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!
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.
HAVE YOU GRABBED YOUR FREE DECLUTTERING FREEBIE YET?
Learn 10 Not So Obvious Things To Declutter Now To Start Living Lighter.
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.
HAVE YOU GRABBED YOUR FREE DECLUTTERING FREEBIE YET?
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!
Organizing Mistakes You're Making in Your Home + What To Do Instead: Part II
We’re back at it discussing organizing mistakes commonly made in your home and what to do instead. Is there a better DIY topic that exists on the planet right now? I think not! If you missed PART I, you can check it out HERE and then come back to us for PART II below!
We’re back at it discussing organizing mistakes commonly made in your home and what to do instead. Is there a better DIY topic that exists on the planet right now? I think not! If you missed PART I, you can check it out HERE and then come back to us for PART II below!
MISTAKE #4: You’re locating things in the wrong place.
One of the key components to a highly organize and efficient home is locating things in the RIGHT place to make life easier for you. No one has ever argued with me that they want life to be harder, so let’s keep reading! I know this might seem like a really obvious one, but when we get into the nitty gritty of everyday life, we get into autopilot mode. Here’s a few things to consider to make sure an item has truly landed in the right spot.
✓ Does the item or group of items support a task or goal for this spot in your home?
✓ Does the item or group of items make the task or goal easier and more efficient to complete because it is here? (Example, laundry detergent directly above the washer, verses on a shelf off to the side you have use a stool to get to, then get it down, etc. That’s too many steps!)
✓ Is the item or group of items essential in this location (accessed often, helpful, useful, valuable) or could it go away and life would remain unaffected by its absence?
Answer these honestly then remove or move items that don’t support the task or goals you have for that zone. Yes, decluttering is forever and ever! But it gets easier, trust me! Stick with me friend!
MISTAKE #5: You’re not giving your items breathing room.
You can have a well organizing drawer with lots of little compartments and containers, but if you don’t need half the items in the drawer (ie. they’re never used) or if everything is filled to the brim and you have to dig around in each container just to grab your favorite pen or washi tape, we still have an issue. Organizing is about keeping what you use and love, AND giving it space to live and breathe. Consider the follow tips to give your items you’re organizing a bit of breathing room.
✓ If you ever have to dig (aside from inside a LEGO bin) for something, you have too much. You either need to edit more, or you need to make additional categories to spread out the things you have.
✓ In most cases, you should be able to see everything you have in a drawer at one glance. This means you should avoid stacking things vertically if possible in drawers (or bins) to avoid the “out of sight out of mind” epidemic. If you can’t see it, odds are you won’t use it or you’ll forget you have it.
✓ On shelves, in cabinets and in closets, you should be able to see, grab and pull out anything easily. This means you need space to reach things and remove them without having to move 5 things. If you hold to this rule, you’ll avoid over-stuffing any and all of these spaces.
Just like in graphic design (and in all forms of design) white space is often the solution to solve many design issues. It is the same throughout your home. In this case, the “white space” is the “breathing room” that the things in your home desperately need, just like you need it!
MISTAKE #6: You haven’t shopped your home first.
True story. 9.5 times out of 10 I can solve any organizing issue with the things in my home before I ever even entertain running out to buy something. I want you to look at this like a choose your own adventure game. The next time you encounter an issue with an area in your home that you know needs more order, consider looking throughout your home thoroughly to see if you already have what you need (then prepare to be amazed at what you’ll find). Try these tips.
✓ Declutter the zone in question first, then assess what is left. If you have lots of small categories, hunt around for trays, reusable bags, small jars, tops of shoe boxes, etc.
✓ If you’re dividing up large or deep spaces like a kitchen cabinet, consider something you can pull out similar to a drawer like a bin, a container or a box. You can use a cardboard box and cut out your own handle then swap this out over time if you’d like - but take the time to understand what you need first. If you need to divide the space up further, think “containers within containers”. Drop several smaller boxes inside a larger box to create several small zones in whatever configuration works for what you need.
✓ Make swaps with things in other rooms. If you’re going to corral/organize something in a spot that is more visible and you care what it looks like, consider swapping an old box that will go deep in a cabinet for the nicer basket that will help elevate the aesthetics of your space and be highly visible.
→ Now comment below on which one of these 3 Mistakes feels most common for you? I’ve been guilty of all of them!
I hope these first 3 common mistakes were eye-opening for you + will inspire you to take concrete organizing action in your home. My goal here is to help you save time, money + energy. See you soon in Part III of ‘Organizing Mistakes You’re Making + What To Do Instead.’
PS. The Organized Home Masterclass is coming at the END OF MAY! If you’d like a little sneak peek into what this program is all about, you can check it out HERE! To say I’m excited about this new program is an incredible understatement. Stick here with me + I’ll continue to spill all the beans for you.
Declutter + Organize Without Making A Huge Mess
If the fear of making a huge mess often scares you away from decluttering + organizing, please keep reading! We’re going to talk about both the mess + the overwhelm of larger projects, or projects that might take more time to knock out. Solutions do exist for all of this, I promise!
If the fear of making a huge mess often scares you away from decluttering + organizing, please keep reading!
We’re going to talk about both the mess + the overwhelm of larger projects, or projects that might take more time to knock out. Solutions do exist for all of this, I promise!
We started this discussion last week in our EOW Chat (end of week) that I post on Instagram stories typically on Friday or Saturday each week. When This conversation was initiated by several of you reaching out to me over the course of many months, sharing your own concerns + stories, so I thought this topic deserved a deeper look. Let’s get to it!
Many of you (and myself included) said that there are often times when you KNOW there is an area your home that needs attention - whether it be decluttering, organizing, or both - BUT you never get started out of FEAR of making a big mess during the process. This fear stops you in your tracks.
This fear you’ve expressed to me, and that I am very familiar with, comes from various layers worth mentioning. See if any of these thoughts resonate with you:
When I get started decluttering or organizing, it spreads out and takes over my whole house!
Decluttering makes more of a mess than what I had to start with!
I don’t have enough space in my home to start decluttering.
My kids will get into everything I’m trying to sort through.
I don’t have enough time to declutter an area and get it pulled back together quick enough.
I’m not going to be able to use this space for my day-to-day if I start decluttering here.
I hear you. I do. Now let’s start talking about solutions.
Create a Plan + Timeframe
Without a plan you will lose focus. Let’s say you want to tackle a space this month. Great. Right it down on paper, on the refrigerator, in your phone, add to your google docs/schedule, whatever works best for you. After you have your timeframe in place, it’s time to dive into some practical strategies to make your decluttering/organizing actually happen.
Assess Your Space
Take a moment to get clear on the area you’re wanting to work on decluttering/organizing. Is it a closet? It it an entire room? It is one part of a space? Get clear on what it is you want to get through. Now look at this space objectively - what is it made up of? Shelves, drawers, furniture, bins, piles, containers? Learning to look at your space IN PIECES is a great tool to help you more easily break your space up into MINI ZONES. These mini zones make the decluttering/organizing task more manageable. Now go get your donation/giveaway + keep boxes ready! Let’s keep going!
Avoid A Massive Mess
First, I’m going to be candid with you, there will be some mess. That is actually an indication that progress is happening! But here’s how to not let it get totally out of control and take over your home. Once you’re seeing your space in MINI ZONES, decide where you want to start. If you feel like you can’t work in that particular space to get the decluttering done, go grab a box/bag/container and fill it with the items from one or more of the MINI ZONES in your space (ex. empty out one full drawer or shelf into your box). Then take it out of the room to go through in a low traffic space - like the top of your washing machine, a low use counter top, the garage, on a bed in the spare bedroom - somewhere out of your high use spaces so you can keep moving + living.
You can also apply this to CATEGORIES you see in your space - remove all the books and put them in a box to go through - finish that category then move on to the next category until you’ve chipped away at your entire space. Or let’s say you want to get through your entire closet this month with limited time/space. Go through 1 category each night and put things back each night so there’s not a clothing explosion all over your room for weeks on end! Decluttering/organizing by MINI ZONES or BY CATEGORY will also help you manage your time and not get so overwhelmed by the process. It also lends itself perfectly to not having large, continuous chunks of time to do the work.
What To Ask Yourself
✓ Is it bringing value to myself/home/family?
✓ Do I/we use it?
✓ Do I actually like to look at this item?
✓ Does it support my current + future life goals?
✓ Would I buy it full price in the store today?
Be objective, be honest, stay focused on creating space for what you love + value + is essential to your life/home day to day.
Restore Order
While you’re going through your space, you can choose to put things back gradually or all at once once decluttering is completed. Your most effective organizing will happen once you see all of your KEEP items together, to make better sense of them as a group. Also consider if these KEEP items should go back where you found them, or be more helpful + efficient in another location. Sometimes decluttering in a different space than where you found the item is highly beneficial, as it often helps you separate yourself and the item from its’ old, often stagnate home. It can be easier to assess the value of something in a neutral location more objectively.
Parting Ways
As those donation bags or boxes are filling up, even if you are in the middle of your decluttering in that space, I encourage you to remove them from your home as quickly as possible. Divert as much from landfills as possible. Set up a scheduled pick up time, give the items away to a friend, drop off at a local charity, shelter or donation site as soon as you are able to. Make sure to remove the items you’re parting with from the space you’re working on immediately. This will help you more quickly see your progress and not let you get hung up on indecision. Honor your instincts and decisions. If you’d like to sell some items, give yourself a timeframe, and create a donation or giveaway back up plan if your items don’t sell. Keep your eyes + actions focused on looking forward (not back)!
For more decluttering + organizing resources see these guides:
Declutter Your Home Masterclass (doors close 2/5)!
Clothing Closet Declutter Guide
Declutter Guide for Kids + All the Things!
Organization + Style Guide
Note: Clothing Closet Declutter Guide, Declutter Guide for Kids, and the Organization + Style Guide are ALL included in the bonus section of the Declutter Your Home Masterclass.
