Unusual tips for a perfectly organized home

Living in a perfectly organized home may seem like a difficult standard to meet. However, you need to apply only a few tips to reach this goal without any problems. We have come up with some unusual tips for a perfectly organized home and some useful practices to find more space in it. Explore our suggestions in detail and choose those in line with your specific preferences, taste, and style.

Everything starts with decluttering

Clutter is the enemy number one in every home. Unfortunately, we can rarely help piling up the items we are emotionally attached to, although we do not use them anymore. If you find it difficult to donate, sell, or throw out some of these items, you might want to consider all aspects of renting a self-storage unit and storing away your excess belongings.

First eliminate clutter

Self-storage units will keep your items safe and easily accessible whenever you need them again. Make sure you pack your possessions properly and remember to label the boxes, as it will be much easier to find the item you want when the need arises. Most importantly, this does not have to be a costly investment. Many companies rent self-storage at an affordable rate, so your home budget will not suffer.

Here are the unusual tips to consider

Even when you transport some of your items to the self-storage unit you have rented, there are still many steps to take before you get a perfectly organized home. We have tried to brainstorm for solutions that are practical, cheap, and easy to apply.

”One in, one out” rule

When kids are in the house, there are myriads of different toys in various sizes and shapes that parents need to organize. No storage space will be enough to bring order if you do not apply the “one in, one out” rule. Teach your kids that the space in your home is limited and that getting a new toy means they will have to give up on an old one. You can put it in a box designated for the self-storage unit or donate some of these old toys to a charity or a friend in need.

The “one in, one out” rule does not have to be used only when toys are everywhere around your home. You can apply it to eliminate excess clothes or any other type of item that your family members tend to accumulate.

Organizing toys might be complicated without applying the "one in, one out" rule.

Repurpose and organize

Some of your possessions can be repurposed to become very good organizers. Old trays and bowls, for instance, can eliminate the chaos in some of your drawers. Put a non-slip mat at the bottom first and then use trays and bowls to organize the items.

Similarly, you can use decorative magazine holders to organize your bathroom. These holders are perfect for your hair styling tools like brushes, hairdryers, stylers, and so on.

If you have an old metal shower caddy you want to replace, do not throw it away. It will be perfect for your kitchen to keep some vegetables, spices, or canned food. If necessary, you can refresh it with a new coat of paint, and you get a nice, tiny, and convenient kitchen shelf in a few steps.

If you are more fond of knitting than wine, an old wine rack can solve all your problems with organizing knitting equipment. Instead of storing bottles, use the rack for colorful yarns and knitting needles. You will get a nice-looking and surprisingly beautiful element in your living space.

Get the most of the narrow spaces in your home

Generally, we do not pay too much attention to these narrow spaces in our homes. It might not seem easy to give them a purpose, but it is manageable. Slim cabinets on wheels in your kitchen between the fridge and the wall, for example, are perfect for cans, spices, even cups, and glasses. Also, these cabinets can be used in the bathroom for keeping cosmetics or towels and can easily fit the narrow space between the dryer and washing machine, for example.

Use narrow cabinets in the kitchen to organize spices or canned food.

You will love sneak cabinets

Sneak cabinets can be used literary everywhere – your living room, bedroom, study, even bathroom. They can display art when closed or be turned into a mirror. Your visitors may not even notice that the painting or the mirror on your wall hides a miniature storage space, so these cabinets can be used for storing valuable items as well.

Bring order to your closets

Our list of tips for a perfectly organized home would be incomplete without a few suggestions regarding the organization of your closets. To get more space and keep your clothing items and accessories neat and tidy, there are a few strategies you can apply. Firstly, you can hook two hangers together with a can tab. This will provide you with twice as much available space. Also, use shower rings on hangers and put up to ten scarves on a single hanger. You can do the same with belts or handbags.

Get creative and organize

Our unusual tips for a perfectly organized home should give you a hint on how to get the best of your living space. They should also inspire you to experiment and discover some new strategies for organizing your things. Be creative, repurpose, indulge yourself in various DIY projects, and explore. Make your living space appealing, comfortable, and clutter-free so you can enjoy the ambiance.

Photos used

https://pixabay.com/photos/living-room-sofa-couch-2569325/

https://pixabay.com/photos/golden-cup-coffee-basket-books-791072/

https://pixabay.com/photos/soft-toys-stuffed-animals-teddy-bear-3158361/

https://pixabay.com/photos/spices-jar-cooking-rustic-pepper-2548653/

Cut the Clutter & Improve Your Life

CLOSET WORKS

www.closetworks.com

10 Easy Ways to Find More Space in Your Home

Many believe that to lead a more organized and inspired life, the clutter around you must be cleared. It’s simple: if your home is organized, your mindset will be too.

A clean and balanced home is actually a launching pad for many other goals and resolutions. So if you’re already starting to fail at some of your other 2019 resolutions, try this home resolution instead: find more space in your home by clearing out the clutter! Follow these ten tips and I promise you it will inspire you to complete your other resolutions and lead you to a more organized and happier year!

Pantries

Create room by removing the large and awkward food packaging. Purchase clear, air-tight containers, take the box of your food item, and cut out the product name, nutritional facts and expiration date. Tape them to the inside of your clear container and then seal the food.

Pantry Shelves

Arrange the food on your shelves to help keep your resolutions. Make “first choice” shelves for the food that you want to stay on that diet. Make shelves that are for the kids snacks or foods that you’re just not going to have on a regular basis anymore… You get the idea –some shelves are just for the once a week treat. Some are for every day.

Pantry Storage

If you like to buy in bulk, put the bulk of your paper goods in another location, perhaps a closet or the garage, and place only what you need in your pantry— restock as needed.

In the Kitchen

When storing pots, pans and other durable items, stack them on their sides like files. This simple step not only creates more room, it also allows you to see exactly what you need. Caddies or sorters from a shelf or container store are great tools for vertical organizing. Have all this in mind in your next kitchen remodeling as well.

Dressers

Place clothing in drawers vertically (not the traditional horizontal piles) because it not only maximizes space, it allows you to find items more quickly. You can purchase wooden planks or plastic planks to use as dividers. This way you can see all of your clothes at once when you open the drawer.

Closets

If your shoes don’t have a place they end up in a pile taking up valuable space. Place shoes and accessories in clear plastic containers so you can see everything and tape their photo to the inside of their container with photo facing out. This little step gives you triple duty: more space, you can find it easily and better still you can put it away in the exact same spot for next time that hot date rolls around…

Organize by Color

Organize your closet and drawers dark to light. It can be great way to find out that you really have way too many black blouses… and you can keep your resolution of being a kinder gentler you by donating the extras!

Kids’ Rooms

Purchase bed raisers for under-the-bed storage. You can store everything from shoes, laundry basket, books and any bulky items that might otherwise clutter their room. 

A Baby’s Closet

Is there room to add another bar? Take advantage of the fact that baby clothing is smaller and if you can, add an additional bar to hang the clothing to maximize space. You can purchase pre-made closet organizers that you can customize to make the most out of baby’s closet.

The best trick to more space in your home, less is more! So if you find you have extra things laying around, throw a reverse housewarming party! You’ll be starting a new party trend. Set aside your unwanted items and instead of having your friends bring a housewarming gift, they are to pick one of your items and take it home with them. This is a great way to reunite with friends, find your unwanted things a good home, and de-clutter all at the same time! 

This is a guest post from Laura McHolm, an organizational, moving and storage expert, and co-founder of NorthStar Moving Company. NorthStar Moving Company is an award-winning, “A+” rated company, which specializes in providing eco-luxury moving and storage services

How Do You React During A Pandemic?

On March 16, 2020, every single appointment I had cancelled within hours.  It was the first day of all official closings due to COVID in Louisville, KY.   I knew the inevitable was going to happen, but I kept working until everything literally shut down.  

At that point I knew I had 2 options: 

1) To give up and sulk for however long the pandemic lasted…

2) Use my new found time to go toward something positive and give back to the community I love.

Now if I am being 100% honest, I had to walk away from the computer a bit and breathe, but I came back within a few hours and chose option 2.  It is not in my nature to give up.

My favorite room in the home to organize is the closet, it is truly my happy place!  I am not sure if it is the transformation or my love for fashion that makes me so happy to be in a closet.  

So, I thought if I cannot be in people’s homes, how can I still help them declutter and at give back at the same time?  Closet Clean-Out was at first just a thought, but I knew I needed a partner to help with the execution.  I contacted Legacy Home and Estate Service and their immediate response was “yes, we are in!”  

I had never done something like this before, so of course it took the support of others to help this happen, like where should all proceeds be donated and how do I get donations that people want to purchase?

After making calls and reaching out, I got all the donations collected, contact less for safety of course.  

It took me longer than I anticipated to make this happen, but the day has finally arrived where I can say let the bidding begin!

The Closet Clean-Out for a Cause is LIVE, bidding will end June 8th at 7:00 PM EST.  There are clothes, accessories, jewelry, shoes, purses with brands ranging from Cabi to Lululemon.  

ALL proceeds will be donated to UP for Women and Children. 

UP provides shelter and food to those in emergency situations.  During the pandemic, their main goal was to get hand washing stations for everyone in the area.

Now let’s get our shopping on to refresh your summer look and also give back! 

Happy Bidding!

Expert Tips for Creating Space in a Small House

By Emily Huddleston

Living in a smaller home doesn’t mean you have to give up half of your belongings to make it more livable. The key is to get creative and create space wherever possible. Whether it’s having multipurpose furniture or using over-the-door racks, there are plenty of simple solutions to make the most of your space! Before you get to it, check out these organizing experts’ best tips to create space in a small house.

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1. Buy an inexpensive 3-tiered rolling cart. There are so many functional and stylish options for your home and office. This functional cart can be used for things like corralling your files and office supplies, keeping bath products handy, and can even be used in the kitchen for serving purposes or as a functional bar cart. – Perfectly Placed, Susan Carmody

2. Know the limitations of the space. Don’t overstuff, whether it’s drawers, a closet, or the house itself. – Be Neatly Organized, Melissa Ward

3. Designate the most valuable real estate in your home. The most easily accessible and visible surfaces, drawers, and cabinets should be home for only your “A-List” items. Things you use once a week or more often. Then come the “B Listers.” These are things used once a month or more and can be stored in less accessible areas. Finally, anything used less than once or month or seasonally needs to be stored in clearly labeled bins and swapped out or used as needed. – Peaceful Place Organizers, Julie Brooks

4. Lighten Up. Dark spaces are more likely to become and stay disorganized. Light helps to encourage order and makes for easier maintenance. To achieve adequate lighting I recommend using a stick-up LED light like a Promier light-switch. – Pinch-Hitter, Josephine Paige

5. Use double-duty furniture. This allows you to not only maximize your physical space but also the functionality of a space. In other words, it’s not only a nightstand next to your bed – choose a piece that is high enough to hold your lamp and alarm clock but also the right size to pull up a chair so it can double as a small writing desk. Or choose a piece that is not ordinarily seen as a nightstand but can serve as such and also provide you with storage for blankets or off-season clothing.– Organization Lane, Sandra Lane

6. Organizing is about surfaces. If you keep surfaces clear, your home will always look neat and inviting. – Sort-It-Out, Marsha Sims

Using magnetic car phone mounts on walls in your small home frees up space on counters or end tables. The Scosche brand is my favorite. – Organize Simply, Tracy Bowers

7. Incorporate a seasonal closet. Store off-season clothing and shoes in another location, and use the seasonal switch out as an opportunity to purge any items you didn’t wear. This practice will also cut down on visual clutter and streamline your morning routine. – Clean Lines Organizing and Design, Lesley Deyesu

8. Utilizing vertical spaces. One of the best ways to make use of space in a small home is to take advantage of the vertical space. Incorporate shelves or cupboards all the way to the ceiling for added storage to keep things off the ground and countertops. – Organized at Last, Lauren Godfrey

You can also utilize vertical space by using floor to ceiling bookshelves and hooks. Also, using the back of doors for additional storage is key for making the most practical use in a small home. – Organize With Lisa LLC, Lisa Harris

We use pegboards to organize kids’ toys — mostly nerf guns — because they get toys off the floor and insight. They are always a big hit with parents and children — kids love how they look. The boards are also extremely useful in craft rooms and for storing wrapping paper. We find that if your tools and supplies are insight you are more likely to use them and then put them back when you are done. – Blue Pencil Home, Amy Trainum

9. Let go of items that don’t serve us. The best way to maximize space in a small house is to make sure you’re surrounded by the things you love and the best way to find out what we really love is to get rid of everything we don’t. So many times we hold on to things out of fear of the future or an attachment to the past. If we can let go of items that don’t serve us it will free up space in our smaller homes for the things that do. – Sacred Space Organizing, Erin Neumann

10. Create space where it doesn’t exist. Our favorite hack is to add an over-the-door organization unit. This is a perfect solution for bathrooms with minimal storage, pantry doors to hold those sauces and snacks, or even craft rooms to hold wrapping paper and gifting accessories. – RíOrganize, Ría Safford

Build-up & utilize wall space to maximize smaller living areas. Use them as your blank canvas to hang shelves, bookcases, and hooks, etc. This will clear up floor space & add more depth to your living area. – Balance Home Organizing, Megan Mossuto

11. Consider having a closet system installed. Features such as pull out shelves, pant racks, dual hanging rods, and built-in drawers can double or even triple your closet’s storage capacity. – Closets For Life

12. Use “workhorse” possessions. My city rowhouse feels spacious when I’m only storing “workhorses.” These are possessions that are functional, versatile, durable and can take the place of other items with hyper-specific uses. I don’t need to cram plastic party cups, stacks of Tupperware, and bud vases in my prime kitchen real estate when a set of jars can serve all those functions perfectly. – Bmore Minimal, Megan Doyle

13. Upgrade your hangers. Skinny hangers accomplish two actions at once: they unify the look of your closet AND they save you a ton of space. The only exceptions are proper coat hangers for any jacket that needs support, like your suit coats. Don’t skimp on those hangers and you’ll still end up with space to spare. – Andrew Mellen Professional Organizing, Andrew Mellen

14. Use unexpected areas for storage. When organizing your home, don’t forget about the obscure spaces like the side of your refrigerator, the side of your cabinets/oven, behind doors, and under beds. To avoid your space looking cluttered and unorganized, we recommend you use acrylic containers, baskets, or folding baskets to hide and beautify. – LifeSquire

15. Use an Elfa door rack from The Container Store. I use them in almost all of my clients’ Manhattan apartments. They’re extremely versatile, modular and basically create an entire closet out of the inside of almost any door! I’ve created entryways, pantries, shoe storage and more from them! Super easy to install, no drilling and you can barely see them from the outside of the door. – Shelfie, Sara Losonci

16. Cut out visual clutter in your bathroom by keeping counters cleared and having all daily used items in easy-to-reach spots. For small bathrooms, organize your extra/back stock products in stackable bins for a clutter-free bathroom. – Organizational Logistics, Abby Cone

17. Remove smaller food items from their original packaging. Packaging can be bulky and take up a lot of extra space in your kitchen or pantry, so remove the individual granola bars/snacks from their original box and put them into a bin/container/jar where you keep all of those like items together. – Serene Spaces Professional Organizing and Consulting, Cassie Thompson

Photo Credit: Organized Life Design

18. Built-ins are your BFF’s. Built-in bookcases or cabinets may be more expensive than a piece of furniture but it’s the best way to take advantage of every inch. When you consider a built-in for an office or a playroom, you can build out wall to wall and floor to ceiling. You can also customize the layout to be shelves, drawers, cabinets, or all three! – Organized Life Design, Meggie Mangione

Don’t be afraid of using your homes built-in storage in new and unconventional ways. Think outside the box. For example, we recently used a linen closet as storage for planner supplies and podcast equipment, that was otherwise creating havoc in the living room.- Sensational Organizing, Elva Fonseca

19. Opt for love seats in place of couches. Rarely do more than 2 people sit on a couch when there are other seating options available. Love seats take up less space, making the room seem larger. – A Decluttered Life, Mindy Doyle

20. Only keep essentials. Having fewer items to store and manage allows the space to feel calmer and less cluttered. Cull your quantity of bed and bath linens and small kitchen appliances. Only keep the essentials, the ones that you use frequently. – Start Somewhere Organizing & Coaching, Erin Morper

21. Making your small kitchen function at it’s best. Use an under cabinet mounted paper towel dispenser to save counter space. Use tiered spice racks for finding your favorite spices easier. Increase the use of vertical cabinet space with shelf risers. – Functional Spaces, Melanie Higuchi

22. Sort mail as it comes through the doors will have many benefits. Invest in a small organizing system, such as a small bin with dividers, and place it in an accessible location (near the door or where the pile of mail usually sits). Each day, take 1 minute to sort the mail by priority or type. You don’t need to read it all, just decide to which category it belongs. Then, once a week grab each stack and thoroughly file each item. – Sarasota Home Organizer, Elizabeth Harrison

23. Place items that aren’t used as often on higher shelves. While it is great to place items you utilize daily at arm’s length, there are other items that can be on a higher shelf.  The benefit is that you have room for the items you need daily and space is not cluttered. People often leave the higher space empty and cram everything into below, then think they have no space.  They do, just need to look up and devise a system that works for them to utilize all of the vertical space. – Lock and Key Home, Kim Jones

24. Reduce household paper clutter. A few tips for doing so include: canceling subscriptions for newspapers/magazines/newsletters that you never read (research whether these periodicals are available online). Avoid printing documents that can be accessed online. Sign up to receive paperless bills/financial statements and take advantage of online bill pay services whenever possible. – Refined Rooms, Natalie Gallagher

25. Make more room on your shoe racks by alternating the direction that the shoe faces. It makes a huge difference for clunky boots. – Organized Sanctuaries, Elise Hay

Originally published by Redfin

Tips to Organize Closet

The last few days of nonstop rain and gray has got me dreaming of Spring!  Not only do I love the warmer weather, but I am also obsessed with breaking out brighter color clothes.  

While it is still cold outside, the best way to plan, prep, and dream of Spring is to declutter your closet.  How are you supposed to make way for new Spring clothes if you don’t get rid of the old items that no longer make you feel like a complete baller?  

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Below are a few DIY tips to organize your closet:

 1) Vision: What is your vision for your closet and how do you want it to look?  Get inspired and look through Pinterest or Instagram to have a clear vision of what you want the end result to look like.

2) Mindset: Less is more. It is easier to make decisions on what to wear when you are not overwhelmed.  Another benefit is you can see what you have in the space and don’t need to dig. 

3) Donations: Pick a charity of your choice.  This allows you to visualize that your items are going to a new home of someone who truly needs it, making it easier for you to let it go.

4) Commitment: Pick a designated time to get it done and go all in.  This is a day without distractions (kids, pets, work, etc..).   Have your coffee, music, dance moves on standby to power through and make it fun while you go. 

5) Make a Mess: It may look worse before it looks better.  To do any organization project 100%, take everything out of the space to see what you have and what you need.

6) Categorize: Did you know that you have approximately 10 pairs of very similar black high heels?  You may not have even noticed until you had everything in a category. Next step…Do you need all 10 pairs of those shoes?  Are there any pairs you haven’t worn in over a year? If so, time to let it go.

7) Making Tough Decisions: You may need to ask yourself some really hard questions as to why you are hanging on to certain items you know you will never wear.  Be honest with yourself and if it is time to let it go, know someone from your favorite charity will love it and wear it often.

8) Create a System: Once you have decided what to keep, discard, or donate…time to put everything back into the closet.  Keep items in categories and make the placement of items easy to maintain your hard work for months to come, even as life gets crazy!

9) Shopping Time: Once you know what you have decided to keep, do you need any tools to help maintain an organized closet?  Create a plan and budget before going shopping and stay focused. 

10) Enjoy: Sit in your closet, grab a glass of wine, give yourself a huge high-five and enjoy all of your hard work.  Your vision has now become reality, what a great feeling! 

Amanda Mulvene is serving up all the spring feels! This is just a glimpse into the new arrivals at: https://www.dressdwell.com

Get those Spring and summer clothes ready!  Winter may be dragging on and on, but I am looking forward to seeing the sun and rocking my pastel colors nonstop!

7 Ways to Make Christmas Morning a Total Success

How many times have you been asked lately, “so, are you ready for Christmas?”  Most of the time people are just asking about getting all of your gifts, wrapping everything, and be prepared for any gatherings.  

As you are frantically searching for those last-minute gifts or checking off the to-do list, don’t forget to plan for Christmas morning to make it a huge success for everyone and reduce stress.

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1. Stock Up On Batteries of ALL Sizes - there is nothing worse than your kids getting their favorite toy ever but not being able to play with it because it needs batteries...wah wah. You will look like a real hero if you swoop in with exactly the batteries, tools needed to let the fun begin. Take that Santa, parent win! 

Head over to Amazon to grab Energizer AAA batteries on sale and be at your door within 2 days

2. Trash Bag Ready - be prepared for all of the wrapping paper, tags, etc...that will be tossed in the air from pure joy and excitement.  You can enjoy the fun but also clean it up at the time with your trash bag ready

Grab the big strong trash bags, these are at amazon. 

3. A Home for Nice Gift Bags - have a place set aside to stack all of those nice, fancy gift bags that you can reuse again in the future. Gift bags are expensive, so you can save money from buying new ones. I place mine in airtight bins with Christmas decorations and label them so I can just grab, go through the holiday season.

In my opinion, Sterilite makes a great storage container and you can use these when putting Christmas decorations back as well.

4. Camera & Cell Phone Charged - you want to capture all of the moments and smiles  on everyone’s face, but can’t do that if everything is dead or on 5% battery life.

5. Breakfast Prepped - it is a tradition that Ryan and I started that anytime we have guests in town or an event, we always make breakfast casseroles for the AM. When we had kids, we kept this tradition alive and started doing it on Christmas morning. You can prep everything day before and then all you have to do is heat and serve! 

Here are a few of my favorite recipes:

Cheesy Sausage Breakfast Casserole

Cheesy Potato Breakfast Casserole

Breakfast Bake Casserole

6. Coffee is Ready - You may be up late checking everything off the list, so have that coffee ready to roll when your feet hit the ground.  

7. Good Christmas Music - music is good for your soul and who doesn’t smile when a good tune comes on and you can have a dance party in the kitchen?  

This song is, and always will be, on my Christmas morning playlist.  

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These tips have been a game changer for our family the last few years to be able to fully enjoy the Christmas experience.  

As Kevin said in my favorite Christmas movie of all time…”Merry Christmas, you (clean and tidy) animal.”

Happy Holidays!

Kim

2019 Review

Wow, 2019 has been a wild and crazy ride. Just like any good roller coaster, there were a lot of ups and of course a lot of downs. While I am somewhat sad to see it come to a close, I am excited for what 2020 will bring.

Last year at this time, I was really slow. Like to the point where I was convinced my phone wasn’t working, even though logic told me otherwise. The business was becoming stagnant and I knew I needed to start taking bigger risks and put myself out there more in the future to continue on my mission of helping others get organized.

So instead of sitting around wondering when my phone would ever work again, I took action.

I am also a Realtor and there was a 4 day training course called Ninja being offered by my broker. The Ninja Selling system is based on the philosophy of building relationships, listening to the customer, and helping them achieve their goals. It is less about selling and more about how to create value for people.

I thought this could be interesting and help me grow in my business of home organization, real estate, and in my personal life. I am a natural introvert so anytime someone says the word “selling” I have a tendency to cringe. However, I am always selling...like it or not. Even if that means I am selling an outfit for the day to my daughter...I am selling. So the thought of finding a way to do that without it being cringeworthy or as I always called it in the past…”when I became awkward sauce” was appealing but scary all at the same time.

As time got closer for the class, I started to doubt my decision to spend $800 on a class and right before the holidays. I attempted on more than one occasion to cancel, fake an illness, anything. However, my inner voice always said you need to do this.

Thank goodness that I did...that week was life changing for me and truly set the tone for a successful 2019.

Here are the 4 things I learned:

Affirmations

So this felt weird to me at first to write down over and over what my goal/vision was and to have a primary focus. I literally set a goal and kept repeating it over, over, and over again until it manifested into reality. No one is going to believe in me if I don’t believe in myself.

Gratitude

When things got tough in the past I have always had a tendency to look at the negative. However, I now wake up each morning and either write or think about the 3 things I am grateful for that day. If I happen to skip a morning, I feel off and have to reset. A perfect example is when I got a flat tire in the rain last week. The last thing I needed was to be stranded on the side of the road in the rain and have an added expense before Christmas. I could have let this ruin my day, but I didn’t. I was so extremely grateful to my Dad and a friend who were there in seconds to help, the fact that I had just dropped my kids off without incident, and I was safe. Ironically, I had pulled over in front of my favorite house I drive by every single day, which made me smile. I even incorporate being grateful into my routine when picking up and dropping off my kids...they love it.

Connect

It is very easy in this technology driven world to hide behind a computer...I am guilty of that. However, there is a whole world out there to get to know people. So I truly began to put myself out there, for the first time in my entire life. I started small, like with the barista at Starbucks and asked “how is your day?” No big deal right? However, it was to me and I made a connection with that person. They are probably used to people ordering on their phones or in such a hurry, they never stop to ask how are you doing. Every connection I make becomes easier and easier.

Personal Touch

This too seems very simple, but not something I had ever thought of. I now send a personal note out to Clients, Family, and Friends. It can be anything from “thinking of you” to “good luck at your meeting”. I have always loved getting notes in the mail, but now I love it even more to send them.

With this new perspective, we each wrote a letter to our future, better selves to be opened the following year. I just opened that letter and not gonna lie, I got a bit emotional.

My letter had listed everything I had accomplished over the last year...to be a Speaker, to write a book and become a published Author, be featured in major publication (hello todayshow.com) and on a personal note, to enjoy every day with my kids and never take it for granted.

I did all of those things in 2019! It has been a wild and crazy ride, but the one I am so, so grateful to be on.

As 2019 and this decade comes to a close, I will be taking time over the next several weeks to create a vision board for 2020 and write another letter to myself on what I want to accomplish.

Who is ready to dominate this next decade and year? Let’s do this!