There's A New Sheriff In Town

Getting rid of clutter is harder for some than others...but not to worry. I am always there to gently nudge, kindly persuade... Even still, there can be resistance...

This isn't the motivational technique I usually use, I SWEAR...but , darn it! Now there are pictures to be used as evidence!

...made even worse when your husband gets a hold of the pictures, and has a little time on his hands at work...

(honey, couldn't you at least photoshop in a badge?!?? Or a ten gallon hat?? I mean, c'mon...)

Well, we here at The Rattlesnake Saloon hope you are kicking The Clutter Outlaws to the curb...and having a laugh while you do it!

(disclamer: I promise no hoarders were injured in the making of this ezine. Thank you to my assistant Jo Ann for making the find of an old 22 even more fun while we were decluttering...)

Signs of Spring

These cute Snowdrops looked so proud to have their picture taken. There are signs that Spring is coming everywhere...especially since our winter has been so mild.

As I went on my morning walk today, I heard all kinds of birdsong and saw all kinds of critter activity--everybody is excited for Spring! Busy! Busy! Busy!

This is the time of year when we all start to dream...bountiful vegetable gardens, forever blooming flower beds, hours to enjoy the outdoors...anything seems possible. What are you dreaming of with the days getting longer??

You Can Do This In 15 Minutes!!

What is the thing in your house that is most bugging you right now?  

A cluttered desk?

A kitchen drawer that is so jammed full of stuff that it is hard to open, and even harder to close?

Piles of clothes that haven't made it from the laundry basket to the drawer?

OR how about a refrigerator that contains sour milk & left-overs from The First Thanksgiving shoved to the back....?

It is easy when faced with these annoyances, to throw up our hands and feel powerless. We get disgusted with ourselves, question how we let it get so bad in the first place,  tell ourselves we don't have the time or energy to deal with it, and subsequently make the situation much more difficult by picturing it as a big hill to climb, a huge problem to conquer.

But it isn't....

YOUR WEEKEND HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT:

1. Recognize, without judgement, that something is out of whack in whatever room you choose. Make it something that has been getting under your skin for a while...
2. Set a timer. Just 15 minutes.
3. Become the picture of calm determination.
4. Straighten, toss, put away until the timer tells you to stop.

Victory! Feel the power! YOU GO!  Employing the Do It Now Principle, you have just made it better...not perfect....but oh so much better. 

Perfect us is so overrated anyways...and it was what was keeping you from dealing with the problem at all in the first place.

I'm off now....I've got to go set my timer.

image via Etsy

Do I Dare Enter?

Through the course of the week, I often can see a theme emerge in the frustrations I am helping my clients with....and this past week was no exception.

Just as we can be unaware of the impression given by some of our clothing choices, or unconscious of  facial expressions belying our true feelings, we can also be blind to how the approach and entryway of our homes and/or businesses affect those entering it.

Fair or not, we do make judgements and assumptions...oftentimes without even being conscious of it.  When we approach a house or place of business, all of our senses are giving us clues about how those who are inside feel about us paying them a visit. Is the front light on? Which door should I go to? Are they expecting me? Have they given me a clear, level path on which to walk? What is that on the porch??--trash waiting to go to the curb? Can they hear me knocking?

As homeowners, we often forget that how our visitors are welcomed when they arrive sets the tone for whatever event or exchange is about to take place. So is your home's entrance more like a warm smile, hand extended or a disinterested glance over the shoulder accompanied by a gruff grunt?

Author and architect Sarah Susanka, in her book Not So Big Solutions for Your Home, states it so well: "The key is to think of entry as a process, not a thing. A good entry is a sequence of places, not simply a door....A well-designed entry provides a gradual transition fom the outdoors to the indoors, with attention paid to visitors at every turn...is there a place for them to stand, to take off their coats, and to adjust to being inside before they step into the living spaces of the house?"

(You may remember that last year, Revealing Redesign's project house underwent a major entrance overhaul which totally changed how the little house welcomed visitors. It took a lot of thought and planning, but it was well worth the effort and expense. You can read all about it here and here.)

While there are many  involved structural and architectural elements to a "good" entry, there are also very simple fixes that you and I can apply any day of the week. Because the entrance is, by its nature, a transitional space, it is often a dumping ground for things that were brought through the door, but not needed once inside--boots, coats, keys, papers, mail, backpacks, sports equipment--you name it.  Outside it is often easy to overlook leaning brooms, piles of leaves, dead flowers, cobwebs, and tattered welcome mats that we pass by every day, but items not exactly welcoming to those who come to the door. Look at all of these things honestly and take a few minutes to spiffy it up. It can make a huge difference.

And as the person who comes through that door every day, it is even more important that the entrance is welcoming and functional for you. Do you have a place for all of those things that are so often dumped upon entry? A table for mail, a hook  or dish for keys, a hanging spot for your coat? Do not take up precious storage space here for things that aren't used frequently or needed as you walk out the door. Additionally, you should have some beauty in this space-- a small piece of art, some cut flowers or a potted plant, something that reflects your personality and the spirit of your home.

Take a few minutes and think through what you want your visitors to experience when they come to visit. What expectations do you want to put in place? How do you want them to feel? Thinking these questions through is the way to intentionally create the experience you want--a welcoming entry sets the tone for a comfortable, nurturing home. If you own a business, creating a warm welcome can directly impact your bottom line-- when people can graciously transition from outside to in and feel good about what they expect once inside, they will feel comfortable. When they feel comfortable and welcomed, they will want to come back again and again.

images: 1, 2, & 3

Won't You Be My Vintage Valentine?

These sweet old Valentines were given to my mother when she was in grade school in the late 1940's-early 1950's. She had saved every one she had ever gotten, I think. :) I have had them set aside for years...just my most favorite ones I just couldn't part with... and I am so glad that I have them to share with you. My daughter was so upset because her class had voted NOT to exchange Valentines this year...you would have thought they had cancelled Christmas. She still very dutifully filled out one for each of her classmates last night, and muttered incredulously every few minutes about how she didn't know how SOME PEOPLE would choose NOT to give Valentines!!...

I can't wait to show these to her when she gets home from school today. So neat to see something that is from your grandmother's life when she was a girl just your age...

Happy Valentine's Day to you! Here's to a day filled with love and sweetness.....and chocolate!