What's with all the pressure to be organized??

If you keep up with blogs, or honestly, any form of social media, you've probably observed this obsession with being organized that has surfaced over the past few years.

Let's talk about this trend.

If I'm being honest, all of the lovely pictures that grace the pages of magazines, Instagram streams, and blog posts make me swoon. They also make me less content with that I currently have and how my home currently looks. I often feel frustrated when I see the perfectly color coordinated kids rooms, the toys that are set exactly 3 inches apart from each other lining a shelf, the immaculately folded linens in a closet--these things are not realistic for me. I totally understand wanting a well designed and well organized home and the desire for things to look nice. What I do want to acknowledge is that I am a professional organizer, and my home will never look like those pictures unless I've specifically staged it for pictures (which would last all of about 30 minutes).

What I've been thinking about and trying to embrace lately is that being organized means different things to different people. The value of being organized is different for every person. I know for myself that if my house feels out of order, I feel distracted and overwhelmed--but my definition of "out of order" is not the same as everyone else’s definition. For example, I like for things to generally have a designated place, I like having clean surfaces, I don't like to store much on my counters, and I like things to be contained. Some people love to have lots of things on every shelf, and that's totally fine. For many, that doesn't feel disorganized or overwhelming at all. The truth is, we hope you never feel pressured by media, fashion, trends, friends, or family to become a version of "organized" that doesn’t work for you.

You may have noticed that many of our “before and afters” do not feature “after” pictures that look perfect- this is purposeful. Many of our clients are looking for practical help, things that can easily be maintained. Sometimes we complete a job where our client really values uniformity and a more picturesque final product, and we are happy to provide that result, but we never want to leave a client with something that doesn't feel realistic to their every day life. We realized that organization looks different for each person and we want to customize our work in a way that leaves each client feeling good about moving forward and maintaining their newly achieved order.

We love to help people who feel overwhelmed by their belongings, who want to let go, have the desire to purge, rearrange, re-invision their space etc. We've found that a very real sense of relief often comes when you purge and get more organized. Our greatest desire is that you feel content and able to enjoy your space without feeling burdened by it!

Holiday gift guide: Give the gift of experience rather than goods

Christmas is less than two weeks away and we have a great list of gift ideas that won't clutter up the homes of the ones you love. We have compiled ideas for all age groups, budgets, and interests. We've even managed to think of ways to support local businesses without having to purchase tangible items. Whether you're shopping for "the person that already has everything", someone who is working toward a minimal lifestyle, or for someone that you wish would get rid of some clutter, we've got you covered. 

Experiences:

Knox Mason

• A Weekend away. Knoxville is conveniently located in driving distance from Nashville, Atlanta, Louisville, Chattanooga, and the Smokey Mountains. Try out an air bnb property rather than a hotel for a more personalized experience.
• Dinner out. A few of our local favorites are A dopo, Knox Mason, Emelia, and J.C. Holdway
• Manicure, pedicure, massage, spa treatment etc. Support a local salon like Wild Lavender or Pure Lux

Give the gift of classes or offer to teach someone a skill that you have:

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• Teach a loved one to knit, crochet, embroider, or sew. Loopville offers lots of classes for all levels of learning
• Teach someone how to bake your "signature" treat or cook your favorite meal or give the gift of cooking classes at The Cutting Edge Classroom
• Music/instrument lessons. Bill Jones Music offers many options.
• Art or pottery classes. Check out Mighty Mud or ask a local artist if they offer private lessons.
• Yoga membership or class package. The Glowing Body is one of our favorite locally owned studios.
• Photography classes. Light Finds offers classes and private lessons as well!

Events:

The Mill & Mine: Image Source

• Tickets to a concert. Check out the websites of these local or neighboring city venues to see whose coming to town soon. The Bijou Theater, The Tennessee Theater, The Mill & Mine, The Ryman Auditorium in Nashville and The Orange Peel in Asheville. 
• Tickets to a play or musical. These local theaters and theater company's won't disappoint. River and Rail, Clarence Brown Theater, The Carpet Bag Theater
• Tickets to a sporting event like a UT basketball game or an ice bears game
• Tickets to a workshop at The Hive (upcoming workshops include embodied season, understanding the enneagram , and make your own perfume) or Central Collective (upcoming workshops include good sport night, sushi making, and an introduction course to indigo and shibori dyeing)

Gift ideas for Kids:

The Basement community art studio. Image Source

• Climbing passes to Onsight Rock Gym or The Climbing Center at River Sports
• Classes at or passes to The Basement Community Arts Studio
• Navitat at Ijams is a tree based adventure course that kiddos would LOVE getting passes for
• A trip to Paint your own pottery at Liza moz
• Ice Chalet passes or lessons

Miscellaneous:

CSA share. Image source

• A Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) Membership. Check out this website for local options.
• A fishing license (and a gift certificate to a bait shop) or hunting license (with ammunition)
• Ancestry/DNA testing is all the rage. Give a friend or family member a kit so that they can learn more about their heritage. These two services come highly recommended--Ancestry DNA and 23&Me.
• A trial run of a meal service. Our favorites are Hello Fresh and Peach Dish
• Know someone that could use some organizing help, packing help for an upcoming move, or interior design assistance? Help You Dwell gift cards are the way to go  :)
• Give a donation to a charity in honor of a loved one. Some of our favorite non profits in town are Beardsley Farm, The Knoxville Museum of Art, The Knox County Library, Compassion Coalition, Interfaith Health Clinic, The Change Center and The Volunteer Ministry Center

Think outside of the box this year and give those you love something that they will remember forever!