What do you see?
I just did a consult at a client’s house and I asked them through out the assessment “what do you see?” I was encouraging them to look at their space as if it were for the first time. This is hard to do but by stopping and taking a look at a few key spots in your home you can “see” what may be stopping you or slowing you down.
Here are 3 areas or sight lines you can take in and truly “see” (these are areas in your home as opposed to outside, so you can more easily shape and control them):
Walk outside the front door. Close the door behind you. Close your eyes. Take 3 deep belly breaths. Open your eyes, open the front door and walk in. What do you see? How do you feel? Do you see lots of crap everywhere and does that stress you out? Or is it generally uninspiring? Now ask yourself what you would like to change?
Bathroom. Walk in. What do you feel? Do you want to linger there or just get out? Add freshness: colour, flowers, plants and new towels (or at least clean ones). Keep the toilet seat down! Even if you don’t buy into Feng Shui it is just plain ugly to see into the toilet.
Lie down in bed look around. First, you should be able to see the door. What else do you see – maybe a big chest of drawers covered in clutter? Or maybe a big black TV screen? Remember the first thing you see when you wake up can either energize you or deplete you. Tip: cover the TV in the bedroom with a pretty piece of coordinating fabric when not in use.
Look. Feel. Change. Use your gut. You know what you like and what inspires you. Also clean and clear the space – no one likes useless clutter. If you can’t do it through out the house at least start with removing clutter from the three sight lines above.