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.

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.

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.

After a few hours of sulking, however, I pulled myself together and shifted my focus to what an Easter staycation might look like. Unfortunately, I usually think of a staycation as a holiday in my own city, complete with visits to galleries, outdoor exploring, and long lunches with friends.

Clearly, this staycation was going to look a little different.

To prepare, I wrote down everything that makes the Easter holidays so important to me, and then brainstormed how I could recreate these things, all without stepping outside my front door.  

Here’s what I came up with…

1. Family connection.

I am lucky enough to be close with my family, and love the connection family holidays bring. The break in routine allows us to come together and really see each without a schedule. We always take long hikes in the bush, and Mum and I drink coffee in our pyjamas and chat for hours. Throw in a few celebratory meals with hours spent relaxing around the table, and you’ve got a perfect family Easter.

Staycation solution 

Thankfully we live in 2020, where technology means you don’t actually have to miss seeing your family, even when you’re several hours apart. This year, we all scheduled in time to come together and really ‘see’ each other. Mum even took us for a virtual tour of the garden to see the turning autumn colours. And while virtual connection can never be quite as good as the real thing, setting aside phones, agendas and to-do lists in order to just spend time together no matter the medium, still felt lovely.

2. Closing the books.

I love that feeling you get when you travel away from your everyday life in the city, and work or study just fall further away with each passing kilometre. Not only was this option off the table this Easter, but with my office and my home being one and the same, the temptation to work during supposed relaxation time was high.

Staycation solution

I chose to dedicate at least two days of the break to complete relaxation, meaning no email, work or computer, and made sure I chose two days in a row so I could really switch off. And surprisingly – I did! I slept sounder and longer than usual, and even got that afternoon snoozy feeling I only get when I’m feeling balanced.

3. Breaking routine.

For me, holidays are an opportunity to break away from routine. In normal life, even my weekends have a schedule of errands and duties that have to be completed, so it’s even more important that I feel like I can throw routine out the window and just let time drift by, if only occasionally. 

 Staycation solution

I simply gave myself permission to be on holiday at home, with no plans and no to-do list. If I couldn’t be bothered to stack the dishwasher, I just left it for later. Mundane tasks like ironing that I would usually do over the weekend at home, went out the window too. If I felt like wine at lunchtime, I had it, and I’m not usually a daytime movie person, but on Easter Sunday we actually put on an old movie at 2pm, and I loved it.

These aren’t things I want to do all the time, but a few days of just drifting felt luxurious, regardless of the setting.

4. Making new memories.

When I think of holidays, what comes to mind is new places, new experiences, and making new memories. I feel this especially when I go away with my partner – the change of scenery always rekindles our sense of adventure and allows us to spend time just being and enjoying each other’s company. I feel like I fall more in love with him each time we go away.

Staycation solution

While opportunities for exploration and adventure were limited this Easter, we made the most of what we had. One night we ordered in from a nice restaurant, dressed up, opened some good wine, and lit some candles. Another day we went for a long walk in a neighbouring suburb that neither of us had been to before. While it was only 10 minutes from our apartment, the unexplored streets inspired a sense of adventure in us that meant we were able to make brand new memories close to home.

(Remember the blog, I love living alone, am I ready to give it up and move in with my boyfriend?, turns out I can share a home and make new memories).

So what did I learn from all this?

I learned that a home can shift to be what we need in any given moment. What might usually be a pit stop for some people, a place where they sleep and refuel before launching back out into the world, may now have become a place of solace, and of socialising.

This weekend my home, which is usually a busy and productive home/office combo, became a cosy weekend escape from away from ‘normal’ life. 

I also learned that in a way, it’s all in the mind. The only thing we can control is our own behaviour, and how we respond to a situation. By simply shifting my focus from what I didn’t have to what I did, and thinking carefully about how I wanted to feel, I was able to use my imagination and recreate that relaxing holiday feeling at home.

#StayAtHome

April 2020 brings Marie Kondo’s new book, read our blog, Tidy desk, tidy mind: What you need to know about Marie Kondo’s new book

1. Make It About You

Personal goal setting must light something inside of you. Goals are the flames or embers that fuel your desires and dreams. It is vital that goals come from your idea of success, not anyone else’s.

Kayla Itsines’ daily workout definitely sounds like a great idea, but if you don’t have a burning ember inside you craving a six-pack and exceptional hamstrings… then reach for something more you. Such as increased exercise and weekly workouts.

2. Play Big

My grandmother used to always say, I wish I became a teacher; I wish I learnt to play the piano. For a woman who was raised in the depression, these are reasonable comments. But now we are living in the land of plenty. There is no better time to dream.

Even if close family and friends would laugh at the thought of your trying to achieve such a wild goal, write it down. In fact, sometimes goals you are afraid to share are most successful.

When Eleanor Roosevelt said “do something every day that scares you” she was right. Dare to dream, there will be no “I wish I hads” at your 90th!

“Do something every day that scares you”

3. Create A Why

Humans are more driven when we know why we are working for an outcome.  Simon Sinich, motivational speaker and author of five books, says ‘people don’t buy WHAT you do, they buy WHY you do it‘. And the same goes for our personal drivers, its not what you do, its why you do it.

In goal setting, there is a much higher chance of success when we can see the output connecting to the bigger picture, our values and internal drivers. 

Hence the importance of adding a why. 

For example, your goal might be to pay off your car. Which is a reasonable goal in itself, but to truly motivate you to increase the repayments and forgo other purchases such as holidays, winery weekends and nights out add a “so that”. 

Examples of goals with a why.

Goal: To Pay Off My Car

My 2020 goal is to pay off my car, so that….I no longer waste $1,000 on interest. 

My 2020 goal is to pay off my car so that….. I use the $1,000 saved on interest to help my little sister complete her TAFE course. 

My 2020 goal is to pay off my car so that…..I can give the $1,000 saved to subsidise my little sister’s education and support her to become financially independent.

POWERFUL  stuff huh!

Goal: To Organise My House

Let’s make one for your home sanctuary. First, get clear on why you are decluttering, visit KonMari Method 101 & read Get Clear at What is the KonMari Method for ideas, and then add your why.

My 2020 personal goal is to organise my home

My 2020 personal goal is to organise my home….so that we are not surrounded by mess and I feel more relaxed and calm.

My 2020 personal goal is to organise my home…so that we can are not surrounded by mess, reducing my anxiety and making me happier and more present with my family.

My 2020 personal goal is to organise my home…so that I reduce my anxiety and be a more present partner, parent and friend for those I love.

4. Make it measurable

Make sure your goals are measurable and achievable. Measurable meaning you have clearly defined what success looks like, ideally with a value such as time, financial incentive, self-satisfaction or some other success measure.

For example, say our goal is to buy a house

Make it achievable & break it down into bite-sized pieces. Such as;

• Investigate how much cash I would need for a deposit 
• Review my spending

Now make it measurable;

• Investigate how much cash I would need for a deposit by April
• Review my spending, and increase my savings to match deposit

I suggest checking in on your goals every few months to make sure you are on track.

5. Turn it into a reality

Okay, so I told you to “dare to dream”, now is time to convert it from a dream to a reality. Success coach Jen Sincero says to “trust Universal Intelligence over your fears, have faith that what you desire already exists, and leap like the mighty badass that you are”. 

Positive thoughts will bring positive action, and negative thoughts will bring negative actions. Universal Intelligence, Laws of Attraction, whatever you want to call you, keep your words, thoughts and actions in check.

You want to be an author – Envisage yourself at your book launch

You want to find a partner – Talk positively about the process

You want to lose 10kg – Close your eyes and sense how great your body will feel at your ideal weight

My business grew from focused goals with a passion to helps families lead fulfilling lives & support environment through less

There you have it, you are set for your most successful new year yet. And don’t forget, there is no time like the present.

Why stop there?! Check out Tips to Decluttering and Simplifying your Life & learn how to Sell Secondhand Clothes

Yet how you react in these situations will be improved. With less stuff absorbing your energy supply, you should (and will) have more resilience to deal with the inevitable ups and downs of life.

There is no secret formular

So how do we convert this mirage into a reality? There is no secret formula, as one of my yoga teachers would say “you just have to do the work”.

Here are my tried and testest ways to simplify (and declutter) your life.

To begin understanding what you love, and what makes you you, write a list. No need to mull over it, there are no Nobel prizes to be won here, merely jot down the first things that come to mind. The clearer you can be on what you love, the easier it will be to get rid of those nasty “energy-sucking” activities.

Start saying no

Saying no is easier said than done, but without those two little words (“no thanks”), your path to a simpler way of living will be a long one.

If saying no doesn’t come naturally, refer back to your “what I love” list and start saying no to any activities, emotions and objects that don’t support the life you are trying to create.

Less digital

Blue light, short-sightedness, elevated mental stimulus, feelings of inadequacy and subliminal advertising – all outputs from too much digital. While Netflix, social media and handheld tablets have their place, too much time with these things is proven to make us feel tired, burnt out and overdone.

Ways to reduce digital:

There is no secret formular to simplified living, we just have to do the work.

What is a hoarding disorder?

A hoarding disorder is when the individuals “stuff” starts to interfere with their ability to function and degrades their quality of life. For example, they might become distressed when trying to let things go; cannot leave the house; and unable to live a normal life.

Hoarding can also be classified as a disorder when living areas become so cluttered that they prevent the homeowner from using the space which it was originally designed. For example, kitchen benches and cooking areas become covered with so much stuff that the homeowner can no longer make meals. Or a shower stacked with boxes can no longer be used as a shower.

What kinds of “stuff” do hoarders keep?

Hoarders can hold onto a range of items from baskets, magazines, pens and even pets. But it’s important not to define hoarding by the types of objects, hoarding is the inability to let anything go. It is a misconception that hoarders only keep “worthless” things like bottle tops and old newspapers, anything can be hoarded.

Psychologist Randy Frost, author of “Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things”, recalls homes of hoarders full of clothes with tags on and small unopened electrical products.

Image from Sparefoot.com

Decluttering will not fix the problem, hoarding is a mental disorder and requires professional help.

Why does a hoarding disorder start?

There can be a multitude of reasons why people start to hoard.  It could be a symptom of another disorder, such as OCD, anxiety or depression. It could be sparked by a life trauma, such as losing a loved one, or a tendency handed down from parents.

Interestingly Frost says that most hoarders tend to be perfectionists, highly concerned about making mistakes, and often that fear of making mistakes leads them to avoid things like discarding or passing up a purchase that they perhaps don’t need.

What if I have a lot of “Spark Joy” items, am I a hoarder?

Unless you meet the above criteria, you are likely not a hoarder.  However, it is important to note that we all feel connected to our possessions, (they spark us joy right!), yet people who hoard closely link their identity to the things they own, very different to a simple feeling of joy.

The value we place on items can be broken into three categories;

Sentimental

Sentimental, just like in the KonMari Method, we place value on the item because it reminds us of something.

Instrumental

Instrumental value is the “usefulness” we place on an item. These items can make or provide us to have something we value, such as a bottle opener because we value opening and drinking bottles of wine! Most hoarders overvalue the usefulness of items, for example, they may see a toilet roll as being very useful and create reasons to keep it, where most of us see it as the recyclable waste.

Intrinsic

The intrinsic value of an item is the value we place on items with no connection to its usefulness. These are an item that brings us joy because of their beauty or our interest in them. Hoarders see intrinsic qualities in things we would find completely mundane, such as bottle tops and cannot possibly considering parting with them because of their beauty.

Tips to curb hoarding tendencies

If you or someone you know is suffering from a hoarding disorder the first step is to seek professional advice. Visit a GP and connect with a mental health practitioner in your area. Decluttering will not fix the problem, hoarding is a mental disorder and requires professional help (see links below).

If you are not quite ready to seek medical help, but you know you have a tendency, there are steps you can take.

 What is the KonMari Method, and how to use it?

Where to from here?

If you or someone you know needs help for hoarding disorder there is Hoarding Disorder Program in Australia, visit Lifeline for details.

For more information;

• Visit the International OCD Foundation 
• Watch Mayo Clinic Radio interview with psychologist Dr. Craig Sawchuk.
• Listen to ABC “All In The Mind – The psycholohy of hoarding” episode

2. Wake up early

I know it’s dark and the doona is EXTRA toasty at 6am, but I promise that extra hour to set your intentions, take a walk or read a book before the kids get up will be worth it. Using the early morning light will not only set you up for the day ahead, but it will also ensure you are equally as productive now as you are in the summer months (extra important when you are a business owner, primary carer or work for commission).

3. Drink warm water

With hot showers and central heating quickly drying out our skin, hydration is equally as important through the cooler months as it is on the sunkissed beach days. But we are in luck; sipping on warm water is not only a great way to stay hydrated, it’s wonderful for our digestion. As the water moves through our stomach and intestines, digestive organs are better hydrated and easily able to eliminate waste (eww…and WIN!!). Add a slice of lemon if you want to be extra fancy (and extra healthy).

Add a slice of lemon

4. Adjust your exercise routine

It can be hard to maintain a fitness regime when there is next to no daylight hours outside of 9-5, and often when it is light it is raining (typical). However, some body movement is a whole lot better than none. Try switching out your normal program to match the winter climate.

5. Love your home

Your home is your number one place to nurture, support and inspire you this winter.

More…boost your happiness levels over winter and follow Sally’s winter wardrobe Appreciation August.

At 19, 11 months into shared living, I knew it wasn’t for me. I hated not knowing who would be at home when I arrived. Would I be alone or was I stepping into a midday drinking session with my roomies “closest mates”? So I moved out, into a 3m x 5m cube of an apartment smack bang in the middle of Melbourne. It was so small in fact that I had to climb a ladder up to my bed where I couldn’t sit up straight without hitting my head on the roof, BUT I loved it. It didn’t matter that it was smaller than a David Jones fitting room and DEFINITELY did not have enough room to swing a cat, because it was mine, and only I had the key.

After uni I had lived abroad, bunked in ski resorts and lodged in London to save cash, all the while with one thought in mind…save enough money and you will never have to live like this again. When I landed back in Australia and had saved all could, I took my piggy box to the bank and bought my own place, yep you guessed it, a ONE BEDROOM just for me. This time I not only had the key, but I also held the title.

Have you ever set up our own home from scratch? Filling it with everything that makes you smile? Shopping for furniture and whitegoods with only yourself to please? I tell ya, it is wonderful. Empowering is not quite the right word, because sometimes you crave a second opinion, but my 25-year-old self was in her element.

Three simple tips to make your house a home.

My 25 year old self creating a home for one

Why I have never looked back on living alone;

-Movie nights in, always get to watch my first pick

-Racing out to drinks leaving a trail of clothes on the floor and make-up in the bathroom, with NO-ONE to apologise to

-Home decorating whenever I feel, and never having to compromise on style or taste

-Sleeping on all sides of the bed, left, right and middle

-Uninterrupted PJs days and spontaneous crying attacks with no one but Jack and Rose to question why I am watching Titanic reruns midweek

And now, it’s all about to change. Just like the girls on Suddenly Single found themselves alone in New York City; I find myself Suddenly Not-Single.

All the things I have collected over the years will slowly be replaced with “our things”, mementos we find, the artwork we collect and photos on the fridge that we took.

As of next week, I will be sharing everything; my kitchen, my living room and my bedroom. All the things I have collected over the years will slowly be replaced with “our things”, mementos we find, the artwork we collect and photos on the fridge that we took. And you know what, I am so ready for it. Single living may be empowering but it can also be really lonely.  Never again will it get to Sunday night and I realise the only person I have spoken to for the weekend was the guy in the cafe. No more meals for one. No more cold nights in bed alone. Now there will be someone to eat dinner with me, make me a cup of tea or take the washing in. I now get to create a new home sanctuary with the man I love. Single life will be replaced, with a new shared life, and it just might even be better.

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