keepers and treasures. Next simply three hole punch them and put in a fun binder so your child can look at it whenever he/she wants too.
Birthdays, Graduations, Weddings – Take one hour and make a master list of all the birthdays, graduations, and weddings, which are coming up this summer. Keep a copy with you so you can jot down gift ideas and have it handy when you are shopping
Weekend Project – Take one weekend, pick one project, (i.e. a closet, pantry or storage) and using the Clear & Simple Systems (see download below) organize the space. Then mentally let go of the rest and enjoy your summer.
Keep it simple, take a deep breath. Our favorite app for simple breathing and meditation is headspace.com

Marla Dee & Team