Expert Advice for the New Year

Rent. asked, we answered. Take a look at our advice in Rent.’s new article: Decluttering Checklist: How to Start Your New Year Off Fresh.

Here are some additional tips I have as you start out!

The New Year tends to bring motivation and zeal necessary to make change happen so if you’re ready to make some changes around your home, here are some quick tips to help you with decluttering and organizing: 

1. Start easy - Don’t jump right into the photos of your family as it will take way too long to navigate. Instead, start with something easier like a bathroom or one drawer. 

2. Ask strong questions - When deciding what to get rid of, avoid questions like, “could I use this” or “is it still good?” Creativity in the decluttering process will actually hinder your progress. Ask stronger decision making questions like, “do I love managing this item in my home” and “if I did need this item after getting rid of it, how difficult would it be to replace?” Questions like this help you think more practically.

3. Give yourself freedom and permission to get rid of things - Often we feel wasteful when we get rid of items we’ve been gifted or spent money on yet never used. However, there are items you don’t need taking your time, energy, and peace of mind which is also a waste. Allow the process to grow you into more of a mindful shopper and giver moving forward.

Overall, set a goal and be prepared to give yourself grace through the process as you steward your home well!

If you’d like more tips and motivation on your journey to a more simplified home, follow me on social media!

Top 5 of the Best Mother’s Day Gifts

Finding the perfect gift for the moms in our lives can be so challenging! To help you find a great Mother’s Day gift, here is a list of 5 things a lot of moms really want:

1. Really thoughtful gifts that prove you know her and listen to her with a card telling her why this made you think of her

2. Professional Organizing and/or House Cleaning Service

3. A massage or spa package like nails (by professionals)

4. Time (either time spent with loved ones or time away without feeling guilty)

5. Food (and if needed, schedule the babysitter and arrange all the plans for her so she doesn’t have to work for her own gift)

All of these gift ideas can connect to the 5 Love Languages (which if you’re not familiar with 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman I suggest giving it a read) which are very helpful in knowing for gift giving. Basically we love and receive love in 5 different categories and some categories are more preferred by a person than others. The categories are: Time, touch, service, words of affirmation, and gifts. To figure out which item on the list best fits the mom in your life, you can read the book, take the little quiz, or reflect on comments she has made or responses to gifts given in the past.

• If she asks about your opinion on what she looks like or how she is doing in her job or latest hobby, she might feel loved through hearing how you love her or what you love about her. Number 1 - a thoughtful gift and card telling her how thankful you are for her or how proud you are of her would mean a lot to her. Be specific and thorough in your words. Example: I’m so proud of how hard you work to take care of our family. You sacrifice many things in order to give to our family, and I know it isn’t easy. I love how <insert trait you love about her here> you are, and I have seen you do <give an example of her doing something you love> . You are <insert wonderful adjectives and even throw in a simile or metaphor here>.

• If she expresses frustration with her home and feels she is the only one who helps take care of the house, then she probably would feel very loved if she was gifted an act of service where her loved ones help complete a task for her. Hiring a professional organizer to makeover her space and bring order into her home could be the exact thing for her! Number 2 on the list would be a great fit for these moms and something I personally would love to help with. You of course can browse the rest of my website for more information if you want to take that route.

• If she expresses frustration with her appearance, feeling over stimulated, or often loves holding hands or hugging, then a gift that meets a physical need such as a massage or spa package would be a match! Plus giving her a hug when she gets home all relaxed would just be the icing on the cake!

• If she expresses wanting to spend time with you or just wanting to hang out, quality time sounds right up her alley. Spending focused time together is super valuable and this can be gifted by taking her somewhere she loves just the two of you or sending her off with her friends. What is important here is to make sure her needs and personality are considered and that guilt is far from the gift.

• Okay so this is just because food seems to be a great gift idea always! 😂 Sometimes I feel like food is a love language all on its own (not Gary Chapman’s opinion, just mine). Not having to cook and not having to plan can really help a stressed mom out. Depending on how you do it, you could make this one fit multiple love languages and add on to any gift!

For the mom in our lives, we ultimately want to tell them we love them and how we appreciate what they’ve done for us, but flowers and a store bought card never seem to cut it. And to be honest, even hiring a cleaning service doesn’t express the proper amount of gratitude for everything they’ve done, but it is a beautiful gesture of giving them something that helps them like they’ve helped you! Most importantly, moms love to feel cherished and thought of. We love to be known. No matter what gift idea you go with, if it shows you thought of her, I’m sure she will be grateful! The fact you’ve already read this far shows you really are trying - GOOD for you! I hope you this helps!

Happy Mother’s Day!