People aften assume that Neat Living is about being a neat freak, or being obsessed with being tidy. Well not to me. That is not my intention at all. So what do I mean by Neat Living?
Let's start by defining Neat.
(I've combined definitions from Word Reference.com, Merriam-Webster and Dictionary.com.)
neat (nēt)
- Free from dirt and disorder: habitually clean and orderly
free from clumsiness; precisely or deftly executed;
- Free from dilution: STRAIGHT
free from irregularity: SMOOTH
- Marked by tasteful simplicity; refined; elegant
- Showing care in execution; marked by skill or ingenuity: ADROIT, PRECISE, SYSTEMATIC
- NET as in (neat profit)
- Free from what is tawdry or unbecoming: FINE, ADMIRABLE
Neat Living: Philosophy & Lifestyle
In choosing the name Neat Living, I seek to embrace ALL these definitions! Neat Living to me means living a lifestyle that incorporates all these definitions by striving to be:
- Habitually clean and reasonably orderly
- Marked by tastefulness, simplicity, ingenuity and elegance
- Seeking peacefulness and good health
- Owning fine quality things that add value to our lives - not stress
- Living profitably by taking care on oneself, and using one's skills and talents to be of service to others
- Demonstrating admirable qualities such as strong ethics and generous charity to those less fortunate
Note the word "habitually". I love that word. It doesn't mean perfection. To me, it means "most of the time". It means we strive to be our best, knowing that we won't always achieve it. We are all human. Another aspect of the definition I like is "free from irregularity, SMOOTH".
I think of Neat Living as a lifestyle that values SMOOTH as in peace and serenity.
So how does organizing fit into this picture?
To me you can't truly experience Neat Living if you are living with lots of clutter, always late or rushed, or chronically disorganized. You need to be organized enough to be in control of the things you own rather than letting them control you and cause you stress. Your things should serve you. Neat Living is a quest to use skill, creativity and determination to:
- Keep things simple
- Develop the habit of using time wisely to meet your goals
- Aquire and keep only the things you really love and use
- Give everything you own a home where you can find it if you need it.
My Personal and Professional Mission
My mission as a professional organizer and educator is to facilitate people learning skills and developing habits that enable them to experience Neat Living.
My hope is that through this Neat Living Blog and the Neat Living Newsletter, I can help people who struggle with getting and staying organized, can't afford to hire an organizer, or who are reasonably organized, but like me, are always on a quest to improve.
This blog is also a great way to for me to help my clients stay organized through continous learning and reinforcement without having to charge them for repeat visits.
So, that's what I'm about. If you like my Neat Living philosophy, then I look forward to having you as a subscriber to the Neat Living Blog and the Neat Living Newsletter
I want to hear from you!
I hope you will also share your questions, ideas, comments and thoughts with me through email or the blog so that others can learn from you as well. I may share email content I receive with others, but I will only use your initials to maintain confidentiality.
All I ask is that you be civil and constructive if you have a criticism or disagree with me on something. There's room for many different philosophies in this world, and I can always learn and improve, but like most people, I don't learn well from insults.
Wishing you peace and sending neat thoughts,
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