Managing The Kitchen Clutter: 5 Tips That Get Results Quickly
Kitchens are known clutter collectors, even in the most tidy and organized homes. Fact. The way we use them, how they’re set up inside our home, the zones we create and how we use the space naturally create opportunities for stuff to pile up. Keep these 5 kitchen decluttering tips in your back pocket and you’ll be able to reset and manage the kitchen clutter in your home in a snap.
Do a drinking cup/vessel audit (edit).
WHY: You likely have too many (I’d be willing to bet money on it) and it’s eating up valuable cabinet/kitchen space that you need for other things, making your kitchen feel smaller.
HOW: Pair down mugs, travel cups, water bottles, everyday cup and glasses, etc.
TRAPS: Avoid lots of duplicates - toss broken/unusable cups - if you never use it (be honest) donate it.
GAINS: You’ll recover valuable cabinet space, you’ll stop digging, you’ll wash less and have less to manage! Woo hoo!
Do a food audit (edit) - fridge, freezer, pantry, spices, etc.
WHY: Food you don’t need that you’re holding space for is taking up valuable square footage all over your kitchen. You’ll learn what you need to buy and what to stop wasting money on plus learn what you have in stock now.
HOW: Remove expired items, food you’re never eating, don’t like, don’t plan to eat, etc.
TRAPS: Avoid keeping too much back stock of foods you never get to and waste. Keep stock of food items you use/want to eat.
GAINS: You’ll recover valuable cabinet space, you’ll stop digging, you’ll have less to wash and have less to manage!
Do a countertop audit (edit).
WHY: Extras on your counter tops are wasting valuable space to prep food - it’s also visually cluttering up your entire kitchen/causing you constant stress.
HOW: Remove items that don’t need to be put on the counter - be ruthless - if it can be tucked away near where it’s used, do it.
TRAPS: Rarely used appliances (like toasters, blenders, mixers) hog valuable countertop space - make every single item earn its place or remove it!
GAINS: Your kitchen will instantly look cleaner and larger when you simplify/reduce what is out on your kitchen counters. Less visual clutter will make kitchen tasks easier, improve your kitchen workflow and reduce stress.
Do a cooking utensils audit (edit).
WHY: Well, you don’t need 12 spatulas to start. You likely have more than you need and you have your favorites you love to go to time and time again. Your favorites need to take center stage to streamline your workflow in your kitchen.
HOW: Remove kitchen utensils you don’t use regularly, are in poor shape (cannot be repaired or donated), you don’t remember the last time you used them, or you simply don’t like them (yes, this is a perfectly good reason to part with something)!
TRAPS: Be mindful of holding on to too many duplicates. They eat up your counters and drawer space and make you dig for the things you use everyday. Unless it is serving a specific function, makes a task easier and it is used regularly, it needs to go. If you are not a big baker, you shouldn’t have 10 whisks, for example.
GAINS: More drawer space, less digging, simplified kitchen tasks and routines, more efficient workflow in your kitchen, more space, more space, more space!
Do a kitchen decor audit (edit).
WHY: It might not reflect your current season of life, it might not reflect your aesthetic or it might be taking up space that could be better used for more functional items you need regular access to. It might also just be visual clutter all over your kitchen, causing stress.
HOW: Check your counter tops, walls, books, vessels, trays, bowls, kitchen rugs, kitchen towels, etc. Remove anything that takes up more space that it is worth, you’ve grown out of love with, is too loud or not your style anymore, could be more useful in another space in your home, or you’d rather have the space back and could be donated.
TRAPS: Decor is another layer of items that will fight for your attention and clutter up your kitchen if you’re not careful. As we discussed with your counter tops, make every single decor piece/layer in your kitchen earn it’s place. Aim for items that check off the function and aesthetic categories equally. Both are essential.
GAINS: Simplify your kitchen, visually streamline the look and feel of your kitchen, gain back usable space throughout, reduce stress with less visual clutter and more intentional choices will bring you more joy!
Want to take your kitchen to the next level without a costly renovation? Here’s a few options for you to get you moving + motivated with all things decluttering, organizing + design for your kitchen!
Ultimate Kitchen + Pantry Guide
How Architecture School Prepared Me For Motherhood
I had no clue when I was in architecture school (decades ago) how much of my day to day would translate directly into my life as a mother. Did it prepare me for everything? Of course not. Nothing can prepare you for motherhood, and I mean this in the best possible way. I could never have fathomed the ride I was about to take and the joys I would experience having children. I hope you’ll join me (regardless of your seasons of life right now) and delight in this group of life lessons that originally surfaced in architecture school, and has since resurfaced in my first 8 years of my motherhood journey. And if you’re not in the throws of motherhood, not to worry. Many of these ideas will be fitting for your life as well, regardless of your current life season/focus, so stick with us!
Me in literal reflection at Frank Gehry’s Walt Disney Concert Hall in LA. Here I was at the end of my 1st trimester with my second child + it was the first time I had ever traveled alone away from my toddler.
Your sleep will be compromised (at least for a bit).
Architecture School Perspective: During architecture school, pulling all-nighters happened frequently towards the end of big studio projects/deadlines. The sleep was poor, you felt like a zombie, and somehow things were getting done, even though it was hard to remember a lot of it. Note: I’m not recommending that you do this, in fact I got much wiser in graduate school and barely had any all-nighters and the results were much better both in my health and in my project quality! Your design studio projects feel a lot like a growing baby that you’re nurturing and paying continuous, acute attention to. Ironically at the terminus of the project, while you feel like you’ve birthed something profound, you simultaneously then must send it (your design project) out into the world for judgment and scrutiny. This now hits home.
Motherhood Perspective: The needs are high. The feedings and care demands of a baby are HIGH, resulting is less and choppy sleep. Duty calls. You have to step up and get the job done, whether you have help around or not. The jacked up sleep demands while caring for babies and young children last far longer than any project deadline in school. And I got to stop caring for that “baby” AKA “studio project” after my design presentation. I got to walk away from it. Not so much in motherhood. Which leads my to our next topic of needing breaks…
You need to take breaks often.
Architecture School Perspective: If I could tell the former architecture student version of myself one thing, it would be to take more breaks. Your brain and your body need breaks to reset. Your creativity/cognitive function greatly improves after you step away from what you’re focusing on, look at new things/surroundings and then return back. You think you don’t have the time and that your project is going to suffer if you walk away for any amount of time. So many problems and design issues were often resolved after I’d step away, take a break and come back later when my brain had a break.
Motherhood Perspective: This is 100% true as well in motherhood, even though it feels hard to take breaks for so many reasons, unnecessary guilt being one of them. You feel guilty because you think you’re needed all the time (which is often true) but even in these extremely needy phases with children, you cannot ignore your need for taking a break from care-giving. Sometimes taking a break is not by formally leaving the house, but by stepping outside, doing something completely different than caring for others, like water coloring or making yourself a fancy coffee. These all count. Asking for help from others counts. Sitting in silence/quiet for 5 minutes counts. These all help you reset. They are needed. They are essential. You have to intentionally take them or your body will force a break on you by way of sickness or mental health struggles.
Delight in as many details as possible.
Architecture School Perspective: The details that create “good” environments in architecture, interiors and in all design are layered and vast. The details add up to make the entire design and ignoring some results in “holes” in the project. Glaring areas that were missed opportunities where it looked like you forgot it was even there. Every studio professor will find those “holes” by the way. And odds are you already knew they were there. The details of how a user interacts with a space are critical and define the quality of user experience on a small and large scale. The details are everything.
Motherhood Perspective: Your world shrinks down rapidly to LOTS of details as a mother. It becomes ever so apparent in moments when your baby picks up the one hair ball you missed sweeping and you have to finger swipe it out of their mouth so they don’t choke. It is clear just how much the details matter. One thing I learned when my kids were very young (and even now) is how little I noticed before they were around. Our adult brain likes to gloss over the details of the day. And all those details, if we choose to engage with them and delight in them make for a pretty great day and existence. Ignore the details and the day becomes quite dull, colorless and bland. But please note: you will NOT be able to delight in ALL the details. Some are not pleasant at all and still need your attention. They are not in fact enjoyable, at all, and that’s OK.
Connect before you critique.
Architecture School Perspective: I was always so grateful for the studio professors that took the time to understand where I was at with my project, to meet me right where I was in the design process and offer support. To learn the direction I was trying to go, where my hang ups were, what decisions I was trying to make, and how I was planning to “tell the story” of my design concept. If they ignored this step, it was difficult for them to offer genuine mentorship for my project goals. Ignore the design student’s design goals and you ignore their process and offer advice that makes it your own, not theirs.
Motherhood Perspective: Meeting my children exactly where they’re at on a daily basis has completely changed my perspective on parenting. Telling myself “their story” and “where are they right this moment” helps better direct me on how I can offer support or stay on the sidelines until I’m needed. If I assert myself too much, their story becomes mine. Their learning journey becomes skewed. Their developmental timeline becomes someone else’s, not their own. I’ve learned to give breathing room while remaining close, even though it’s not always easy to do so.
Always question: does it need to be here or not?
Architecture School Perspective: I had a professor in graduate school that requested that we ask this question, “does it need to be here or not” throughout every design project. It became one of the most impactful things anyone ever said to me in design school (and down the road as it relates to my entire life). He would asks us to look closely at all the elements of our project, whether it was a building, an interior, a product, then go through each part and cover one element up. Then ask yourself, is it better or worse? Is the design lacking if it isn’t there? Is it better if it’s not there? I have used this assessment tool in all my designs since then and still do in my business, in graphic design projects and in designing spaces in my own home. And guess what, IT WORKS!
Motherhood Perspective: In motherhood, many times, there’s too much and everything seems important. A lot of needs are happening at one time. The list of “must-dos” seems long and endless. I have found over the years that when I actually sit down to assess this list, many things are truly not needed. They can wait or can be removed completely. They don’t need to happen right now. I’ve also applied this idea to the spaces in my own home, particularly with my children. Rooms that have felt stressful and overwhelming had too much in them. They needed to be intentionally decluttered. Things had to assessed and some items slowly removed to make way more living. It’s been a reminder that the greatest gift I can give my kids is space to move, explore and create in. Not by adding in more things, just open space. In times of overwhelm, I ask myself “does it need to be here?” Or “is this essential for the livelihood of myself, my family or my children?” Many times the answer is “no.” Sometimes it is “yes.” But learning to not only edit our physical space and how we use our time is life giving and life saving.
You’ll learn more simply by doing.
Architecture School Perspective: One thing I learned early on was that ZERO of my projects got better or more evolved if I just stared at them. I had to get over the uncomfortable phase of not having any or all of the answers upfront and just start somewhere. I had to move past the fear of doing things wrong, otherwise I would simply stay stuck. As I dug into each project and spent more time with it, the more “answers” seemed to emerged out of thin air. Decisions became easier to navigate and the design vision began to take over, making decisions for me it often seemed. The design concept became so clear that it was easy to say no to lots of exciting ideas that looked sparkly and enticing. It became easy to say no to things that would not serve the design well and would take away from the end goals.
Motherhood Perspective: For many of us, you are sent home with your baby after mere days and the learning curve is a STEEP dive into the unknown. I remember realizing that I hadn’t changed a diaper until I had my own child, even though I had done lots of aunt duties in the years past. I watched my husband jump in and change what seemed like all of the diapers in the hospital while I was in a postpartum fog. He learned by doing. He had no prior experience. Over the next few days when I was home with a newborn, I had no choice but to learn by doing. The learning and the wisdom came from the doing. Not from being fearful of doing things wrong or imperfectly. What was most important at any given moment became clearer and clearer. Things that weren’t essential to this time did not make the cut or were revisited later. This idea is still true everyday with my family. I am learning everyday by doing life WITH them. I often tell my kids that I am learning how to do LOTS of things right along side them. We’ll figure it out together by “doing”.
Now’s your turn. Which one of these ideas resonates with you most in your current season of life? Please tell us below!
More resources for your life + home:
Free Declutter Guide, Donate Your Decluttered Items For Good Links, Learn the basics of Decluttering, Schedule Decluttering Support
Dynamic Women In Their Home - Bess
We’re in a year long series of interviews highlighting incredible women in our community. The focus of each interview is to have a candid conversation about their home, life, what they value, what feels challenging right now, and most importantly, what’s bringing them joy.
Our next interview is with Bess Swantner. Bess is an Architect turned water color artist based out of San Antonio, Texas. Bess and I met at Texas A&M in Architecture School (we were both studying Environmental Design during our undergrad years). Ironically we didn’t have many classes together, which seems hard to believe thinking back on it. We had many good mutual friends and she had a lot more classes with my now husband, Luke. Long story short, Bess and I have thankfully stayed in touch after going separate ways for graduate school, moving to different cities, both having architecture careers and then us both shifting out of those roles in different ways (her, now focusing her creative energy on watercolor painting and myself, as an interior designer here in this space with you).
Anytime I’ve been around Bess she’s warm, kind and welcoming. She is thoughtful and intentional with her words and her approach to design. Her water color work is detailed, humble, approachable and brilliant. I see her very clearly in her work. Her work gives you fresh eyes and perspective on things you thought you knew, things you’ve seen many times before. If you are lucky enough, you’ll get your hands on some of her beautiful work ASAP. You can find her watercolor work here.
Most days you can find us DMing about our kids getting too big too fast, all sorts of excitement with mom life, cool furniture pieces and all things design/home. She’s such a delight to have here in our community and I know you’re going to love getting to know her!
Scroll down to enjoy my interview with Bess about all things home and life.
Photo Credit: Lauren Nygard
Share a quick snapshot of your last 5 years:
The past five years have been full of changes for our family - I quit taking on architectural work, began painting more seriously, gave birth to our third child, moved to a new home and endured the challenges of school/childcare during the pandemic.
What's your day to day like right now?
Every day is a little bit different, but I am finally in a phase of life where I have some uninterrupted time throughout the week. My older children are in elementary school full-time and my youngest is in part-time preschool. On mornings when Clara is at school, I try to block time to paint, usually working on commissions or toward a collection of paintings. I spend the early afternoon with Clara, and usually sneak back into the studio for an hour or so before Elsa and Henry come home on the bus. From then on, I am running kids to sports, supervising homework and fixing dinner. 4-8 pm are busy hours in our home! I spend a lot of time volunteering at the Old School Makerspace, a community space for art and making that I helped to launch over the last few years.
Photo Credit: Bess Swantner
How long have you been in your current home?
Three years.
What do you love most about your current home?
Our house is a great party house. The open spaces and back yard are perfect for entertaining. The previous owners put a lot of work into the back yard, pool and covered patio, and we added a tree fort for our kids and an outdoor kitchen. Our favorite way to spend the weekend is with kids in the pool and my husband, Matt grilling something fun for a big group of friends.
Photo Credit: Bess Swantner
What's something you'd love to change/or feels challenging for you in your current home?
My biggest challenge is keeping it tidy with three kids! We also have a really awkward fireplace with deep glass shelves that is continually filled with clutter. I would love to rip out the entire fireplace surround and clean it up with something more modern. But that is a project for another year.
In the last year, have you spent any time decluttering/editing in your home (if so where/why)?
I am constantly decluttering kids’ closets as they outgrow clothes so quickly.
If you have spent time decluttering/editing, what was the result? Was it helpful?
A few years ago, I edited my closet down to a capsule wardrobe and learned a lot about what colors I gravitate towards and what fits my body best. I would like to do another capsule wardrobe this winter.
What part would you rather do - declutter OR organize (+ why)?
Declutter. The organization part overwhelms me a bit. Fortunately, my sister is a professional organizer and comes to my rescue.
Photo Credit: Bess Swantner
Where's your favorite spot in your home right now?
The pair of leather chairs outside of my studio. It is a great spot to read in the quiet morning hours or read aloud to my kids. My son, Henry, and I are currently reading through the Chronicles of Narnia together.
What object in your home means a lot to you?
That is hard - there are so many! I love my grandmother's milk glass collection and an oil painting created by my high school art teacher and mentor.
Tell me something fun or quirky about you I probably don't know...
I was the duchess of the Miss Comfort Court in Comfort, Texas, at age 14. We rode in small town parades all over Central Texas, white gloves and all.
OK, NOW A FEW RAPID-FIRE HOME QUESTIONS!
Light/bright OR dark/moody:
Light
Open concept or separated rooms/nooks:
Open concept (although I did enclose my studio after a little too much open concept during the pandemic).
Color or neutrals:
Neutrals with blue. Always blue.
Real plants or faux:
Real but I also have a black thumb.
Listen to music or read:
Listen to music, podcasts, and audiobooks
Favorite morning or daily ritual:
Morning pages with my first cup of coffee.
Morning person or night person:
Night
Favorite piece of furniture in your home:
My Danish modern credenza I bought from Period Modern, an amazing local store specializing in mid century modern furniture.
Do you dress like the interiors of your home?
I think I do! Most of my closet is black, white, denim and other shades of blue or green.
THANK YOU BESS for sharing more about your home and life with us! I love following along with your watercolor adventures and am exciting to see the pieces you’re working on next! Thank you for giving us a snapshot into this current season of life for you!
Photo Credit: Lauren Nygard (studio portrait) | Bess Swantner (interior home photos)
Find Bess on IG: @bessstudio
Find Bess’ Water Color Work: www.bessswantner.com
More Support for Your Home + Life:
✔ Ready to take action in your home? START HERE with with FREE Decluttering Quick Guide I know you’re going to love!
✔ Lots more decluttering + organizing support here to lighten the load in your home!
✔ Not sure where to being + need help getting started? Check out the tools I’ve created for you HERE.
See you in the next interview!
Dynamic Women In Their Home - Nicki
We’re in a year long series of interviews highlighting incredible women in our community. The focus of each interview is to have a candid conversation about their home, life, what they value, what feels challenging right now, and most importantly, what’s bringing them joy.
Our next interview is with Nicki Turner. Nicki is a one woman show over at Cori Rose Handmade where she creates lightweight clay jewelry. She’s based out of Polk County Florida, not too far from my sister, who’s also a Floridian. Nicki and I connected through mutual interest Instagram accounts many months ago. I landed on her page one day and loved what she was doing, as she was just starting up her handmade clay jewelry business at that time. I am most drawn to her use of color and I am a total sucker for her simple stud earrings (yes, she does big, bold pieces as well you’ll need to check out)! I also appreciate her ability design for the bold and minimal aesthetic simultaneously, which I feel is incredibly rare!
A while back, I did an “ask me anything” series and she reached out to me about advice on several kids sharing a bedroom and how to keep it organized (what a fabulous topic). You can see my response here on Instagram.
Most days you can find us DMing each other about our kids and encouraging each other on our small business adventures! I’ve loved watching her business grow, how she involves she kids in her making process, and seeing her keep pushing her creative boundaries through the designs in her shop. I’m absolutely thrilled to share more about her with you here!
Scroll down to enjoy my interview with Nicki about all things home and life.
Share a quick snapshot of your last 5 years:
Over the last five years I've have been transitioning roles from working full time, being in school, raising kids, and starting a new business.
What's your day to day like right now?
I drop my girls off at school in the morning and then return home to work.
While my girls are at school I'm making products and scheduling marketing events to promote my work. Throughout the week I also have webinars and meetings with virtual entrepreneur communities. My work day ends at 3 pm so that I can pick up my girls. Sometimes I leave projects from my business for after school so that they can join me. I love teaching them about clay and having their help.
How long have you been in your current home?
I've currently been in my home for almost four years. We were not looking to buy, but I walked through this house and fell in love. I saw the home online and it looked like an Austin Powers movie set. My friend was a realtor and was familiar with the neighborhood, so I asked her if I could be nosey and see the house. She warned me that it was a time capsule, but agreed. After my first walk though I fell in love and we started a long and grueling process of renovation (a story for another time). I'll never forget finishing our first walk through and my friend asking me what I thought. I told her I could see myself living there and my husband was like that was not the purpose of us visiting this house (lol).
Also, after purchasing this home we found out a lot of really cool history about the previous owners and their amazing contributions to our community.
What do you love most about your current home?
The size. It's very spacious and large, because the previous owners did a lot of entertaining.
What's something you'd love to change/or feels challenging for you in your current home?
There is still a lot that needs to be renovated, because we had to stay within a budget. Also, we have an insane amount of storage space all throughout the house and we don't utilize it well.
In the last year, have you spent any time decluttering/editing in your home (if so where/why)?
Here and there we have made efforts to declutter. Recently we've done some decluttering in our girls room, because we were inspired by advice from Kristin with Fuzzy Hippo Shop. She emphasized the importance of children's rooms being restful and gave a lot of insight on how to help kids with shared rooms have their own areas.
If you have spent time decluttering/editing, what was the result? Was it helpful?
Decluttering their room was extremely helpful. The girls are starting to prioritize making their room cozy and restful, by giving ideas on what to remove and add. They mostly want to add things (lol).
What part would you rather do - declutter OR organize (+ why)?
I'd much rather organize, because I have a hard time letting things go. I'm always worried I'm going to miss it, or that I should use it while I already have it. Haha, this probably means that I need to focus on decluttering rather than organizing.
Where's your favorite spot in your home right now?
I have a few, but my favorite is our dining room in the morning. Our home has a lot of windows and when the sun hits just right the rooms are golden, warm, and cozy.
What object in your home means a lot to you?
Our dining table. We built it with Ben's uncle and its taken a beating, but I love it. It can comfortably fit 10+ people.
Tell me something fun or quirky about you I probably don't know...
I played soccer from Kindergarten through college and I can play four instruments.
OK, NOW A FEW RAPID-FIRE HOME QUESTIONS!
Light/bright OR dark/moody:
I love both, but for my mental health I need Light/Bright
Open concept or separated rooms/nooks:
Open Concept
Color or neutrals:
Color
Real plants or faux:
Real Plants
Listen to music or read:
Listen to Music
Favorite morning or daily ritual:
Coffee or Tea in a quiet house
Morning person or night person:
Night Person
Favorite piece of furniture in your home:
Dining Room table or Piano
Do you dress like the interiors of your home?
No
THANK YOU NICKI for sharing more about your home and life with us! I love following along with your colorful designs and can’t wait to see what you’ll be creating next! Thank you for giving us a snapshot into this current season of life for you!
Photo Credit: Nicki Turner
Cori Rose Handmade Clay Jewelry | https://www.corirose.com/
Follow Nicki over on IG: @corirosehandmade
See you in the next interview!
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5 Steps to Simplify Your Kitchen + Pantry Now
A recent poll from our community shouted out loud that this topic was something that MOST everyone needed ASAP! Deal! We’ll break down together some simple steps to get your understanding your kitchen and pantry on a deep level so you can start removing obstacles lingering around and start making life easier here!
And PS. when your kitchen is working right, a lot of other things seems to go SO much smoother throughout your home and your day!
1. Observe Your Space
All we’re doing in this first step is looking around and taking note of any hot spots you see or are experiencing. A hot spot might look like:
cluttered counters or piles of things on the counter
overstuffed shelves or cabinets
digging for things or not being able to find things easily
lots of extra trips to the store
finding expired things you’re not getting to because you didn’t know you had it
lots of duplicates of things you don’t actually use
seeing things taking up space that you don’t use, enjoy or like anymore
your family not being able to take care of their basic needs in the kitchen without your help (based on their age of course)
areas that are hard to keep clean or organized
I want you to write it ALL down. Any observations and anything you know you’re currently struggling with related to anything kitchen and pantry.
2. Remove Things
Now we are going to select a zone of your kitchen and pantry to focus on improving. Let’s pretend you’re really struggling with a particular drawer in your kitchen (lots of digging going on and overstuffed). We’re going to focus on that zone/category only for the next several steps. Deal?
The next step is to heavily EDIT (declutter) this zone so it can intentionally serve the purpose you need to serve. Pull everything out from this zone so you can objectively look at what is there outside of it’s current “home” that you’re conditioned to looking at at certain way (and numb to).
Here’s what you’re looking for to edit out:
items you never use
items that are broken/damaged/beyond repair
duplicates that aren’t used regularly
items you don’t like/enjoy anymore
items that don’t belong in this zone and need to be relocated
Toss items that cannot be donated or repaired. Recycle if possible based on your local regulations (I was just able to recycle old plastic plates and dishware that were not in good enough shape for donation by could be recycled locally). Donate if it’s in good shape and can be resold/be immediately useful to someone else. Donate it locally or offer it up to a site like Free Cycle in your community.
3. Move Things
Before you put things back into this zone, you are going to assess what you’ve decided to keep and align that will how you want that zone to work.
Back to my example of the overstuffed kitchen drawer, here’s what I am going to think about now that this zone is emptied and edited:
what is the drawer close to/what tasks will it make easier for me? (ex. cooking/baking prep)
what tasks do I want to do right near this zone and what should be in this drawer to support this? (ex. chop, mix, stir, measure)
When you more clearly identify what this zone (drawer for example) needs to do, it will likely involve you moving things around to get the end result you’re after and simplify/create more efficiency in this zone.
Now you’re going to group what you are keeping in this zone (drawer for example). Use these guidelines to group items in a zone:
by size/ shape (items with fit better together, nest better and maximize your space)
by use (spatulas together, measuring tools together, long spoons together, etc.)
by frequency of use (if you use it all the time, move it to the front so it’s super easy to grab)
4. Add Order
With clear categories of items to put back in the zone you’re focusing on, a bit of additional order (organization) will make this zone shine with efficiency and make great use of the space you have.
Here’s some ideas for how to maximize any zone in your kitchen and pantry with organizational items you likely already have in your home:
counter tops - if it must stay out, make sure it is used frequently, isn’t taking up too much usable counter space (corral essentials on the counter with a tray, plate or shallow basket)
shelves - keep what is used frequently in the front and easily in reach, if out in view all the time, curate items by type to create visual “collections” by use, color, material, size, etc.
cabinets - to avoid losing items deep in the cabinets, use baskets, containers or bins with handles/cut out to pull out a group of items (like water bottles or cooking tools) all at once and can easily slide back in place similar to a drawer
drawers - create mini drawers with drawer dividers, shallow boxes, cut down cardboard boxes, lids, trays, etc. Subdividing the space you have allows you to see all that you have at a glance and make it easier to access what you need without digging around
5. Live With It
With all your essential keep items back in their place in this kitchen and pantry zone, it is now time to LIVE with the changes you’ve made. As you spend more time with this newly refreshed area, you might realize it is exactly as you need it to be OR that it needs a few tweaks.
Here’s what you might experience and how to tweak it:
you notice you don’t need something out on the counter anymore (your habits/routine has shifted) and can be tucked away
you need to move something to another spot in your kitchen/pantry to make it easier to access/use or support a task better
you need another mini zone in a drawer or cabinet to make it easier to access something
you want to swap locations of items for another area of your kitchen/pantry because it makes more sense
Tweaking things to get them working just right is a normal part of the process as you “listen” to your space and respond to what is needed to make life easier and more efficient in this area.
Want more support in your kitchen + pantry?
If you’d like understand how to make your kitchen + pantry work seamlessly, efficienctly, look beautiful, while saving you time, money and energy, I’d love for you to check out my Ultimate Kitchen + Pantry Guide.
If you’re current kitchen feels too small, has too little storage, you think you need to spend a ton of money on it to improve it or take on a costly renovation, the clutter and chaos feels like it is never ending, then this program is calling your name!!
Can’t wait to blow your mind as I show you exactly how to intentionally declutter, organize and layer in design you love throughout your current so you fall back in love with your kitchen again!
Thanks for being here + I’ll see you in the next post!
Dynamic Women In Their Home - Molly
We’re in a year long series of interviews highlighting incredible women in our community. The focus of each interview is to have a candid conversation about their home, life, what they value, what feels challenging right now, and most importantly, what is bringing them joy.
Our next interview is with Molly Lam. Molly and I were destined to meet for many years because we were swirling around in the same handmade/makers community in the DFW area.
We’re in a year long series of interviews highlighting incredible women in our community. The focus of each interview is to have a candid conversation about their home, life, what they value, what feels challenging right now, and most importantly, what’s bringing them joy.
Our next interview is with Molly Lam. Molly and I were destined to meet for many years because we were swirling around in the same handmade/makers community in the DFW area. When I met her in the fall of 2016, I had come off of an incredibly taxing year of family health issues, followed by having a miscarriage of my own, all in the midst of studying for one of my Interior Design Professional exams. To say that meeting Molly as a fellow designer/maker at the Etsy Dallas Jingle Bash/Handmade Bash was a *bright spot* for me that year would be a total understatement! She stopped by my booth of paper goods and said the most sincere, kind things about my shop and my booth display. We hit it off, both encouraged and inspired by the design work we were both doing at the time, while also having young children about the same age. We’ve thankfully stayed in touch ever since and I continue to be inspired endlessly by the creative, color and dynamic work of hers over in her design shop, Tokodots. Since that show, her illustrations have evolved to various mediums, from prints, to cards, to fabric designs and surfacing art. She also has a card of the month subscription delivered to you monthly so you can keep a stash of beautifully colorful cards on hand for notes through out the year. Yes please!
Most days you can find Molly and I chatting about our kids, random house decluttering/organizing bursts, and how we’re navigating motherhood along side being a small business owner. I am so grateful to have her here to share with you!
Scroll down to enjoy my interview with Molly about all things home and life.
Photo Credit: Yony Lee Kim @ylkphotography
Share a quick snapshot of your last 5 years:
The last 5 years have been a whirlwind of the early years of motherhood as a SAHM to my two young boys, building and running a small stationery and art business.
What's your day to day like right now?
It’s the end of the school year (at the time of writing this) so things are crazy, breakfast and rushing to school in the mornings, usually followed by a little down time at home with my toddler after that. We spend time in the garden, making art, doing housework and sometimes just sitting on the couch to watch TV while I work on a project before naptime, then school pickup and the dinner/evening activity rush. By the time the kids are finally settled down some time around 8:00pm I find it really hard to make good use of that alone time! I like to just go to bed early if I can stay off of my phone, but a lot of days lately I’m up late trying to get in some time on creative projects.
How long have you been in your current home?
My husband and I moved into our one story, 3B house in the suburbs about 6 years ago before our oldest had his first birthday. Because of the timing of our move with a little one I let so many design decisions go for years and years and am still working through some ideas about how I actually want things to look.
What do you love most about your current home?
We have a “small” home by Texas standards, but I love that I can have eyes on both of my kids from the kitchen while I prepare meals in any of the areas they’d be playing in our house. When we were searching, we definitely had the kids in mind as we decided what was a priority for us at this stage, even if it’s not really what we ultimately love in a home.
We’ve also been really flexible about how we organize the space, and some rooms have seen many different layouts and setups for the kids as they have gone through different stages of childhood. We’ve eaten dinner at our dining room table about 3 times since we’ve lived here, and the rest of the time the room has been used as a “family work room” which has meant sewing spot, painting studio, Lego zone, puzzle area, or even cello practice area over the years. We’ve moved the table around the room in different ways, had a couch in there for a short time to accommodate a big tent in the living room, and cordoned the whole area off with a baby fence for a big portion of the pandemic. Our master bedroom, off the main living area, now has a big bookshelf, all of the art supplies, and several work tables for the kids because it is a convenient space we could lock off for the little one but I could still see and supervise from my spot in the kitchen. It’s not exactly the most relaxing bedroom setup for me, but we like that everyone has a variety of spaces to use throughout our home and that feels worth it for the sacrifice when the kids are small.
What's something you'd love to change/or feels challenging for you in your current home?
I never thought I’d buy a house with half-circle windows and really wanted something more interesting but here we are in the North Texas suburbs with lots of things I swore we’d never have. I have had a hard time expressing my own style in a home that is not really what I had envisioned for our family, but little by little we’re making it our own. We started by painting everything white, the walls and the kitchen cabinets, and try to use that as a base for the colorful textiles and artwork that we’d like to use in the space. The house has these small cutout shelf/nooks in some hallway spaces that really bothered me at first, but I’m finally figuring out how to use them in a way that I like.
In the last year, have you spent any time decluttering/editing in your home (if so where/why)?
Yes! It is a constant struggle, because I have a tendency to always be stashing things out of the kids’ sight—toys they are being too rough with, special items I want to have up my sleeve for when they need a surprise, or just things of my own that I don’t want out for everyone to see—and this often means stuffing things quickly into a locked cabinet, tall shelf, high counter, or off-limits closet and then not having the energy to clear it out when the kids are asleep. My guest room/studio closet, a few junk-type cabinets in the kitchen, and my desk are all places that I spend decluttering more often than I’d like, but as the kids get bigger I can find a little time and mental space to address these things, more than I used to at least.
If you have spent time decluttering/editing, what was the result? Was it helpful?
It always feels so great to declutter and get rid of things I don’t need but I’m obviously not doing it enough because there are certain problem spots that just need to be addressed again and again. Although each time I do a big purge—baby toys we’ve outgrown, maternity clothes I’m not saving anymore, and other unnecessary items, I’m getting closer to the simplified home I prefer.
What part would you rather do - declutter OR organize (+ why)?
I think I’d rather declutter.. I’ve spent years reorganizing things that were really just too big for their spaces. And now that I’ve realized the great feeling of leaving some spaces empty, I just want to clear out everything!
Where's your favorite spot in your home right now?
I love this hutch in our dining room/family work room. It had more of my own books and display objects on it until recently, when I had to make room for some growing book and Lego collections. But I love how my cookbooks can live alongside Lego manuals and everyone has their own space on this special piece.
What object in your home means a lot to you?
My favorite things are my quilts—mostly made by my mom but a few by me too. I wanted to find the right place to store them where I could enjoy looking at them all the time, so we settled on this console table in an angled spot leading into our family room. I love it because I can see them as I walk by (when the kids don’t have them draped all around the living room), but I also like that if I ever had to run out of the house in a fire I could probably grab an armful to bring them with me.
Tell me something fun or quirky about you I probably don't know...
I’m not an animal person. When I first moved to Japan after college I had a blog called “Afraid of Small Animals” inspired by my fear of the creepy crawlies that I figured would show up in my new apartment. Now that I have kids of my own I work really hard to show how excited I am to meet neighborhood pets so that my kids don’t end up scared too. But it might be in their blood.
OK, NOW A FEW RAPID-FIRE HOME QUESTIONS!
Light/bright OR dark/moody:
Light/bright
Open concept or separated rooms/nooks:
Open concept
Color or neutrals:
Color!
Real plants or faux:
Real.. if I can keep them alive
Listen to music or read:
Read
Favorite morning or daily ritual:
That first cup of coffee
Morning person or night person:
Morning
Favorite piece of furniture in your home:
My little Muji couch, the first piece of furniture I bought as an adult in 2005 in Japan and have found a spot for ever since. It’s faded and a little worse for the wear but still hanging in. I’d love to reupholster it in a bright, colorful pattern when the kids get a bit bigger. Maybe of my own design!
Do you dress like the interiors of your home?
Sometimes! Neutrals as a base for bright colors and interesting textiles… but I want to do a better job of mixing color and texture in my wardrobe. It’s a work in progress.
THANK YOU MOLLY for sharing more about your home and life with us! I love following along with your colorful life and designs and can’t wait to see what you’ll be creating next! Thank you for giving us a snapshot into this current season of life for you!
Photo Credit: Molly Lam | http://www.tokodots.com/
Portrait Photo Credit: Yony Lee Kim @ylkphotography
See Molly’s Shop on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/tokodots
Find Molly on IG: @tokodots
See you in the next interview!
Ready to make things feel easier + simpler in your home?
✔ Learn the 3 step process to start simplifying your home now + regain more time/energy.
✔ Shop all Declutter/Organize/Design Guides + Programs here.
✔ Shop all desk/home/kitchen organizing helper in the Paper Shop.
✔ Skip to the head of the line + work with me to fast track the changes to make life lighter + easier in your home now.
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Learn 10 Not So Obvious Things To Declutter Now To Start Living Lighter.
3 Things To Simplify Your Morning Routine For Less Stress: Back To School Edition
Well friends, it is August and back to school plus the general shift out of summer mode is upon us, and with that comes the resurgence of morning chaos (if we let it)!
The phenomenon of morning chaos comes from two things. One, things taking too many steps to complete. And two, things being done that don’t actually need to be done at that time. But I have GREAT news! We have control over both of these things, and when we streamline our morning, it also allows for more flexibility to handle those unpredictable moments that tend to pop up conveniently at this time (like spills, a forgotten scrunchie, or a missing favorite shoe).
Well friends, it is August and back to school plus the general shift out of summer mode is upon us, and with that comes the resurgence of morning chaos (if we let it)!
The phenomenon of morning chaos comes from two things. One, things taking too many steps to complete. And two, things being done that don’t actually need to be done at that time. But I have GREAT news! We have control over both of these things, and when we streamline our morning, it also allows for more flexibility to handle those unpredictable moments that tend to pop up conveniently at this time (like spills, a forgotten scrunchie, or a missing favorite shoe).
Whether your kids are headed back to school, you homeschool, you’re starting a new job or just wanting to tame your regular morning chaos during the week before you start your day, I’m here to help. Let’s not waste another second!
1. Clarify what’s essential for your morning.
You’re no longer going to walk blindly into your mornings or let them just happen to you, deal? You’re also not going to shove a bunch of stuff into your morning that won’t add value to you, your family or your day. When I say clarify, that’s exactly what I mean. I want you to go through this list below and ask yourself (honestly) what needs to be part of your morning (and for everyone involved) to make it great (and of course less chaotic). We’re going to do a morning time/activity audit if you will!
Before you add or allow something into your morning routine, first ask yourself:
Will this add fuel to my tank (or to others) to start the day?
Does it absolutely have to be done in the morning before work/school/etc?
Could it be done at another time and still be helpful/effective?
Do I even need to do it at all? (domestic chores, can lunch packing happen at night or the process be simplified or delegated)
Make sure whatever you have loaded up into your morning routine during the week are things that HAVE to happen in the morning to get your day started off on the right foot. Edit out everything else from your morning that doesn’t need to happen then and watch the chaos melt away!
2. Edit your “exit” zone.
You can also consider this your landing area for bags/daily essentials OR the place you grab all the things you need before you head off to school, work, etc. If you’re schooling from home, take some time to edit your learning hub/learning command center so your transition into your learning time is smoother and easier. Our exit zone in our laundry niche, which also happens to be the pass thru between our kitchen, pantry and garage. There is a lot of activity happen in one small area so it must be a well-oiled machine or it quickly turns into the hot mess express.
Here’s a few things to consider while you edit your space:
Does each item in this space support what needs to happen here?
What can I remove from this space to make grabbing our essentials for the day easier/quicker?
It is clear what each person should do here, is clearly marked, or highly intuitive so it is easy to do?
Do I have everything I need here or do I need to add anything to streamline how this space works? (more hooks, labels, rearrange a few items)
Have I given this space some breathing room (some white space) so it’s not chocked full of stuff and more flexible for us to move in and out of?
Does everyone in the home understand where everything is, what to do in here and what the realistic expectations are?
After you edit your space, give it a test run to make sure you’ve covered all the details. Walk everyone through how to use the space and let them ask questions and share feedback/share their insight to make improvements. Make tweaks as needed once you start getting in you groove during a normal week day. We learn and improve things only by living with it and by reflecting on how well it is working.
3. Carve out time to fuel + care for yourself.
Remember to do this what actually help you save time and energy over the course of your whole day, boost your mood and increase your patience/flexibility to handle whatever the day might through at you. This looks different for each person, but as the adult in the home, you need to invest time each day in yourself to care for your well-being, even in small ways right out of the gate as you start your day.
Here’s a few ideas to get your going:
Having a quality but simple/quick breakfast.
Filling your favorite water bottle up the night before to save time in the morning.
Quiet time to stretch before you join your family to start the day.
Packing a protein snack for later in the day.
Having fresh flowers out on the counter you see the most during your morning routine.
Reading a few pages in your book instead of screen scrolling.
Avoiding checking emails first thing in the morning.
Sipping your favorite coffee or tea while you get breakfast ready.
Delegating some tasks to free up a few extra minutes so you can spend more time caring for yourself.
Getting up a few minutes earlier so you can move slower while getting dressed for the day.
Listen to your favorite music or an inspiring podcast while you get ready.
Going to bed 20 minutes (or more) so you can feel more refreshed when you wake up in the morning.
Tidy up the kitchen, your bedroom or your exit zone the night before so the first thing you see in the morning is order and peace.
Test these 3 simplifying strategies in your home now to reduce the stress and chaos you feel in your morning. And remember to check back in with these whenever you feel the chaos on creeping up again…you just might need to implement a few simple tweaks to get your routine back on track!
See you in the next post!
BIG HUGS,
Kristin
More Support for Your Home + Life:
✔ Lots more decluttering + organizing support here to lighten the load in your home!
✔ Ready to take action in your home? START HERE with with FREE Home Simplifying Quick Guide!
✔ Not sure where to being + need help getting started? Check out the tools I’ve created for you HERE.
Dynamic Women In Their Home - Lauren
We’re in a year long series of interviews highlighting incredible women in our community. The focus of each interview is to have a candid conversation about their home, life, what they value, what feels challenging right now, and most importantly, what is bringing them joy.
Our next interview is with Lauren Nygard. Another one of my favorite humans I’m so thrilled to introduce you to in our incredible community here.
We’re in a year long series of interviews highlighting incredible women in our community. The focus of each interview is to have a candid conversation about their home, life, what they value, what feels challenging right now, and most importantly, what is bringing them joy.
Our next interview is with Lauren Nygard. Another one of my favorite humans I’m so thrilled to introduce you to in our incredible community here. Lauren and I met at Texas A&M in Architecture School (we were both studying Environmental Design during our undergrad years). I’m trying to pinpoint exactly when we met, but I am guessing it was at least by sophomore year. We were in the same student group that studied abroad in Barcelona, Spain and we’ve stayed connected ever since. After we both went in different directions for graduate school, we stayed connected by sending each other mix CDs…Lauren, should we start this up again? I loved this! Lauren is a former military spouse and mom of 2 young boys who wears many business hats that I’ll let her tell you more about. She’s an incredible photographer (you can find her work here) and is a major learn through reading advocate. Yes, she’s my go-to book lady! Most days you can find us DMing about misc home biz, iced coffee hacks + kiddo randomness. She has the most lovely, infectious laugh and is passionate about creating and sharing good out in the world. I’m so thrilled to share more with you about her here!
Scroll down to enjoy my interview with Lauren about all things home and life.
Photo credit: Lauren Nygard
Share a quick snapshot of your last 5 years:
In the past 5 years, we've added two boys to our family, my husband got out of the military, we moved from NC to TX, and I've been working from home during a pandemic. :)
What's your day to day like right now?
We spend a lot of time in our backyard or reading on the couch. I squeeze in work when I can during the day, and usually work for an hour or two after the boys go to bed.
Photo credit: Lauren Nygard
How long have you been in your current home?
Since September 2019, though it seems like just a few months!
What do you love most about your current home?
It's cozy and the perfect size for our family.
What's something you'd love to change/or feels challenging for you in your current home?
This is a huge can of worms! We had to have our foundation repaired last summer and are still waiting for our flooring material to arrive so that we can replace the flooring (it was damaged due to foundation issues). We then will need to repair cracks in our drywall (walls and ceilings) and repaint practically every surface.
Beyond that mess, our boys' bathroom doesn't function well as is (I've messaged you about our towel storage in there!) and I'm considering replacing the vanity while we're redoing the floor. The vanity that was installed before we moved in is above average height, which I actually love but it doesn't work well for our 18-month-old. The bathroom is so small that we can't put a step stool tall enough in front of the vanity without blocking the entrance to the bathroom (the door opens up to the sink). Now that he's interested in potty learning, it's been even more frustrating than it had been.
Photo credit: Lauren Nygard
In the last year, have you spent any time decluttering/editing in your home (if so where/why)?
Yes! Lots of editing of my closet and dresser drawers, as well as my "work" and "craft" stashes. When our second son arrived, my office became his room, and my work desk moved out into our living room. When he's a little older, he'll move into the same room as our older son (and we'll get an office again--hurray!) but I cleaned out a lot to make the shift happen--and it's still a work in progress!
If you have spent time decluttering/editing, what was the result? Was it helpful?
It has been super helpful to be able to find more of what we need and get rid of things we no longer need or use. There are still some areas that need more decluttering (our laundry room cabinets have become a stash for random stuff) but we've been working on it little by little.
What part would you rather do - declutter OR organize (+ why)?
Right now, definitely declutter... because organizing doesn't matter if you still have too much stuff.
Photo credit: Lauren Nygard
Where's your favorite spot in your home right now?
Inside.... Our bedroom! We spend most of our time in our living room but the 4 of us end up hanging out, lounging and reading on our bed sometimes. The living room tends to get out of control with toys so our bedroom is a nice place for us to relax since it's usually cleaner. (Except when I don't put my laundry away--shhhhhh!)
Outside... We have a really deep front porch that was a total sanity saver when we were homebound in 2020. Colt and I spent lots of time out on the porch, even through the heat of summer (pregnant!)--we were gifted an old art table from a neighbor, and he'd scribble for hours out there. We added a big deck in our backyard about a year ago, which has been amazing as well.
Photo credit: Lauren Nygard
What object in your home means a lot to you?
I can't think of anything right now!
Tell me something fun or quirky about you I probably don't know...
Do I have any secrets? I can't think of one.
OK, NOW A FEW RAPID-FIRE HOME QUESTIONS!
Light/bright OR dark/moody:
Light/bright
Open concept or separated rooms/nooks:
Open concept
Color or neutrals:
Neutrals
Real plants or faux:
Real!
Listen to music or read:
Read
Favorite morning or daily ritual:
My new morning ritual is to drink 16oz of water before I have any coffee. I feel like it sets me up to drink more water throughout the day. But my favorite daily ritual is my early afternoon iced coffee a la Kristin (shaken, not stirred)!
Morning person or night person:
Morning
Favorite piece of furniture in your home:
Our mid-century dining table
Do you dress like the interiors of your home?
Color-wise? Yes. Style? I'm not sure.
THANK YOU LAUREN for sharing more about your home and life with us! I love following along with your entrepreneurial spirit and seeing what awesomeness you’re cooking up next. Thank you for giving us a snapshot into this current season of life for you!
Photo Credit: Lauren Nygard | https://laurennygard.com/
Find Lauren on IG: @laurennygard
More Support for Your Home + Life:
✔ Lots more decluttering + organizing support here to lighten the load in your home!
✔ Ready to take action in your home? START HERE with with FREE Home Simplifying Quick Guide!
✔ Not sure where to being + need help getting started? Check out the tools I’ve created for you HERE.
See you in the next interview!
Dynamic Women In Their Home - Nazly
We’re in a year long series of interviews highlighting incredible women in our community. The focus of each interview is to have a candid conversation about their home, life, what they value, what feels challenging right now, and most importantly, what is bringing them joy.
We’re in a year long series of interviews highlighting incredible women in our community. The focus of each interview is to have a candid conversation about their home, life, what they value, what feels challenging right now, and most importantly, what is bringing them joy.
Our next interview is with Nazly D. She’s one of my favorite humans I’ve connected deeper with in this space through home. I met Nazly through her husband that I knew from Texas A&M Architecture School and then went on to work with him professionally at an architecture firm in Plano for many years. She’s currently in higher education research (in short) with an extensive background in psychology and developmental psychology (she has a PhD to be exact!) She’s a mom of a toddler and knows the world well of working hard and playing hard with her family. I love chatting with about anything home, design, organizing and decluttering. You can often find us sending photos of areas we are working on in our home or new vessels for our plant babies to live in! She’s such a honest and beautiful human (also a rock star volleyball player!!) and I’m so thrilled to share more about her with you here.
Scroll down to enjoy my interview with Nazly about all things home and life.
Share a quick snapshot of your last 5 years:
The last 5 years have been a whirlwind with many ups and downs. We moved from Dallas to Houston in 2016 and I started a new career in higher education research. Over the years I continued to grow in my field and currently serve as the Executive Director of Data Analytics and Institutional Research at a University in Houston. At the end of 2019, I became a new mom and right as I was coming back from maternity leave, the pandemic began a few weeks later. My husband and I were fortunate to be able to keep our jobs and spend more time with our baby. Then in July of 2020, I lost my two longest-time friends, who I grew up with like sisters, to a violent incident. My whole world came crashing down and I began a long journey of coping with the grief and trauma in the middle of a global pandemic. I felt this desperate need to control my environment as a way to cope, and thankfully came across my husband's former colleague and friend, Kristin! Being part of her Declutter Your Home Masterclass gave me the tools I needed to change my mindset around my relationship with stuff and things and allowed me to gain control of my space and create a more peaceful home. This has single-handedly been the most transformative aspect of my grieving journey over the last several years.
What's your day to day like right now?
During the week, my day to day consists of waking up, spending some quality time with my toddler while getting ready for work and prepping for preschool/grandma & grandpa's house, commuting to work, lots of meetings that could be emails, and driving home in time for dinner and toddler bedtime. After she goes to bed, my husband and I spend the evenings together, usually watching something hilarious and having dinner. Then it's bedtime for us, rinse, and repeat the next day! Weekends are much more casual, typically spent running errands and grabbing snacks while out and about. Our daughter loves Trader Joes, since they have an entire wall dedicated to puppy and cat photos, which we have affectionately termed "the puppy wall" (we aren't cat people).
How long have you been in your current home?
We've been in our current home since the summer of 2018.
What do you love most about your current home?
We love that our home has intentional spaces, every room has a purpose. We love our patio/backyard probably most of all. The sellers were the only owners of the home before us and spent a great deal of effort and care into the home. They created a beautiful garden with fountains and beautiful pathways. It’s our happy place.
What's something you'd love to change/or feels challenging for you in your current home?
If I could change something right now, it would be the kitchen finishes, including the countertops/backsplash and maybe the cabinet color and floors. They look nice currently and are very functional, but I wish they were lighter, brighter, and a bit more modern.
In the last year, have you spent any time decluttering/editing in your home (if so where/why)?
Yes! Oh my goodness yes. I started my decluttering/editing journey last Janurary, so it's been a little over a year. In that time I have more or less decluttered nearly every space in our home. I started downstairs in the kitchen and living room since we spend most of our time in these two rooms. I keep tweaking here and there to make improvements as we go, but I’ve got a good foundation.
If you have spent time decluttering/editing, what was the result? Was it helpful?
Decluttering and editing our spaces has made me realize how much functional space we actually have and has led to greater use of each space. It has also helped create a sense of calm and peace in our home. For example, when we see only essential things out on counters, it clears so much mental space and reduces anxiety.
What part would you rather do - declutter OR organize (+ why)?
I actually really like decluttering, there's something that feels cleansing about it. I have struggled with decluttering the closet though…between pregnancy and grief, my weight has fluctuated in both directions wildly, so it’s a little confusing to figure out what still fits.
Where's your favorite spot in your home right now?
I have two, my living room and our bedroom. I spent a lot of time really thinking through both of those spaces and curating them to align with our goals and aesthetic that brings a sense of calm.
What object in your home means a lot to you?
A watercolor painting my dad did of our daughter for her 1st birthday.
Tell me something fun or quirky about you I probably don't know...
I think I have actually developed OCD over the years, I legit paused a conversation one time with a colleague to stand on a chair and fix a crooked ceiling tile in a hallway at work...also I played volleyball in college! That's maybe a little less strange and obnoxious haha!
OK, NOW A FEW RAPID-FIRE HOME QUESTIONS!
Light/bright OR dark/moody:
Generally light and bright
Open concept or separated rooms/nooks:
Open concept
Color or neutrals:
Neutrals
Real plants or faux:
Real plants
Listen to music or read:
Music to drive, books before bed
Favorite morning or daily ritual:
Washing my face and doing my skincare routine...feels so luxurious!
Morning person or night person:
errrr....neither! If I had my way I would sleep early and wake up late! But I'm definitely not a morning person.
Favorite piece of furniture in your home:
1000% our couch...comfortable AND beautiful. I am a true believer in Cantoni...worth every penny!
Do you dress like the interiors of your home?
What a fun question! I would say somewhat, as I tend to wear neutral colors as well.
THANK YOU NAZLY for sharing more about your home and life with us! I know you have so much greatness on the horizon for you that I can’t wait to hear all about. Thank you for bringing us along for this life snapshot!
Photo Credit: Nazly D.
More Support for Your Home + Life:
✔ The brand new ORGANIZED HOME MASTERCLASS will be live May 26th! Learn more about how epic this new Masterclass is HERE!
✔ Ready to take action in your home? START HERE.
✔ Not sure where to being + need help getting started? Check out the tools I’ve created for you HERE.
See you in the next interview!
Dynamic Women + Their Home - Kirsten
We’re in a year long series of interviews highlighting incredible women in our community. The focus of each interview is to have a candid conversation about their home, life, what they value, what feels challenging right now, and most importantly, what is bringing them joy.
We’re in a year long series of interviews highlighting incredible women in our community. The focus of each interview is to have a candid conversation about their home, life, what they value, what feels challenging right now, and most importantly, what is bringing them joy.
Our next interview is with Kirsten Griffin. She’s currently a Job Captain at HKS, Inc. and the Vice-Chair for AIA Dallas Latinos in Architecture (LiA). Kirsten and I got connected through Instagram by a mutual friend/colleague a few years ago AND of course our names are quite close so we’re automatically bonded for life. Quite quickly we had several incredible, genuine, interesting conversations about simplifying life through editing in her home and planning for her future. I’ve always been impressed with her insightful, wise beyond her years questions and ideas about home. I’ve loved getting to know her through our chats about our spaces, the misc. house projects we’re working on/dreaming up, and all things design. I deeply admire her passion for architecture, and her intentional action to make an impact and serve her local architecture community. I love all the commitments she shares with us on Instagram from caring for herself through fitness goals (PS. this girl is strong, don’t mess with her!) and her intentional focus going after her architecture license. And all of which she does while having fun along the way! Recently she’s woven more into her day to day stories about her deaf/hard of hearing and bilateral cochlear implant journey. I value her perspective on this topic that I’m continuing to learn more about. Follow along with her vivaciousness over at @kirsten_ttu on Instagram.
Scroll down to enjoy my interview with Kirsten about all things home and life.
Share a quick snapshot of your last 5 years:
Been a busy 5 years! I Graduated college with my Master degree, got married and started working full time in an architecture firm. We adopted two dogs while living in an apartment, then we bought a house to have backyard space for the pups. Now working on my Architectural Exams and highly involved in the architecture community.
What's your day to day like right now?
Work out in the morning, go work at the office at home or the company office and then spend my evening attending an event or at home studying for my Architectural Exams.
How long have you been in your current home?
2 years! Got it July 2020.
What do you love most about your current home?
The space! Get to have my own office and my own home gym.
What's something you'd love to change/or feels challenging for you in your current home?
The challenge would be the bathrooms, its a late 70's home. So the bathrooms are not a big as the newer homes.
The outdoor patio is the space where I enjoy drinking coffee in the morning or relaxing in the evening when weather is nice.
In the last year, have you spent any time decluttering/editing in your home (if so where/why)?
Yes, the closets. There were a lot of clothes and memorial items that haven't been used in years.
If you have spent time decluttering/editing, what was the result? Was it helpful?
Relief, we have plenty of space. More than we think. Spend less time stressing about the overload of items or looking for something.
What part would you rather do - declutter OR organize (+ why)?
Organize but we have to declutter before organizing. Organizing because you know exactly where everything is rather then looking for awhile to find it.
Where's your favorite spot in your home right now?
The smallest office the house with the little couch in the corner. A small cozy room.
What object in your home means a lot to you?
My small round breakfast table, I sit here almost everyday drinking my coffee. Came from my uncle who passed away recently.
The breakfast nook is my favorite spot I spend a lot of my time.
Tell me something fun or quirky about you I probably don't know...
I’m left handed but I only eat and write with my left hand. And I do everything else with my right side. Can write/draw also with my right hand (not as good as left).
OK, NOW A FEW RAPID-FIRE HOME QUESTIONS!
Light/bright OR dark/moody:
Light/Bright
Open concept OR separated rooms/nooks:
Both! Open concept for social events and then separation for more comfort/cozy.
Color OR neutrals:
Neutrals
Real plants OR faux:
Faux
Listen to music OR read:
Listen to music
Favorite morning or daily ritual:
Getting my day started early and drinking coffee
Morning person OR night person:
Morning, but I still have my days where I don't want to get up.
Favorite piece of furniture in your home:
Breakfast table
Do you dress like the interiors of your home?
Yes, Simple
THANK YOU KIRSTEN for sharing more about your home and life with us! I can’t wait to see what you’re involved with and creating next!
Follow along with Kirsten’s architecture, mentoring and home adventures over on Instagram @kirsten_ttu HERE. Photo Credit: Kirsten Griffin
Ready to take action in your home? START HERE.
Note sure where to being + need help getting started? Check out the tools I’ve created for you HERE.
See you in the next interview!
Dynamic Women + Their Home - Hannah
We’re starting a year long series of interviews highlighting incredible women in our community. The focus of each interview is to have a candid conversation about their home, life, what they value, what feels challenging right now, and most importantly, what is bringing them joy.
We’re starting a year long series of interviews highlighting incredible women in our community. The focus of each interview is to have a candid conversation about their home, life, what they value, what feels challenging right now, and most importantly, what is bringing them joy.
Our first interview is with Hannah Key of The Freckled Key Photography. I’ve lost track with how Hannah and I first got connected, but it went something like…I use to work with someone in corporate architecture that went to school with her husband and I followed his wife on Instagram who is also a talented graphic designer and maker who was connected with Hannah and once posted about a photo Hannah took of their family. Phew! I’m grateful for the incredibly indirect way we’ve connected. I’ve truly enjoy getting to know her through Instagram, email and quick weekly messages about the randomness going on in life, motherhood shenanigan, decluttering adventures, an amazing vintage garment we’ve spotted, or our shared love for Revlon lip stain sticks! PS. She’s also an incredibly talented abstract painter/artist and absolutely worth having in your social media sphere! You can follow Hannah on Instagram here: @thefreckledkey
Scroll down to enjoy my interview with Hannah about all things home and life.
Please share a quick snapshot of your last 5 years:
Oh girl, you know I’m wordy, haha! I’ll try to keep it brief… In the last five years we have become the parents of TWO daughters, ages (nearly) 7 and 4. My husband started working for himself full time in April of 2019 so we are both officially self-employed, which is both amazing and stressful, haha. We have moved TWICE in the last five years (but we’ve been in Houston since 2009). We sold our beloved first home in January 2019 and moved into rental while we built our new home. We moved into our new home in November 2020, so just over a year ago now. I would say the last 5 years has been one of immense personal growth, and growth as a family. I struggle with anxiety and it really came to a scary head in the fall of 2020. I’ve come leaps and bounds since then (with the help of counseling, medication, prayer, and my beloved husband) and ever strive to empower other momma’s in their mental health journeys. We are not alone!
What's your day to day like right now?
I am a part-time homeschooling momma to my oldest (she attends school 2 days a week and I teach her here 2 days a week), so my day to day really changes depending on the day of the week, ha! Mondays and Wednesdays my girls are both in school, so I work from my home office or photographing families on those days! Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays I devote 100% of my energy to teaching and house duties. Weekends are a wonderful time to reset as a family; Scott (my husband) and I often take on a project and/or go for a hike with our girls.
How long have you been in your current home?
Just over a year! We moved in in November 2020.
What do you love most about your current home?
The natural liiighhht! OH my. My husband is an architect and when he was designing our home I told him I wanted two things: hardwood floors and as much natural light as possible — and he DELIVERED! I don’t have to turn on a light until dusk, and it just makes my heart sing.
What's something you'd love to change/or feels challenging for you in your current home?
Man, this is tough. My husband really designed the home of our dreams! I suppose if I could name a daily grievance it’s the ever-presence of my girls’ toys and clothes. I am very strict about culling their toys and clothes several times a year, but it seems I always find a pile of dirty clothes here and there as well as dolls, stickers, and craft paper all over my floor by days-end, haha. I am a creative person so naturally I highly encourage my girls to be messy and creative on a daily basis, but I am also a very TIDY person so perhaps I need to put some effort into teaching them how to better clean up after themselves; an exhausting effort, indeed, ha!
In the last year, have you spent any time decluttering/editing in your home (if so where/why)?
Yes!! All. The. Time. I probably tackle a drawer a week just to satisfy my love of organizing/purging. I will take on a larger declutter project, like a closet or a room, probably 1-2x a year. I love it!! I like everything to have a home and truly feel stressed when things are a mess so frequent little declutter projects are my JAM!
If you have spent time decluttering/editing, what was the result? Was it helpful?
ALWAYS helpful. I find that doing these small weekly declutter tasks give me energy to do the next one! I also love that my girls are witness to my frequent editing of our things, showing them that “stuff” is not where our joy and purpose lie.
What part would you rather do - declutter OR organize (+ why)?
Oooooo…. Can BOTH be an answer? Haha! I suppose when it comes down to it, I enjoy the decluttering process more. I find such satisfaction in seeing things LEAVE my house, haha. Giving everything a proper home after the declutter is immensely satisfying as well.
Where's your favorite spot in your home right now?
In the mornings, I really enjoy sitting on our big window bench with a hot cup of tea and my Bible (and my phone, because I’m addicted to my daily Wordle!) Afternoons I want nothing more than to sit in my sun-filled (TINY) paint studio and throw my cares at a canvas. My girls will often join me there with paper and pastels; it’s a sweet time of day that I have grown to love.
What object in your home means a lot to you? Oh man, I am pretty sentimental about items so there are several in my home that really mean a lot to me. I like to have a small treasure or two in each area of my house that reminds me of someone I love. I suppose the ones that give me the most daily smiles are 1) the hand-written birthday card from my grandmother that I keep in my bathroom. Seeing her handwriting every morning and reading her brief note are a daily delight. 2) A stained glass medallion that hangs above my kitchen sink. One of my dearest friends died of cancer 11 years ago and her dad made me this piece to remind me of her. I think of her every time I wash the dishes. 3) A large floral painting that my grandmother did when she was about my age. It sits on top of our piano. She is the one who taught me how to paint, so having one of her earliest pieces in a prominent place in our home delights me.
Tell me something fun or quirky about you I probably don't know... Hahahaha…. so many things?? Um… Okay, here’s a good one: I eat my pizza backwards (crust to tip) and I eat my sandwiches and burgers circumference first, then the middle. Ha!
OK, NOW A FEW RAPID-FIRE HOME QUESTIONS!
Light/bright OR dark/moody:
Both!! My photography and paintings are very much dark/moody (I believe this is a reflection of my own inner conflict — ever seeking light in the dark) but I HAVE to have light! My mood is so effected by light!
Open concept or separated rooms/nooks:
OPEN CONCEPT! Walls make me feel claustrophobic, ha.
Color or neutrals:
COLOOORRR!! I am all about those jewel tones!
Real plants or faux:
Real plants — I’m not the best at keeping them alive, but I have kept a 12’ fiddle leaf fig alive for 7 years, so I’m counting that as a plant momma WIN!
Listen to music or read:
Read. I am super super sensitive to sound, so music often stresses me out, haha!
Favorite morning or daily ritual:
My morning tea at the window seat.
Morning person or night person:
Ooophf. This is tough. I really like my morning tea time, but I tend to have more energy at night!
Favorite piece of furniture in your home:
Either my piano or my bed, ha!
Do you dress like the interiors of your home? Yes! Full of color and mixed patterns. Pattern mixing all day e’ry day!!
THANK YOU HANNAH for sharing more about your beautifully colorful life + home right now with us! I can’t wait to see what you’re creating next!
Follow along with Hannah’s photography, painting + much more over on Instagram @thefreckledkey HERE. You can find out more about here photography work at The Freckled Key Photography HERE. Photos Credit: Hannah Key
Seasonal Shifts | How To Declutter + Design Your Way Through It
It’s an interesting time right now for most, where cooler weather (unless you’re in Miami per se) has you bustling around with a renewed sense of energy that was previously absent in those high heat months. While it is a time of year that for most of us feels like things are RAMPING UP, I’d encourage you to SLOW DOWN during this “Seasonal Shift” into Fall/Winter, as we dive into December. Look at it as a time to review a few odds + ends around your home to lighten your load as the new year approaches. The new year will thank you!
It’s an interesting time right now for most, where cooler weather (unless you’re in Miami per se) has you bustling around with a renewed sense of energy that was previously absent in those high heat months. While it is a time of year that for most of us feels like things are RAMPING UP, I’d encourage you to SLOW DOWN during this “Seasonal Shift” into Fall/Winter, as we dive into December. Look at it as a time to review a few odds + ends around your home to lighten your load as the new year approaches. The new year will thank you!
1. CATEGORY: CLOTHING
When you you start pulling out your cooler weather clothing, take a moment to assess each item + your likelihood of wearing it again.
PRO TIP: Keep a notepad handy + write down any essentials that you’re missing + need to shop for (ie. raincoat, gloves, warmer socks) —PS. I wrote that sock part as a reminder to myself! Last winter was rough…as a I tried to “create” one pair of warm socks by layering three together…yea, it’s embarrassing.
ADULTS
✓ Review your colder weather items in categories (ie. sweaters, jackets, scarves, gloves, boots, etc.) so you can assess what you have objectively + not as one big pile. This is a time to assess if you have any duplicates that aren’t used. Give those away to someone who can use them now!
✓ Ask yourself when’s the last time you wore the item? If you can’t remember + aren’t excited to wear it, let it go, Elsa style.
✓ Keep your best + favorites that you’re excited to wear. Donate the rest that are in good shape + could be immediately useful in someone’s life/home.
✓ Give these cold weather items a good wash + get rid of the dust bunnies, then fold/hang as needed so they’re easy to get to for the season.
KIDS
✓ Look at their clothing in categories (sweaters, jackets, sweats, etc.). Depending on where you live the quantities you need to support your lifestyle + weather conditions will vary. For example, here in NTX, it’s mild but winter can still get “serious” now + then so a good heavy jacket, raincoat we can layer with + a good hat, mittens/gloves, plus warm sweaters are still essentials. But we don’t keep many multiples. Beyond that, focus on layering pieces to create or remove warmth.
✓ Remove anything they’ve grown out of for the season or don’t wear/don’t have interest in.
✓ Make sure these seasonal items are easy for your kids to get to encourage them to get dressed appropriately on their own. If it needs to be hung up, make sure a stool is nearby if they can’t reach it on their own. We hang up our heavy coats, then put all the “cold weather essentials” in a separate drawer down low. Our everyday pants + long sleeves are in another “everyday” drawer because it is worn frequently.
2. CATEGORY: KITCHEN/FOOD
To do a seasonal breeze through of this, only focus on the items below to lighten your load. You can do another deep dive when you have time/energy.
PRO TIP: Keep things simple by breaking things into mini tasks, like one drawer at a time, one pantry category at a time (teas, baking supplies) rather than looking at everything all together which just fuels the “overwhelm”. Put your energy in places you know need TLC (like neglected pantry shelves or drawers that you can’t shut or find anything in). These are quick win/high impact suggestions, so feel free to pick + choose from the list or do them all if you’re feeling wild!
✓ Do a quick review of your pantry - remove old/expired foods + foods you’re not going to eat. Donate to a local food bank anything not expired or unopened.
✓ Jot down on a notepad foods or pantry staples you’d like to restock on for your holiday/seasonal favorites.
✓ Drawers - remove anything that never got used this year/you avoided (or you can’t remember the last time you used it). Toss broken/beyond repair items.
✓ Cabinets - remove anything that you no longer use, is broken or you’ve fallen out of love with. Donate (or sell) anything in good, usable shape.
✓ Fridge/Freezer - toss expired sauces, foods, frozen items, etc. Clean + recycle as much packaging as possible.
✓ Spices - toss anything that’s old/expired (smell it to determine freshness, it should still smell like the spice or toss it) - plan to restock on your favorites.
✓ Mug Intervention - yes I’m talking to you! I’m totally game for all the warm + cozy drinks, but you don’t need 30 mugs to do, I promise you! Pull them ALL out on the counter + only keep your absolutely FAVORITES. The chipped ones need to go. Donate the extras in good shape. Phew! Don’t we all feel better now?!
3. CATEGORY: SEASONAL DECOR
NOW I probably have your attention! Are you ready to tame the seasonal decor chaos? OK, here we go!
PRO TIP: There is this unnecessary, ridiculous pressure each holiday season to buy new decor for your home. What’s the deal with this? Can we just kick this to the curb once + for all? I am here to liberate you. If you need to make a swap or bring something new in, something should be headed out the door as well. Keep reading for more tips on this below.
✓ As you pull out a box/bag/container of seasonal decor items, you’re going to objectively look at each item to decide if you’re going to keep it. PS. Your taste is likely going to change over time + that’s OK! Part with things you fall out of love with + make peace with it!
✓ Declutter as you decorate. Yes! It’s groundbreaking concept, join me! It’s great! I often sort as I open containers + keep a brown paper bag or box handy to add ornaments, knickknacks, art, garlands, seasonal platters, cups, etc. When you have it in your hands if you LOVE IT + you IMMEDIATELY know where it can be displayed/put out, KEEP IT. Once you’ve done a thorough editing on these items (+ have honed your personal style a bit more), there’s less + less to edit each year. Phew!
✓ Be incredibly mindful of what you BRING IN this season. It’s OK to love what you already have + not buy new. It is also OK to make some intentional swaps if there’s something you’re missing + want to add. But don’t bring in more than you need or will use. It is more to manage + store ALL YEAR LONG.
4. CATEGORY: EXTRAS
This category is really for the non-essentials in our life that do make life more enjoyable when we have boundaries for them. Let me enlighten you…
PRO TIP: If you have items you’re donating, plan to donate your items that week. Schedule it into your time + get it done!
✓ Pick one or as many of these “extras” to go through at your leisure: kids toys, magazines, books, decor, throw blankets, writing utensils, candles, lotions, soaps, teas, coffees, etc.
✓ Now pick an “extra” + review it by zone (by shelf, drawer, etc.) or do a full group (pull all your magazines together on the table to review). Keep only what you LOVE + USE + ENJOY NOW. The rest needs to go.
✓ Kids Toys - only KEEP the following: items they use/play with regularly, are developmentally appropriate, aren’t broken/damaged, are worth the space they take up in the home + it doesn’t interfere with valuable open/play space for them. Open space will always be more valuable than any single toy that exists on the planet. Let that sink in.
✓ Some of these “extras” may need to be tossed if opened, expired, etc. Donate or giveaway anything in good shape. Recycle/donate sell books + magazines. Donate decor items you’ve fallen out of love with but are still in good shape + could be useful in someone else’s home.
SO WHAT’S NEXT?
It’s time to enjoy the space you’ve just freed up throughout your home! Yes!! These are all ideas on where to start + by no means do you need to do all of them unless you’d like! I know you’ll love the results when you’re done.
If you’re needing help with more decluttering + you’d like more support from me, feel free to check out all of these mini course still available discounted through the end the year. Here’s the line up:
Clothing Closet Declutter Guide
Declutter Guide For Kids
Organization + Style Guide
Please feel free to DM me on Instagram / email me with any questions while you’re working through these mini courses. I am more than happy to help + keep you moving + encouraged!
And don’t forget, enrollment for the Declutter Your Home Masterclass will be open for enrollment again early next year! If you want to learn more about this holistic, deep dive into learning how to declutter + learn all of the skills you’ll ever need to declutter your home + life for good, click HERE. If you want to know the moment it is live again in 2022, make sure you’re signed up for EMAILS (light on your inbox + you’ll get a bonus low cost organizing guide too just for signing up!).
Thanks for being here.
