“Everyone needs a sanctuary.”
—Marie Kondo,
“The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up”
After more than two weeks at home pretty much 24/7, I’ve really begun to look around with a new perspective. What once was a space that simply looked good without serving a particular purpose is now my office, yoga/workout studio, and the place I come to rest and rejuvenate.
In other words, it’s my sanctuary.
I’ve been asking you in blog posts and in videos, “Is your home a sanctuary?” Now I’d like to share with you what actually defines my home as a sanctuary.
I like to think of the 3 C’s, Convenience, Cozy and Clean. These make ME feel good about my home. So, let’s delve a little deeper into those 3C’s.
Convenience: Having what I need in the most convenient location not only makes life easier but makes cooking, cleaning, getting ready for work, paying bills, writing a blog post, and meditating—to name a few things—practically seamless.
You can see from my video, for exampl,e that my coffee cups and all the things needed to make my fresh brewed coffee every morning are stored in the same cabinet right above my Chemex coffee maker—bam, the coffee is done and I haven’t moved an inch!
Cozy: Well, this is a little different for everyone. For me, having my comfy chair with a supportive pillow for my back and a fuzzy blanket is key. I like to set a mood in my house, which involves candles, soft lighting, and often fresh flowers. I’ve always felt that what makes a home cozy is also a feeling of being “lived in.” A home can feel lived in and still be orderly and cozy.
Clean: I will be very honest, my home is clean but certainly not spotless at all times! I do not have a cleaning service. My husband and I do it together and then I keep up with it in between. It makes me feel really peaceful when my home is clean, and in today’s world, being clean can only help with Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic. I must say that having a place for everything (part of the KonMari Method of decluttering/tidying) makes it so easy to clean overall.
To “hear” more of my thoughts on making your home a sanctuary during these difficult times, see my Sage of Interiors Facebook page, or my new YouTube channel.
~
You may have noticed that aside from Marie Kondo’s quote and the single mention of the KonMari Method above, I didn’t delve into details of my work as a professional organizer and Certified Silver KonMari consultant.
The details are on my website for anyone who wants to learn more, but I’m purposefully not promoting myself during these difficult times. To me, it’s like another way to give everyone a sanctuary from how we all do business as usual in a time when nothing is “usual.”
Instead, however, I’m reaching out to anyone who wants additional inspiration or advice on making their living spaces look and feel like a sanctuary.
Email me at [email protected] or call me at (203) 772-8883 and we can talk about the idea of sanctuary, the stress created by clutter and how to relieve it, or maybe something more soothing like my recipe for a great relaxing tea.
If you need to hear words of hope, encouragement, and comfort, I’m here for that too. It sounds like a cliché to say we are all in this together, but the strongest weapon we have for defeating and overcoming any significant challenge in life is each other.