Finding Balance

Balance.

It’s a state of being a lot of us are looking for.

By definition “Balance” means ‘an even distribution of weight enabling someone or something to remain upright and steady’. Naturally the ebb and flow of life causes the scales to tip slightly here and there but what if you can’t get it back to even?

I work with a lot of people who feel their life is completely off balance. Whether it be a major life event such as death, divorce, or an unexpected health issue, or working parents that are completely overwhelmed with life and need help to get their homes in order to function properly. The scales have tipped along the way and they need help.

 

So how do we find it?

My advice to my clients is to stop. Stop buying useless things to fill a void, stop saying yes, stop feeling the need to do it all. Unless you have a housekeeper, a cook, a personal assistant, a bookkeeper, a home organizer on call, and an endless checking account you cannot, absolutely cannot do it all. Something is going to suffer. Your sanity, your health, your relationships, your home, your bank account, trust me, something is going to suffer.

 

Where do I start?

Take a breather. Find one day to turn the world (and your phone) off. Assess your life. What do you want out of your life? What do you want out of your relationships? What are your dreams? Look around your home, does it bring you joy? Does it bring your family joy?

Next, call a family meeting. Check in with each other. Are you filling your schedules to avoid something? To keep up with your friends? Do you feel pressure to look like you’re doing it all? Is every child maxed out with school, homework, sports, and lessons of every kind? Do you have any down time at all?

After you have done all this and had honest conversations with yourself, your spouse, and your family, what can you do to find some balance?

Helpful tips.

Rest. Make one day out of the week a rest day. Decide what true rest looks like for you and do it.  Your body, your brain, and your soul needs rest. Resting lessons anxiety, reduces stress. Relaxation clears your mind, helps with your thought process, and helps you make better decisions. It renews you from the inside out.

Sit in silence. When was the last time you did this? It may be uncomfortable for a few minutes, but try it. Just sit and be quiet. It’s so refreshing. My favorite time to be quiet is in my car. I drive a lot around the Dallas Metroplex and I love doing it in silence. It’s wonderful.

Go for walks. This helps me so much. When the world is crashing in on me and my life feels out of control, I put on my shoes and walk. I walk and I think. I don’t listen to music or podcasts. I just walk until I feel better. I look around me,  I’m quiet. I listen to my heart. It’s truly my favorite thing to do.

Say no. Like I mentioned above, saying no is a huge step to finding balance. You don’t have to give a reason why either, just say “no, I can’t do that right now”. Period.

Stop useless spending. Buying “stuff” without a reason is useless spending. “Just because it’s on sale” is not a reason to buy it. That useless stuff turns into clutter. Clutter you don’t need in your home. Don’t make impulse purchases. Don’t shop your feelings away. Have a reason for why you are buying something. Try it, it takes practice but pretty soon you will have trained yourself to say “no, I truly don’t need that”.

Ask for help. It’s ok to ask for help. A trusted friend, a parent, a sibling, your spouse, a professional. Talk about it and say it out loud. I need help. It’s the first step in claiming back your life. I always tell my clients the hardest part is actually calling me, once they’ve asked for help, the rest is all downhill.  You don’t have to do it alone.

Dear friends, I want to tell you I speak from experience. I’ve been there and made all the mistakes. I’ve walked that path. I’ve suffered imbalance and I’m here to tell you it can get better…..if you want it to.

Are you ready to find your peace? Claim your life back? Fight for balance? It’s worth it. You’re worth it. Your family is worth it. Start today.

I’m here to help,

Lisa

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We Have To Have A Plan

 

 

Last Saturday I went to Ikea to do some client shopping for an upcoming project.

I wasn’t in the store two minutes before I became completely overwhelmed. Too many things and too many choices caused some major anxiety. I was glad I had my shopping list to keep focused.

Same goes with your home. When you come home do you see too much clutter? Do you go to your closet and see too many clothes (that you most likely don’t even wear)? Are your kitchen cabinets and drawers stuffed to overflowing? Is your pantry an unorganized mess so much so that you decide to order out instead? Do you just plop on the couch and say “oh forget it”? Sound familiar?

It’s important to have a plan and a system in place to help guide you. Whether it’s a big thing like running a home business or a small thing like grocery shopping, going in unprepared can cause anxiety, overspending, mindless purchases, guilt, and so on…

Let a professional organizer help you! In the Dallas area? I’m your girl! Not from here? I have a ton of pro organizer friends all over the country that I can hook you up with.

Plan your work, and work your plan. Success is just an email away!

Ready to help you today,

Lisa

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What’s Your Excuse?

What’s your excuse for not getting organized? 

 

Before you can change anything and make lasting efforts in decluttering your home, you have to address the negative self talk that hinders a lot of people.

“I just can’t do it”,  “I’m too tired”, “I don’t have the money to buy things to organize”, “the kids will just mess it up again”, “I can’t get my husband/wife on board to help me”, “I never have time” …sound familiar?

These are lies.

Don’t believe them.

 

 

Get out a piece of paper and write down a list of everything you want to accomplish at home. Put that list in a place that will be seen by everyone, everyday. Tape it to your fridge if you have to. Put EVERYTHING you want to accomplish around the house on that list. Big and small.

Now start.

Just do it. One room, one shelf, one drawer, one closet at a time.

Baby steps.

Dump everything out of that drawer, shelf, closet, cupboard and make piles of like items. Throw away or donate what you don’t want or need. Decluttering your home also declutters the mind.

When you are done with that one thing, big or small, go to that list and cross it off.

 

Now, lets address the “I don’t have the money to spend on organizing tools” lie.

I am betting, and I’m in a lot of homes, that there are so many things sitting around unused, that you can organize with.

Glass jars, Ball jars, baskets, small boxes, any type of bin, even baggies can all be used to contain items.

I’ve had this glass jar from Target forever, (it was about $5), and there are a million uses for it. Markers, crayons, tape, coffee pods, cooking utensils, pantry storage, food storage, etc.

 

 

I’ve had this pretty vase just sitting in my cupboard…store q-tips or toothbrushes in it, use it as a pen holder on your desk.

 

 

These bins for art supplies and toys are from The Dollar Store. The labels are made from a Sharpie Oil Pen that was inexpensive and lasts forever. 

 

 

These drawer dividers from  Target under $2! Again so many uses. Junk drawer, office drawer, bathroom drawer, pantry, etc.

 

 

Still feel like “I don’t have the money to organize” is a good reason?

Ask yourself honest questions, when was the last time you went to Starbucks? Have you gone out to eat? Did you buy those cute booties that were on sale? Have you gone to the movies? Got your nails done?

If any of the answers are yes, then add it up, you’ve spent money on things you don’t need, while neglecting your real needs and desires to get your home under control.

It’s a proven fact, that whatever you focus on becomes a priority.

Focus on the things that you want to accomplish, not all the reasons that you think are keeping you from it.

Be positive about it. Instead of saying, “I am too tired to work on the house”, say “I have enough energy to do what it is that I need/want to do”.

Instead of saying, “I never have the time”, say “today, I’m going to put down my phone, put the iPad down, turn off the TV, and do something constructive with my mental and physical energy.”

Get your family involved. Call a family meeting. Tell them how important it is to you. Make it fun. Turn on some music, hand everyone a trash bag, a laundry basket, some cleaning materials and go to town. Kids love to help, make it fun and they will follow your lead.

Don’t believe the lies in your head. Turn those lies into positives and just do it. I promise, it’s really that simple.

And if you need help, I’m here, 

Lisa