NEAT & SIMPLE LIVING with Ariane Benefit, Organizing Coach

Wednesday Wisdom - Using what you have to get organized without spending a penny!

WISDOM

I have always preferred having wings
to having things.

                   - Pat Schroeder

This quote is so true for me.  In 1992 when I moved from Oak Park, Illinois, to NJ I had to sell or donate nearly everything I had.  Because I had so much stuff it had cost my company over $14,000 to move me out to Illinois.  (I told you I used to be a packrat)  But when I wanted to move back to NJ, the only way I could afford it was to lighten my load. (it only cost me $1200 to move back) I eventually collected more stuff, but then I let go of it once again after I got my first Feng Shui Consultation.  Read here about how letting go of clutter may have been the thing that helped me get married for the first time when I was 41 years old!  Ultimately, my quest to let go of clutter led me to finding my passion, taking charge of my own happiness, and starting this business which has truly given my spirit wings.

BONUS NEAT & SIMPLE ORGANIZING TIP!

Here is my latest foray into using what I already have to get organized.  I needed a plastic bag holder in a closet where I put a litter box for my cats.  I didn't want to run out and spend $12 on a new one, so I thought for a minute, and here's what I came up with...I took the last few tissues out of the package and stuffed it with plastic bags!  It works like a charm!

Happy Fourth of July!  : )

Clutter Clearing Pays Off Big Time!

Last week I wrote about my clutter clearing date with my husband and how having too much clutter can affect you financially.  For about 3 weeks prior to clearing the clutter from my office I had not booked a single new client!  I only worked with existing clients.  Since clearing out the clutter from my office...not only do I feel more energized - I booked 5 new clients this week alone!  And that is with no advertising whatsoever!

It's not magic...it's about energy. 
Clearing clutter is about cherishing and then letting go of past energy to make room for great new opportunities to come into your life.  I suspect that one of the most important things I did was "edit" my Active client folders which I keep in a step file on my desk.  It was so full I couldn't fit any more folders in there!  I had not moved my "graduated" clients to the file cabinet for a while.  I moved 15 folders out...and voila - I had plenty of room to add 5 new clients!   

As many of my readers know, I'm a big advocate of Feng Shui.  I apply Feng Shui principles in my office and home to keep positive energy flowing.  Clutter clearing is a huge part of Feng Shui It the foundation of good energy which is why I'm so passionate about it. When things get "stuck" in my business or in my life...I know it's time to go on a hunt for things that have become stagnant or left undone.   

And the thing is you don't have to believe in it for it to work. 
Energy exists whether you believe in it or not.  And if you change the energy around you - you change your life.  What keeps me motivated and inspired helping people clear out and making fresh starts is seeing how it truly changes and improves their lives, even they don't believe or are skeptical.  (I actually get a kind of high from it - It's so true that whatever you give comes back to you!) 

I love giving people the positive energy, life skills, self-confidence and hope they experience from finally clearing clutter learning how to deal with their stuff.  But I also have to remember to practice what I preach and take care of myself.  When I do, it's good for business, too! 

It's all connected...
So if you are in business, or even if you are the CEO of your home, I challenge you to look around and find one thing you can do to take care of yourself and give you a boost of energy. 

It could be catching up with your mail, clearing out your To Read pile, creating an active client file system (use a Chrome step file and purple or green folders for attracting success), or even just picking up all the piles of paper you have in your kitchen.  Maybe you need to downsize the number of toys your kids have.  Or you could start a donate bin or bag and put 9 things a day in it for the next week and then donate it.  Do this for a month, and you will have lightened your load considerably!

It doesn't matter what you do, just start!  And see for yourself how clutter clearing really pays off! : )

Clear your Clutter with Feng Shui by Karen Kingston

If you or a loved one hang on to too much sentimental stuff, this is the BEST book I know of to help you "reframe" the way you relate to your things. It's very easy to read and will surely help you regain control of the stuff in your home. When I have a client that is having great difficulty letting of stuff, I give them this book to read.  It has always done the trick so far.  I even succeeded in getting my dear husband to let go of a ton of old stuff in our attic! An amazing feat! 

This book covers:  Why we keep clutter, how it affects you, the beneficial effects of letting go, and how to let go emotionally, and how to stay clutter-free. (see also "Clutter-Free Forever" in the Controlling Clutter category of this blog) 

Karen Kingston clearly and concisely addresses sources of clutter, such as paper clutter, sentimental clutter, and clutter that comes from other people - and what to do about them.

Feng Shui is about "balancing and harmonizing the flow of natural energies in our surroundings to create beneficial effects in our lives."  Some people think there it is about superstition and luck.  Some people may use it that way, but I don't beleive that you will get rich by putting a purple candle in your wealth calendar.  What I know is that if you have balance and flow in your environment,  you will be more peaceful, and more able to recognize and respond to opportunities that arise.  Essentially, by paying attention to energy, you can make your own "luck" or as I like to think of it - "positive outcomes in your life". 

Let me know how it works for you.  : )

Light Up Your Open House and Sell!

If you are selling your home, one way to accentuate your home's best features is to light them. For example, if you have a great fireplace, you can put uplights on the mantle, or perhaps flank the fireplace with beautiful floor lamps on each side.   Lighting is also a key Feng Shui technique for enhancing the energy in a space.  Beautiful lighting makes you feel good, and feel good about the space in you are in, so it's a great way to enhance potential buyer's experience of your home.

Also consider using small uplights under plants to accentuate them and provide interesting shadows on the ceiling.To make a room feel inviting, lighting from lamps is far superior to overhead lighting. This is because overhead lights tend to cast unflattering shadows.

Click the photo to the right  to see it larger.  This is an example of one my lighting designs.  We put uplights on the top and in the plants on the side.  We put down lights inside the shelving unit to give it depth.  With this lighting arrangement, there is no need to burn candles!  We also hooked up all the lights to a single switch to turn them on and off.

 Your lighting plan should call for lighting each area of the room with lamps or task lighting as needed.  If you have several lamps that you would like to turn on all at same time, link them all into one extension cord, and then plug that into a single flip switch which plugs into the wall.  You can buy these at hardware stores, or home stores such as Home Depot or Lowes.

Lighting can also be used to help you get motivated to organize and keep things neat! If you have an area that you tend to be messy with, casting a light on it will help you keep it neat. For example, once you've organized the items on a shelving unit, lighting up the inside of the unit will help motivate you keep the shelves neat!

To take your home lighting to the next level, check out the lighting ideas at Lighting Showplace! And don't forget to choose Energy Star products to help you save on your light bill.

Click here to take up to 33% off at LightingShowplace!

All the best,

Feng Shui & Getting Married for the First Time over 40?

About 6-7 years ago I discovered Feng Shui. I read several books about it and most of it made sense. Some of it was just too "superstitious" sounding for me. But one day, I met a friend of a friend who had trained to become a Feng Shui consultant. At the time, I was 40 years old and still single. I had been engaged 5 times, and every time something horrible had happened (like he cheated on me) and it didn't work out. So I talked with the Feng Shui Consultant about it and he agreed to come to my home the next week and see if he could help me change the energy in my home and "make room" for and attract someone wonderful into my life.

I was skeptical, but figured it couldn't hurt. He came to my house and after making an evaluation of every room and the whole apartment, he made several suggestions. It was actually surprisingly easy to make the changes.  They made my home feel more inviting and spacious - so I figured it couldn't hurt. Here are a few of the changes I made.

Clear the Books!
First, he had me take all my books out of the bedroom. He said it made me "think too much" in relationships. Ouch. He was right.

No Dried Flowers
He also had me remove all the dried flower arrangements. Easy. (Dead things create stagnant and dead energy.)

Make Room
Then he had me clean out my drawers and closets and make room for someone else to share them with me. Sounds wierd, but once again, I needed to clear the clutter anyway so I did it.

Visualize What You Want
Finally I made a little area with pictures of my friends who had great marriages that I admired.

Results
Okay, so here's the thing, 2 months later I was dating my current husband and

"Clutter-Free Forever!" by Stephanie Roberts

"Clutter-Free Forever!" by Stephanie Roberts - Book Review
Clutter-Free Forever! Website

If you are into Feng Shui, and even if you aren't, this is a program you will love. I love it because it really helps you change the habits that lead to clutter. It features the main book PLUS 6 weeks of lessons, and additional articles by other authors.

Who Should Read This Book
If you have a hard time letting go of sentimental clutter, or if you want to deal with your clutter but just thinking about it makes you tired and overwhelmed, you need motivation and this book / coaching program provides it. Stephanie's writing is warm, crisp and clear. So many books ramble on in dry monologue or repeat them selves to death. She gets to the point without sacrificing style and even makes you smile every now and then.

Compassionate Approach
Only a recovering clutterer who has really been through the transformation and hard work of changing habits could have written a book this insightful. She's been through it and shares so many great tips to deal with the emotional side of letting go. Anyone going through change experiences a predictable cycle of emotions. Support and understanding is the key to getting through the changes and emerging to experience the rewards of your efforts.

Topics Covered
Here are just a few of the chapter titles...

How Clutter Affects Us Helps you understand the high price you pay for hanging on to stuff. This is the key to building your motivation. How many people would have quit smoking if they didn't know how bad it was for you?

Benefits of Clutter Clearing I particularly found her tips on how to use clutter clearing as a way to get over food cravings, lethargy, not wanting to exercise, and helping you focus, very inspirational. I have experienced increased energy and even a kind of euphoria as a result of clearing clutter. But I hadn't really used it in specific ways as she recommends it. But I have to say it really works! Clutter Clearing is one of the most effective anti-depressants, weight loss aids and even relationship improvers available! Think about how much family conflict is caused by different clutter habits!! A disciplined, therapeutic clutter clearing regimen may be even better than drugs at relieving depression, stimulating weight loss and

 

Staying organized by lighting it up!

Lighting is a key Feng Shui technique for enhancing the energy in a space.  Beautiful lighting makes you feel good, and feel good about the space in you are in, so it's a great way to motivate yourself to organize and keep things neat!

For example, if you have an area that you tend to be messy with, cast a spotlight or uplight on it!  That is a sure way to make you want to keep it neat.  Once you've organized the items on a shelving unit, for example, lighting up the inside of the unit will make it a feature you will enjoy looking at, and you know visitors will notice, so you will make an extra effort to keep the shelves neat!

All the best,