organized living

A Mindful Approach to the New Year

Happy New Year, from your favorite ladies at Help You Dwell! 

As we step into the fresh beginnings of 2024, it's natural to find ourselves contemplating resolutions and envisioning a year of positive change. The allure of a new start can be exciting, but it often comes with the pressure of reinventing ourselves and setting unrealistic expectations. Today I would urge you to try to imagine a different perspective — a mindful approach to the new year that focuses on refinement, gratitude, and intentional living.

In a world bombarding us with social media's curated perfection and marketers promising instant transformations, it's easy to feel overwhelmed. If you've found yourself scrolling through products, plans, and promises, wondering why your life doesn't match the perfectly curated images, you're not alone. Clever marketers target these vulnerabilities, making us question our worth and leaving us asking questions like ‘Is there something wrong with me?’ & ‘Why can’t I live this way?’

This year I urge you to take a moment to reflect on what speaks to your soul and enriches your experience. Rather than seeking out what new things or products that could bring you joy, consider what small mindset shifts may contribute to an even deeper understanding of true joy.  

Rather than succumbing to the pressure of setting grandiose resolutions, consider evaluating what you truly desire for your life. It's probably not about acquiring new things but cultivating new routines, fostering more calm, and reducing chaos. Set reasonable expectations for yourself and embrace the support of those around you. This may look like making small revisions in your daily routine, finding ways to make better use of what you already have, and appreciating where you already are. 

I won't be another voice on your screen telling you to ‘live your best life’ without offering practical assistance. If you're feeling overwhelmed and need someone by your side for the transition into the new year, reach out to our wonderful Kayla to schedule a consultation with one of our devoted ladies, and let us help you dwell in a space of peace and order. 

At Help You Dwell, our mission is to assist you in finding peace and order with the things you already have. We're here to support you, cheer you on, and help you tackle overwhelming tasks. You're doing just fine, and we're here to ensure you believe that!

Let 2024 be the year of mindful choices, gratitude for what we have, and a commitment to refining our lives rather than chasing unattainable ideals. Together, let's make this new year a chapter of growth, contentment, and peaceful living. Cheers to a mindful and fulfilling 2024!

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Savoring the Season: Simplify Your Celebration

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Hosting can be stressful. The familiar worries always seem to creep in: "Do I have enough food? Is the table set perfectly? Have I accommodated everyone? Is everyone having fun? Am I even having fun??" 

The list of worries seems never-ending, and if you've ever played the role of the host, you've likely felt the nagging sense of worry that threatens to overshadow the joy of being surrounded by our loved ones. Well I am here to remind you, a shared meal or any gathering for that matter doesn't need to be fancy or stressful – It's about connecting, sharing stories, and creating lasting memories.

The key to an enjoyable gathering lies in simplifying the process. You don't need to strive for perfection or overwhelm yourself with the details. Instead, focus on the privilege of being able to gather with loved ones, an experience that should never be taken for granted.

 

Space Planning: 

Before you start setting the table and sending out invitations, begin with a practical task that will ease the overall process. Take the time to declutter and organize your pantry, fridge, and freezer. Clear out expired snacks and consider using those bags of frozen veggies to create a hearty stew or use the frozen fruit in your holiday pie. By freeing up this space, you'll not only make the day of your gathering less stressful but also ensure there's plenty of room to store leftovers!

Help You Dwell - Organize

At a recent project, our team had the pleasure of working with a client who frequently hosts and caters to large groups. Our goal was to set up this space to streamline her collection of baking & cooking supplies within her pantry. We were able to optimize this space ensuring that everything is accessible and thoughtfully arranged, just in time for the holiday season!

Embrace what you have: 

You don't need excessive decor or an elaborate tablescape to impress your guests. When it comes to holiday decor, less is often more. Start by choosing a simple and cohesive 'scheme' for your decorations. This can be as simple as selecting a color palette or a specific theme that resonates with the holiday spirit you wish to convey.

Skip the clutter! Avoid the temptation to clutter your space with unnecessary decorations. Overloading your home with seasonal decor can not only be overwhelming to the eye but can also make hosting more complicated. My favorite simple way to decorate your holiday tablescape is to take a step outside and scavenge for wildflowers, branches or dried leaves!

Whether you collect a few branches of evergreen, arrange acorns in a glass jar, or create a centerpiece with dried leaves, the simplicity of nature can be beautiful. These elements can be easily collected, and when the festivities are over, they can be returned to the great outdoors - now that’s an easy clean up! Remember: the key to a memorable holiday gathering lies in the warmth of your hospitality and the joy of your company. Simplify your decor, relax, and enjoy the festivities.

Let your friends help you:

Don't bear the full weight of hosting on your shoulders. Instead, invite your guests to participate and share in the responsibilities. After all, everyone has a favorite dish, and every good guest wants to contribute in some way. As the host, it's perfectly acceptable to delegate tasks!

By involving your guests in this way, you not only reduce your personal burden but also enhance the sense of togetherness and shared accomplishment. Hosting a memorable gathering becomes a collective effort, making the experience more enjoyable and meaningful for everyone involved.

Hosting should be a joyous and heartwarming experience, not a daunting or overwhelming one. By focusing on what truly matters – the connections we forge and the love we share – you can create a gathering that everyone will treasure. So, release the burden of perfection and enjoy the journey of hosting, a privilege that brings people closer and creates beautiful memories to cherish for years to come.

The holiday hustle and bustle can sometimes get the best of us, but having a plan and keeping things simple can bring calm to the chaos of holiday party planning. If you need someone to help bring it all together, Help You Dwell would love to assist you in preparing your home for your next event.

We’ve still got availability on our calendar to schedule your holiday prep + takedown services this year. 

Let us Help You Dwell this holiday season.

Managing Your Haven for Learning

Learning at home, whether it is in a homeschool setting or just practicing skills and studying for tests, can often be a struggle for families. Children are busy with sports, friends, lessons, and more. They don’t always want to give you 100% when it comes to their studies. Often siblings, televisions, and neighbors ringing the doorbell can be a distraction. In our last blog we discussed some basics for creating a good learning environment. And in this blog, we’ve consulted the experts and loved the advice they gave, especially regarding homeschooling.

When setting up a learning/study space, it’s important to remember that it needs to be organized and easy for kids to navigate on their own. If a space is chaotic, it creates stress and frustration, and those are the last things any parent needs when trying to help their child learn and practice new skills. We’ve asked some friends who are homeschooling now, or have in the past, what tips they have for best managing a learning space. Here are some helpful tips and pictures they shared with us!

Rachel: Their family was a homeschool family in 2020 and then participated in a homeschool/co-op after that. Rachel was a teacher before working for Help You Dwell, so she already had a good understanding of how to teach concepts and lesson planning/pacing.

Tip: Switch it up. While they had a designated homeschool area in the dining room, they often went to other tables or areas in the house, and they got OUTSIDE as much as possible. They even sat on the roof a couple times! Rachel also mentioned the importance of taking field trips to help with learning and visiting the local library for reading time and to check out books. Learning doesn’t have to always take place at a desk. Younger kids do well with movement and change every 20-30 minutes.

Tip: Keep it simple. Too much visual noise on the walls and on desks/tables is overstimulating and too busy/distracting for little ones. It’s also easier to change things up as the year goes on as you are learning about various places and concepts.

Tip: Work for incentives! Kids are motivated by having goals and something to work toward. Make sure that you do things to keep them motivated and moving forward each day.

Heather: She has been homeschooling for 15 years. She has held homeschool in a dedicated room, but she’s also had to teach from the kitchen table when their family was between homes in an apartment. She doesn’t stick to a set schedule each day but does follow the same rhythms with her kids each day. Sometimes school is in the morning and sometimes it is at night. Heather also says she loves to travel and take trips with her kids to help with learning. She’s taken them to 48 states and says sometimes it’s those moments when you end up chasing a rabbit trail that the kids remember the most. If they are curious about something, Heather believes that you should let kids explore and go deeper. She feels there is immense value in going on field trips and getting out and learning from the real world.

Tip: Storage is important. When she had a dedicated room to teach in, she built in desks and used custom made cabinets for storage. She currently teaches in her home’s library and uses a bookshelf for storage. Each of her kids had a dedicated shelf for their workbooks and supplies, She also utilizes rolling carts for her teacher manuals and books she may be reading with her kids. She has a turn in basket on the wall where the kids know to place their work and she can easily grab it to grade. Heather loves magnetic whiteboards on her walls in their homeschool room AND in their kitchen. She says often they end up in the kitchen eating or snacking and it is nice to have a board in that room so that notes can be made, or concepts can be explained while everyone is sitting around the table.

Tip: Connect with others! The homeschooling network is HUGE. Heather emphasized the importance of connecting with other families during your homeschool journey. She said if you are a person who doesn’t love science experiments, reach out to others-there’s always someone in your network who would love to fill in the gaps where you might not feel confident. You can do the same in return!

Tip: Set expectations early. Heather likes to ease into learning at the start of the year. She staggers subjects and lets the kids get used to being back in “school mode” before diving in and trying to teach all subjects. But once they are in the groove she lays out their lessons and writes the to-do list for the day in the kids’ notebooks each morning. She has the semester planned on a calendar for reference so that she can pace herself in regards to teaching all standards.

Amber: Her family has been homeschooling for 8 years. She has 4 kids and has a dedicated room to teach in. Her kids participate in a co-op, so they are at school for 3 days and home for two. Amber loves the flexibility homeschooling gives her family. They don’t have a set start time each day but do follow the same routine on days when they are home. She loves that there is such a big homeschool community in our area and has a group chat with other homeschool families. She loves seeking guidance and help from others and says having that sense of community and knowing others are out there to help when you need it is a huge blessing.

Tip: Set a routine early. At the beginning of the week, she prints lesson plans and her kids put them in their binders. They also pull all the worksheets they will need for the week and are responsible for keeping their binders in order. They know how to use the printer and have a list of their passwords posted on the boards by their desks so that they can be more independent. The kids know that when their learning time is over, everything must be put back in its place and cleaned up.

Tip: Use the wall space. She has handwriting posters, maps, and magnetic whiteboards on the walls above the girls’ desks. She houses materials for teaching and learning in a set of bookshelves with supplies (dictionaries, flashcards, math manipulatives, art supplies, etc.) that are easily accessible. She also has shelving along the sides of the walls by the desks for extra storage for books, journals and work they need to complete. Amber uses bigger desks against the wall for her two older children and a smaller desk in the middle of the room for her younger. It is important to have appropriate seating for younger students who are still learning basic fine motor skills.

Tip: Keep a calm environment. Amber’s room has a large window with natural light that streams in the room all day. She diffuses oils and plays music at times to help with concentration and maintaining a calming environment for learning. Her kids often use noise cancelling headphones or ear buds when they are learning. This also helps minimize distractions.

All three of these lovely ladies mentioned the same thing when we were wrapping up our interviews: GIVE YOURSELF SOME GRACE. They all said that at first it seems difficult, and you want to try to do it all, but really, if you are instilling a love for learning then you are doing “school” the correct way. There are also several great resources in Knoxville that could supplement what you are doing at home. Knox Forest School, Corelli Art and Forest School, and The Muse are a few of the places that have weekly programs for kids of various ages. Remember, you can’t do it all, and it’s ok to have others supplement when possible. Homeschooling isn’t easy, but it is flexible and can be an incredible experience for your whole family.

Organizing with HYD

Help You Dwell was established nine years ago because we love helping others. Every week our team members have the pleasure of meeting new faces and hearing new stories, which brings us lots of joy.  But often, when we walk into a new client's home, the first thing we hear is "sorry."  We want you to know that you never need to apologize for your home!  Your home is part of your story, and we all have a story, too. We never judge you and want you to know that we are always compassionate, professional, and respectful

So, what does an organizing session with us look like? Well, it begins with understanding that together, we are a team. As we walk through our plans to help you find order and peace in your home, we want to hear the story that brought you to where you are.  Our organizing sessions are really a four-part process: listen, plan, declutter, and organize.

At Help You Dwell we begin every organizing session by listening to your needs. After we have learned more about you and your home, we will begin walking through a plan for your space. There is no “one size fits all” approach for us. Our company understands that being organized means different things to different people, and we hope you never feel pressured by trends on social media and television, friends, or family to become a version of "organized" that doesn’t work for you.

When we are ready to spring into action, the first thing we do is help you declutter. You must declutter before you can organize. Decluttering means sorting and purging items. If we don’t declutter first, we are simply moving items around and spinning our wheels. When we declutter, we make space. When we make space, we can easily organize.

So how do we declutter? We like to put items into 4 categories: keep, donate, trash, and relocate. Remember, we are a team! We are there to help you make tough decisions about things you may be holding onto for varied reasons. Often when you have a teammate beside you, decisions are easier to make, and you feel “lighter” when you can be free from some of the clutter in your life. There are several organizations here in town that we love to send donations to. We can also take your donations if you don’t have time, or the task seems overwhelming.

Once we have decluttered, we can begin organizing! We will create systems that keep you organized, as well as discuss routines that work for you specifically. Doing this will free you up to spend more time being with the people you love doing the things you love.

We want you to be yourself, just with less stuff and more you.  You are worth the effort. 

Garage Organization

Fall has finally arrived here In East Tennessee and each morning we are greeted with cool, crisp air and falling leaves. Fall’s cooler weather means it is time to tackle some projects that were probably neglected during the hot summer months. One of the most requested services here at Help You Dwell is garage organization.

Garages are unique spaces. Not only are they supposed to house our cars, but they also become the catch all place for other items we have no dedicated space for inside our homes. If your garage is cluttered and disorganized it can be very frustrating, making it difficult to find what you need quickly. If you walk through the garage to get inside your house each day, you know what an eyesore it can be when there’s no order. We love organizing garages and can help you make that space neat and tidy so you can spend more time outside enjoying the wonderful fall weather.

We know that everyone uses their garage for different functions. Uses may include storing equipment for hobbies, sports, luggage, travel gear and seasonal decorations. Some prefer a dedicated space for a home gym and exercise equipment or a drop zone for shoes and bags. We even have clients that use their garage as temporary storage for furniture and home decor items during a renovation or transition.

No matter how you use your garage, when you decide it is time to regain control of the space we recommend a couple of strategies to get your started. The first is the four box method. This method of sorting and organizing will help you purge items you no longer need in your garage, as well as help you determine the use and importance of the Items that you wish to keep.

FOUR BOX METHOD

ZONES

Once you’ve purged and determined the categories of items that need to have a place in your garage, you can sort these into zones, which is our second strategy for helping your organize your space. Keeping like items together makes it easy for you to find what you need. Think about proximity and location for the zones of your garage contents. Items less frequently used may be best stored higher up, while sports equipment or items used more often should be in an area easy to access. There’s no right or wrong place for you to store items, but there are more practical and efficient places if you plan correctly.

It might be helpful to have different zones for members of the family as well. If mom is a master gardener, she definitely needs a zone where she knows her items are kept separate from other outdoor items like bug sprays and lawn care products. And if dad is an amazing woodworker, his tools and items need their own zone so that he doesn’t lose track of where they are. Kids need zones, too! Keep their items like sidewalk chalk, bubbles, balls, and yard toys down low where they are easy to access.

Here are some products we love that can help you with your zones:

After you've organized, you will most likely have Items to get rid of. Consider donating items to an organization like KARM, or you could even have a garage sale. Fall is a great time for garage sales in our region! If you have old paint there are a few guidelines you need to know:

  • Residents may take up to 20 gallons of oil-based paint (20 one gallon cans or 4 five gallon buckets full or partially full) or 100 pounds of HHW to the dump per day.

  • Here’s a quick guide for disposing of latex paint from the City of Knoxville.

Here at Help You Dwell we are at your service to help you organize and maintain beautiful spaces in your home. We can help create a plan, sort through items, and implement new systems for sustaining organization. We love working in all areas of the home, and garages are no exception! If you’d like our help, please call 865.245.9080 or email info@helpyoudwell.com

We can't wait to help you dwell!