Joy At Work

Back in March, Marie Kondo released her latest book Joy At Work in collaboration with Scott Sonenshein. Our blog What you need to know about Marie Kondo’s new book was one of our most loved blogs of the year, at a time when many of us were scrambling to set up our home offices and make the most of the space we had to stay productive.

Isolation

Then came the lockdowns. I still remember watching the stories coming out of Italy, horrified that people couldn’t leave their towns. Little did I know that fast forward a few months and Melbourne would be undergoing one of the longest lockdowns globally. I tried to help in the best way I knew how, by sharing my love of home. Within the first three hours of it being up, over 500 of you had read our piece 7 Ways You Can Embrace Your Home Sanctuary & Find Peace In Isolation. I still believe that in some small way, connecting through embracing our home sanctuaries helped us feel less isolated.

Decluttering during a pandemic

From March to October, with millions of us in Victoria largely confined to our homes, and thousands of us working, living and learning under one roof, decluttering became a key focus for many. To support you as you strove to make the most of your home during such a challenging time, we published Things to Declutter During a Pandemic and what turned to be our most read blog of 2020, Five Things You Should Declutter From Your Wardrobe.

Mental health and clutter

Understandably in 2020, another key focus was on maintaining good mental health during an extraordinary time. In a quest for answers I researched studies on mental health and clutter, discovering that living in a cluttered environment is not only scientifically proven to induce stress, it also lowers our productivity. The negative side effects of living in a cluttered home were so clear that I shared my findings by speaking at a number of events focused on corporate employee health, as well as tips on how to make positive steps to create mindful, healthy homes.

Sustainability

Towards the end of the year, as the shock of lockdown subsided and we moved towards a ‘new normal’, sustainable living returned to front of mind, and thousands of you read our blog Six ways to make your home more sustainable and How to become a conscious consumer.

2020 was undeniably hard in so many different ways, and we have no idea what 2021 will bring, but through our love of mindful homes, our community has been strengthened, and I’m incredibly grateful for that.

I want to take a moment to say THANK YOU for your support in 2020, the year in which our homes truly became our refuge and our sanctuary.

What do you want to see more of in 2021?

Click the share button below and let us know on your prefered social media channel or via Instagram.

1. Give yourself the gift of time

Don’t get me wrong, I love getting things done and creating self-imposed deadlines to maximise productivity, but there is a time and a place.

– Finishing a book to ensure you can have a good discussion at Book Club? A suitable ‘must get done’ activity.
– Buying your in-laws a gift for their 60th wedding anniversary on the weekend? It’s reasonable to give yourself a deadline.
– Alphabetically organising your children’s books by Friday when there’s no real need? Not such a worthwhile deadline.

After all, it has been a big year, and we’ve all missed out on a lot. Give yourself time and just do what makes you happy. Leave out anything that is not truly urgent this holiday so you can buy back some time in your days. Those non-urgent tasks can wait.

2. Unplug

Make technology work for you, not the other way around. I read this in a minimalist blog once and it has stuck with me ever since. Technology is wonderful, and it has been a saviour this year, but it can also be a burden. Constant pings and vibrations notifying you of this and that likely impacts your ability to switch on your parasympathetic nervous system – rest and digest – i.e. the opposite of the stress response – fight or flight.

If you can take a social media break, delete a few apps, silence notifications or – better still – put the phone in a drawer, do it. Don’t be a slave to your devices this holiday season – make technology work for you.

Observe your surroundings as you move through your holiday activities

3. Be okay with doing nothing

For many of us, doing nothing is a foreign concept, and can even sometimes provoke a feeling of guilt. If you are a serial ‘get things done’ person, or worse, someone who is always telling yourself to do more and still not getting things done, try saying no and giving yourself permission to do nothing. You never know, you might just find doing nothing gives your batteries the reboot they need to hit the ground running in 2021.

4. Be present

Two little words that sound oh so simple – be present. We all know, however, that being present is easier said than done. It takes meditators years to master the mind and silence the thinking brain. Yet you do not need to be a meditation master to reap the rewards of mindfulness these holidays.

Simply remind yourself to engage properly in conversation, actively listen to your family, observe your surroundings and notice the sensations on your skin as you move through your holiday activities.

If mindfulness is something you are trying to cultivate, read our blog 5 Ways You Can Bring Mindfulness Into Your Home.

5. Prioritise rest.

When was the last time you scheduled a nap into your day, that wasn’t for your three year old? Rather than prioritising activities and tasks, can you prioritise rest instead? Schedule a sleep-in, take an afternoon to read or nap in your sleep-sanctuary, maybe even cancel dinner plans to go to bed early. Rest is vital for a healthy body and mind.

So there you have it! Hopefully even just reading this made you feel a little bit more relaxed. Whether you’ve still got a few more work days left in the year, or you’ve already set your Out of Office and are slipping into holiday mode, keep these tips front of mind and do yourself a favour – put that to-do list away in a drawer until you’ve properly re-charged your batteries. 

For more relaxing holiday ideas visit our blog, Three Quick Tips For Stress-Free Holiday Planning with BONUS TRAVEL CHECKLIST.

What exactly did you declutter?

Sentimental paper collected over a period of about 15 years – from childhood to about my mid-twenties. I love paper, I’m really drawn to it, so I have collected a lot over the years – magazine articles, birthday cards, letters, programs I’ve saved from shows, diaries, – you name it.

What motivated you to declutter?

I’ve been wanting to declutter my childhood bedroom for a long time but was never back at the family home for long enough. When the pandemic hit I moved back, and have had months to spend on it – one of the silver linings of a less than ideal situation!

All that paper spilling out of the cupboards had been weighing on me every time I went home. It felt heavy, and like it belonged to a version of myself that no longer existed.

Was this your first time decluttering?

No, I’ve been decluttering for years – I’ve always loved having a tidy environment. I also spent the first half of my twenties living out of a suitcase which meant constant decluttering in order to be able to carry everything I owned with me.

In one word how would describe how you felt starting the process?

Overwhelmed! Once I had gathered all of the paper together in one place, there were just piles and piles of it and I didn’t really know where to start. It was tempting to shove it all back! That’s why I reached out to Sally – for the first time, I felt I needed some additional guidance. She helped me categorise everything – breaking it down into further categories helped me get through the start of the process.

Kate the ‘paper-lover’ took on a huge sentimental declutter

“When the pandemic  hit I had months to declutter – one of the silver linings of a less than ideal situation”

How has this declutter been different?

This has been the most time-consuming declutter I have ever done. Mainly because for the first time I have actually had that time and space. I essentially transferred all of my sentimental paper into my parents’ spare room (a luxury I definitely don’t have in the city!) and worked on it over a period of about six weeks. I think I needed that time – it’s obviously emotionally exhausting decluttering nostalgic items – so being able to stop and come back to it a few days later was helpful.

Was there anything unexpected along the way?

I’ve probably kept more than I thought I would, but I’m comfortable with that. For example, at the start I pictured myself chucking out lots of my childhood diaries and a huge, heavy weight lifting, but in the end I kept almost all of them! I realised that having a historical record of my life is something I highly value.

One unexpected find was my childhood scrapbooks. I have about six or seven which I hadn’t looked at in probably about two decades. I assumed they would be just full of rubbish so I thought I’d have no difficulty chucking them. Actually though, I’ve kept them all.

One of them turned out to contain the only birthday cards I ever received from my grandfather before he died when I was 10.

I can’t believe they had just been shoved in the cupboard for that long without a thought – or that I had been about to hurl them all in the recycling bin!

Would you recommend engaging Sally, and at what point?

I would highly recommend booking in a tidy session with Sally, especially if you’ve never decluttered before, or are about to tackle a particularly challenging category. In either case I would recommend booking in the session before you start.

Sally will help you to sort things into categories and will help you formulate a strategic plan. She will also help you to talk through why you want to declutter and what you hope to get out of it. It’s important to clarify this at the beginning of the process so that you have a clear idea of what you’re working towards.

How do you feel now?

Lighter and more in control. Rather than feeling like these items were weighing me down, I feel like I’ve deliberately chosen them and curated a collection of things which I actually want to read and look at.

Do you have a decluttering dilemma and need some extra support? A session with Sally could be exactly what you’re looking for. Sally will help you through the hardest hurdle of starting a sentimental declutter, provide a helping hand when things get overwhelming and guide you step by step to meet your goals. Within an hour you will know where and how to start and be equipped with a personalised tidy plan set out into achievable sections.

Click here to book a tailored, one-on-one session with Sally and sign up to our newsletter for all our updates, tips and tricks delivered straight to your inbox.

1. Mess makes you less productive

Our brains like order, and constant visual reminders of disorganisation such as a messy desk or piles of paperwork on the kitchen bench drain our cognitive resources, reducing our ability to focus.

Visual distraction in the form of clutter sends our brain into overdrive and can reduce our ability to process information, but clearing clutter from our homes has proven to increase our ability to focus and be productive.

2. Clutter can affect your mental health

Most of us have a vague understanding that clutter makes us feel stressed, but now we have evidence to prove that it does actually stress us out. Scientists at the University of California have found that being surrounded by too many things increases the body’s level of the stress hormone cortisol, increasing susceptibility to depression, insomnia and anxiety. When reviewing the home environment of mothers, they discovered that cortisol was higher in mothers living in a cluttered environment.

In short, clutter induces a negative mindset, reduces motivation and diminishes happiness.

Clutter is proven to increasing susceptibility to depression, insomnia and anxiety.

3. Constant clutter can affect your physical health

If you’re living in a constantly messy environment you could be facing potential health problems. Living in an environment that is messy and cluttered can lead to your body producing a low-grade fight or flight response which could wreak havoc on your digestive and immune systems.

This is probably a good time to remind you that if you or someone you know is suffering from a hoarding disorder, visit our blog for Decluttering Tips for Hoarders for links and advice.

4. You’re probably wasting time

Time is precious. If there is anything this pandemic has taught us, it’s that we never know what is around the corner so we must use our time well. I think we can all agree that constantly tidying up a messy environment and searching for lost items is not the best use of your time.

On the other hand, living and working in an organised environment, where each item has a home, eliminates the need to search for lost items, and makes cleaning and all round living simpler.

Being organised gives time back to us.

Constantly tidying up and searching for lost items is not the best use of time

5. You’re probably not sleeping well

If you find yourself falling asleep more easily in a minimalist hotel or after a big spring clean, this is no coincidence. People who sleep in cluttered bedrooms are more likely to have sleeping problems, both in terms of falling asleep and waking up during the night. There is a lot to be said for tidying up before you go to bed – a clean floor will not only make the space feel calmer, but will aid in the ease of sleep.

The bonus of tidying up at night is that you will also set yourself up for the day ahead as you wake up to a clean room in the morning. Read Your Sleep Sanctuary Nighttime Rituals for more sleep support.

6. You might be losing opportunities

This might be my favourite reason to get organised. I can attest first hand that getting your life in order brings opportunities. With all the time you get back and reduced stress-levels, you’ll be the best version of yourself, and will be in a much better position to pursue your dreams, start that side hustle, train for that marathon, or even commit to finding your perfect match. Getting organised hunts down those opportunities and brings them to fruition.

If all this doom and gloom has sent you crawling under your desk, don’t worry, I have good news for you. Organisational psychology research shows that being organised triggers positive behaviors! Scientists have proven that living and working in organised environments encourages healthy eating choices and socially responsible habits, such as donating to charities.

In summary, organisation not only reduces stress and makes sleeping easier but also triggers positive, healthy behaviors. If that isn’t motivation enough to get tidy – I don’t know what is!

Need help?

Click here to book a one-on-one session with Sally, and sign up to our newsletter for support delivered straight to your inbox.

1. Recycle religiously

While reducing and reusing is better, recycling is still important. Up to 96% of Australian kerbside recycling is made into new products. However, in Australia large volumes of recycled materials still end up in landfill due to contamination. This is also the primary reason China stopped accepting our recycling exports. So be sure to wash out any remaining food and always pop jars, cans, bottles and paper in the recycle bin loose, never in a plastic bag.

Still not sure how to recycle? Read up on Planet Ark’s Golden Recycling Rules.

2. Close the blinds in summer and rug up in winter

Heating and cooling accounts for 40% of household energy use, making it the largest energy user in the average Australian home. If you own your home, investing in efficient reverse cycle air conditioners, double glazing and shade protection is ideal. If structural changes are not an option, make sure you do your part by closing the blinds in summer and throwing on an extra blanket in winter. As nice as it might be to sleep under a doona with the air conditioner on full blast, this habit is doing the environment no favours.

As a bonus, you’ll probably save a load of money on your energy bill too.

Throw on an extra blanket

3. Switch out old appliances and whitegoods

Home appliances account for almost half of household greenhouse gas emissions. Upgrading aged appliances to newer energy efficient ones can dramatically reduce your carbon footprint. That thirty-year-old freezer in the shed running for occasional use is likely doing more harm than good.

But remember, use your good judgement. The size of an appliance will have an impact on its energy usage. Just because a cinema-sized TV has a five star rating, does not make it more efficient than the smaller one you have now.

4. Eat less meat and dairy

You may have heard that meat production is bad for the environment, but how bad? Well, animals raised for meat require large lots of land to grow their feed, fertilizers to make the feed grow rapidly and room to graze. This need for land and resources makes meat production the largest driver of Amazon deforestation, accounting for 80% of clearing. In fact, one third of the Earth’s surface is used for meat, and emissions related to meat production are almost double those for fruit, veg and legumes.

Adopting a ‘Meatless Monday’, or becoming a sustainable vegetarian or flexitarian will make your home and lifestyle much more sustainable.

For more meat-emissions data visit Our World In Data.

Adopting a vegetarian or flexitarian lifestyle

5. Buy mindfully

Choosing products we love makes good sense. Take time to consider your purchases and only buy what lights you up or will improve your life in some way. When we buy something without thought we disrespect the resources and labour used to make it. We also tend to take better care of the things we love, and in turn they last longer and we need less. This may mean opting for higher quality products which might cost a few extra dollars upfront, but long term it will save you money.

6. Buy secondhand

Making the most of secondhand marketplaces like Gumtree or Facebook, or joining events like the Garage Sale Trail are ideal ways to freshen up your home without bolstering your carbon footprint. Unlike pre-loved clothing, with homewares you know exactly what you’re getting, making the whole process quick and easy. I recently bought a lovely white platter to brighten up my dinner table, and a set of nesting tables for my lounge room – both items pre-loved and gorgeous.

So there you have it, six ways you can boost your home’s sustainability. For more sustainability ideas visit our blog, How To Do Plastic Free July During A Pandemic.

If you are ready to take the next step?

Click here to book a one-on-one session with Sally, and sign up to our newsletter for all our updates, tips and tricks delivered straight to your inbox.

Sleeping and sleeping only

Bedrooms are for sleeping, unwinding and restoring. To create the most relaxing, sleepy bedroom before tucking yourself into bed, remove all objects from the bedroom that are not conducive to unwinding. Move all work-related items such as computers, pagers, study notes, to-do lists and unread mail out of the room before going to sleep. If that’s not feasable, at least place them out of sight during the twilight hours.

Remove all work related items

Hygge lighting

Just like TV and phone screens keep us awake, so does bright lighting. One or two hours before it’s time to sleep, dim the lights in your home, light a candle and even play some soft music. The Danish method of hygge, (meaning cosy) recommends using lamps instead of ceiling lights, and candles wherever possible. Low lighting helps our melatonin levels to naturally rise, setting us up for a quality, restful sleep.

Snuggle into your sleepwear

Taking off the clothes you have worn for the day and slipping into favourite PJs signifies that it is time to rest. Just like a new shirt gives us confidence for a job interview, sleepwear tells our subconscious that it’s time to calm down. While it might be easier to roll into bed as you are, I recommend trying to dedicate one to two pieces of your wardrobe to sleep in.

Pyjamas signify that it is time to rest

Declutter

Before turning out the light, fold up and put away the items on the floor. A clean floor will not only make the space feel calmer, but will reduce your stress levels, aiding in the ease of sleep. The bonus of tidying up at night is that you will also set yourself up for the day ahead as you wake up to a clean room in the morning.

Make the bed

Finally, take time to make the bed before you start your day. Not only will it instantly declutter your bedroom, but it will mean you’ll be treating future you to that lovely ‘tucked in sheets’ feeling – no more crawling back into a mess of sheets and pillows at the end of a long day.

Now to tackle the rest of the house! For more sanctuary creating tips, check out Three Simple Tips For Making Your House Into A Home. After you’ve had a good night’s sleep, of course.

Keen to learn more ways to make the most of your home? Book in a one-on-one consult with Sally to start making your sanctuary today.

1. Opt for cans

Have you noticed the slow but steady transition from aluminium cans to plastic packaging over the last 10 years? You can now buy tuna in a plastic tub for example, and most pet food is sold in plastic sachets. Yet aluminium continues to be the most valuable recycled material and remains in high demand. That is why last year, I vowed to opt for a can wherever possible. It’s an easy and worthwhile switch.

aluminium vs plastic

TIP: always opt can!

2. Get takeaway pizza

A night without cooking and doing dishes is a luxury, and you definitely deserve it on occasion, but hopefully not always at the expense of the earth. A simple way to reduce plastic, or even go plastic-free, is to opt for take-out that comes in recyclable or compostable packaging. Pizza in boxes, paper-wrapped burgers and old-fashioned fish and chips are the perfect way to enjoy a restaurant meal without bumping up your plastic consumption. 

In fact, in recent months, many cafes have started serving meals in cardboard containers for this exact reason. It’s so important that we support these businesses – they deserve our patronage. Just make sure you say no to plastic cutlery!

3. Say no to sauce in a sachet

Repeat after me: ‘No sauce thanks’. Those three little words will do wonders to reduce your plastic consumption. But sushi tastes boring without soy sauce I hear you say? I agree! Try one of these tricks: buy a little glass bottle of soy for your desk drawer or car, or (my personal favourite), use the bottle they keep at the counter before you leave.

No sauce thanks!

The same rule applies for a bakery pie. If your bakery only has plastic packets of sauce, politely explain that you are trying to reduce your plastic consumption. You never know, they might be very understanding and think it’s a great idea. Consumers set the standards, don’t be afraid to ask for what you want.

4. Carry a reusable bag at all times

Supermarkets around the world have made a positive step in no longer offering plastic carry bags for free, however, retail stores are yet to join the party. Most retailers will provide a branded bag that fits within their local state plastic bag ban regulations, meaning it is made of heavier grade plastic. Let’s not fool ourselves though, these are still plastic bags and should be avoided if you can.

Simply carry a reusable bag every time you go out and say no to a bag at every chemist, shoe store, clothing or electronics store you enter. Check out my absolute favourite brand BYO BAG.

5. Skip the lid

Sadly, reusable cups are no longer accepted in most cafes at the moment, making it near impossible to enjoy a latte without single-use plastic. 

However there are things you can do to reduce plastic during COVID-19 without giving up your morning latte.

• Limit your coffee intake. If you are a three-cups-a-day person, pull back to two. Curbing your coffee addiction by a single cup per day can save thousands of cups from landfill.

• Skip the lid. When you really think about it, plastic coffee cup lids are not always necessary. Unless you’re jumping straight into the car, juggling five kids and a pram, or planning to sprint home, a lid is not required. #Skipthelid and save the plastic.

• Invest in a coffee machine. This option may sound a little extreme, but the purchase of an AeroPress, french press or espresso maker is a great idea, especially now. I am using my AeroPress now more than ever, and I purchase beans from my local cafes to maintain my support. 

6. Boycott the ziplock

You might have noticed that many food producers have added a ziplock to their packaging. Rice, nuts, biscuits and frozen berries can all be bought in an ‘improved’ ziplock bag to ‘maintain freshness’. The way I see it though, is ziplock = more plastic. Boycott the ziplock and opt for an alternative with an old-fashioned low-grade plastic bag and seal it with a clip at home. 

Plus, most organisers encourage decanting these days, why would you buy a ziplock bag to empty into a jar when you get home? You wouldn’t. And of course, where you can, buy food in bulk and avoid plastic altogether.

So there you have it, six easy ways to limit your plastic, pandemic or otherwise.

Ready to take the next step and make your home more sustainable? 

Click here to book a one-on-one session with Sally, and sign up to our newsletter for all our updates, tips and tricks delivered straight to your inbox.

What is mindfulness?

Put simply, mindfulness is to be aware of the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting feelings, thoughts, and sensations. Mindfulness has been described as both a meditation and a way of living. To be mindful is to know where your attention is, to prioritise where it needs to be, and to bring it back when it wanders off track.

Why be mindful?

Have you ever eaten without tasting? Read a page and not absorb anything? Forgotten where you put the keys? Of course, we all lead busy lives, but constantly living this way can cause ongoing frustration, anxiety and even depression. Acting mindfully helps us get more enjoyment out of life, make the best use of our time and reduce stress.

Here are my top five favourite ways to bring mindfulness into the home.

Mindfulness helps us get more enjoyment out of life

1. Appreciate what you own

The KonMari method tells us to keep only what sparks joy, to connect, love and enjoy it. This practice should not end once the tidying is over – appreciating what we own should be done every day, including acknowledging the time, resources and effort taken to bring the item to you.

2. Take a seat and really see your home

It’s safe to say that most of us have spent more time assessing our homes for improvement than we have simply observing. Boost your love for your space by taking the time to sit in your favourite spot – inside or outside – and take a moment to see your home without judgement. Look for the texture, shapes and colours. You may notice the pattern in the flooring or the way the drapes hang over a window. If judgement comes up, try to gently let it go and bring your attention back to what is right in front of you.

Mindful tip: Take a moment to see your home without judgement

3. Notice the change in light

Both changes in season and weather patterns bring with them unique changes in light. Take note of how your home changes through the day. Does the afternoon give certain rooms a warm glow, is there a particular window that lets morning rays stream in? Mindfully heighten your sense of sight and tune into the changes throughout the days, and across the year. This is also a great technique to use for restful holidays.

4. Turn a chore into a mindful practice

Almost anything can be turned into a mindfulness activity, including chores – take washing dishes for example. Tune in and notice the warmth of the water against your skin. Listen to the sound of the plates as they move through the water. Watch the water droplets roll down the china. Just a few minutes of calm, mindful observation can turn a must-do activity into a meditative practice. Rather than seeing chores as a burden, you may begin to see them as opportunities to enjoy the present moment as it is.

5. Drop the multitasking

If you’re the kind of person who is trying to do multiple things at once, stop. Research tells us that multitasking is not as beneficial as first thought. Doing two things at once is just carrying out two tasks half as well. In fact, multitasking reduces our focus, memory, and enjoyment, and can cause stress. Training our brain to engage its attention to the most important task will allow you to not only complete your to-do list quicker, but it will also improve your attention span. If you are looking for ways to simplify read our blog Tips To Decluttering and Simplifying Your Life.

Keen to learn more ways to make the most of your home? Read 7 Way You Can Embrace Your Home Sanctuary.

1. We can leave the car behind

Or in other words, we are within walking distance of everything we love. Melbourne’s famous Gertrude Street is just a two minute walk away, offering all the breakfast hangouts, designer stores, organic food stores and all the wine bars I could ever need.

2. It has an ‘entrance cupboard’

Those of you who live in apartments will understand this one; put simply, entrance hall cupboards are hard to come by. The joy of being able to walk straight in, hang up my coat, slip off my shoes and return them to their rightful home before taking more than a few steps is a luxury. Call me a crazy tidy lady, but I love it!

3. I can do balcony compost

I know! Perhaps not quite what you were imagining as one of the top nine things I might love about my home. Composting, however, is one of the best things you can do for the environment, and when I saw the size of the balcony I jumped for joy and bought a Bokashi compost bin secondhand from Gumtree. I love knowing that even in a small space I can take steps to reduce our waste. It makes me very happy.

Even in a small space I can reduce our waste

4. It’s great for morning meditation

I’m not always a great sleeper. I sometimes wake early, and toss and turn thinking about a million trivial things until my alarm goes off and I roll groggily out of bed. Well actually that was me – until three years ago when I made a pact with myself that if I woke up and couldn’t get back to sleep I would get up and meditate. My home has the perfect morning meditation light – I can slip upstairs, light some incense, snuggle into a cushion, tune in and wake up slowly with the day. Very early morning meditation always feels like a little secret and it is my favourite way to rise.

5. It is Home Sanctuary HQ

We moved in right when the business was taking off and I needed a dedicated ‘head office’. Ideally away from the rest of the home, but not too distant, because you know, I love my home. My desk is set up in a sun-filled corner of the upper level, decorated with only a few motivational books (The Minimalist Home, Spark Joy and Project 333), a simple laptop stand, hand cream and a watercolour I bought in Yosemite – it’s my work anchor, and I love it.

Yosemite watercolour

6. It has a bathtub

There is nothing better than a bubble bath, a glass of wine and a good book to relax and wash off the day. I haven’t lived in a home with a bathtub for ten years, apart from a sharehouse in London and you couldn’t have paid me to bathe in that thing! This bath, on the other hand, while not straight out of Vogue Living, is just what we need. I just light a candle and pop on some music and I am content for hours.

7. It has space for my plants

Give me an extra square metre and I will grow another plant, and with two floors and an open balcony, my plant babies are loving life. Right now, my snow peas are starting to flower and I am so proud of them. Caring for plants helps me ground and connect, and it’s an important part of my morning ritual.

My plant babies are loving life

8. We can hear rain on the roof

Everyone loves the sound of rain on the roof, but for a gal who has lived in small city apartments for years, it’s a true luxury. We even have a skylight upstairs that enhances the sound beautifully.

9. We have friendly neighbours

Now more than ever, neighbours are so important, and we are lucky to live next door to a great couple. We water each other’s plants, and share lovely chats from our respective balconies, including a couple of socially distant balcony drinks last month during lockdown.

So there you have it – those are the things I love best about my home. If you have never written down or even shared out loud why you love your home, I highly recommend doing so. 

And if you’re struggling to put into words what you love about your home, you might benefit from some guidance about how to make the most of your space as part of your very own Konmari consultation. We use a mindful approach to help you connect with yourself and your home environment. Both in-home and virtual consults are available and can be tailored to your unique needs, so please do not hesitate to get in touch with us to book or to ask any questions you have.

Meet Sally or learn how to find peace in isolation, 7 Way You Can Embrace Your Home Sanctuary through lockdown.

1. Cosmetics and Skincare

If there’s one thing a lot of us are doing in lockdown, it’s self-care. But before you place that next skincare order, spend some time reviewing what you already have. 

Gather all of your cosmetics together and declutter them by category. Throw out anything that’s expired, that you don’t enjoy using, or that isn’t right for your skin. You’ll probably be surprised by how much obvious clutter you’ve collected – think hotel soaps, blunt razors, and mouldy toiletry bags you haven’t used for years.

TIP: If you haven’t used much of a product but find it doesn’t suit your skin or you’re not really a bath salts person, think about putting it aside to pass along to a friend who might have a different skin type. Otherwise, visit Terracycle to see if you can recycle your empties.

Self care doesn’t mean abundance

2. Digital

If you’re spending more time on your devices at the moment, you’re not alone. So why not put all that screen time to good use by doing a digital declutter? For a start, we all have way too many photos on our phone. Start by deleting the ones you know you don’t need – the out-of-focus, the unflattering, unhappy memories, and all those old screenshots you’ve been hoarding. 

Next, declutter your inbox. Delete anything you don’t need to keep, and unsubscribe from mail-outs you don’t read. Organise your folders, deleting any that are redundant, and start filing all of your other emails into the relevant folders. The only emails that should remain in your inbox are those waiting to be actioned – your inbox should function like an in-tray or ‘pending’ folder.

Rediscover joy in cooking

3. The pantry

Unsurprisingly, the pantry may have been a site of some anxiety for many of us in the past month or two. If you stocked up on items prior to lockdown you may have lost track of what you have, so an inventory is in order. 

Most importantly, rediscover joy in cooking. It’s a great way to relax, to nourish yourself and your family, and keep your immunity levels high. It also lends structure to the day which is helpful when you may not be leaving the house much, and when the lines between work, home, and school might be blurred. Cooking is also a great way to keep kids occupied, and you’ll be teaching them a vital skill.

4. Your “To Do” List

In this blog post, I recommended decluttering excess tasks to free up your time and mental capacity. Conveniently, perhaps lockdown has made you realise that there are some things in your normal life that you don’t actually miss all that much. 

Some might be obvious, like commuting, but others might be more surprising.

This is a unique (and likely once in a lifetime) opportunity to go back to basics and clarify for yourself what you value, what your ‘true north’ is. Go for a long, contemplative walk, write lists of what you’re missing and not missing, and maybe even do some journaling.

However you do it, try to capture your reflections in writing, so that in the future when things are back to normal and you find yourself going off course and doing things you don’t really like or need to, you can return to your personal values.

Capture your reflections in writing

5. Sentimental items

These items are often the hardest to declutter. If you’re feeling up to it, use the time you have and go for it. As with anything else, if you don’t wish to use or look at these items normally, you may never want to and it might be best to let them go.

But if you’re not entirely sure, try using Courtney Carver’s ‘defer’ option. Rather than discarding more emotionally-charged items straight away, try boxing them up and tucking them away. Set a reminder on your phone to revisit these items in six months, and if you haven’t missed them then you know you are ready to discard. After all, with op shops closed you may have difficulty disposing of them at the moment.

All in all, now is a great time to declutter manageable categories that you’ve been putting off. Remember, as with any decluttering, the focus shouldn’t be on just throwing things away, but should be on recognising what you love and value, and keeping it in your life.

Meet Sally or learn how to find peace in isolation, 7 Way You Can Embrace Your Home Sanctuary through lockdown.