The Secret to an Organized Home is That There Are No Secrets. It's in What You Make of it

My home is not always perfectly organized and cleaned. That would even freak me out. It's lived in and cozy. It has its bouts of orderly perfection and then in the blink of an eye can become a disaster that needs to be tamed. There is however a place for everything. Every magazine, all the toiletries. Even the paperclips and thumbtacks. They all have a home. I also can say there is nothing in our home that we do not find to be useful or beautiful. It's a quote I know, but one I take very seriously. When I enter a room there is nothing greeting me that I did not welcome. I've carefully chosen every detail to reflect all the things that we love. Give it a home and make sure that you love it. The other part of it is making sure all parties involved know just where to place things.

So on it goes. Clean and tidy and as the week goes on a bit messier. When I do take the time to clean I can say without hesitation it's easy and smooth sailing. There is no built up clutter from months of no maintenance and if things do seem to become a little too congested then I re-evaluate the space and decide on what's causing the clutter.

So the secret is there is no secret. It's all in how you decide to maintain it. So this week I challenge all of you to decide what may or may not be working for you in your home and decide to tackle it once and for all. There is never a need to rush or feel overwhelmed. Just take it one day at a time and eventually you will love your space, every bit of it.

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30 Days of Gratitude

We all feel a lacking in our lives at some point. Sometimes it's the restful night's sleep we are desperate for, other days it's wishing we could escape life for a few days and head out on a vacation. We may not realize it, but that few moments of feeling as though you crave more in life may set you back.  By putting ourselves in this box of wanting more, we are subconsciously focusing on what we lack. I've been thinking alot lately about the idea of being thankful, feeling full of gratitude. How important it is to remind ourselves of what is abundant in our lives, rather than what is lacking. If we constantly focused on what we felt is lacking how would there be anything to look forward to? If we were never grateful for all the amazing things in our lives, how would we learn to understand the feeling of gratefulness? 

While I take the time to be grateful for major events in my life, I have decided to also shift my focus to the little things. Everyday things like my favorite green tea latte from Starbucks, or my kindle that can instantly download a book I've been wanting to read. November, being the month of Thanksgiving, I couldn't think of a better time to start my 30 days of gratitude. 

I invite everyone to post below what they are grateful for or maybe start your own gratitude journal. Look around you and notice everything that is not lacking in your life. Write it down, share it or keep it to yourself. Your daily practice is up to you. I came across this Be Thankful poem below and thought it was the perfect way to embrace gratitude. So what are you grateful for today?  

Be Thankful
Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire,
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful when you don’t know something
For it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations
Because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for each new challenge
Because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes
They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you’re tired and weary
Because it means you've made a difference.

It is easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are
also thankful for the setbacks.

GRATITUDE can turn a negative into a positive.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles
and they can become your blessings.

~ Author Unknown ~ 

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