Room "Make-Unders"
By Jean Marie Herron
My colleague and friend Barbara Cluck-Miksits of BCM Home Staging LLC. is what I call a transformer. She can take any room, in any shape, and turn it into something beautiful. She says, "Less can be more, especially when it comes to feeling comfortable in your home. Having rooms designed 'over the top' does not always make for good looks." As a professional organizer, I completely agree with the less can be more motto.
She also says, "Did you know that over-stuffed rooms can cause stress? Because of today's life styles rooms become over loaded a little bit every day. Most people do not realize that it is even happening. Clean lines, soft paint colors and minimal accessorizing can make for a happy and healthier living in your home." Just look at her before and after photos below and you can see the difference when you take out the clutter.
I recently saw an Oprah show that was called "Make-Unders" instead of "Makeovers". I thought that was very clever and immediately associated it with space in our homes and not just our makeup. She did have an interior designer redo a room with this concept in mind and here are three tips from me should you decide this Spring to perform a Make-Under to any space in your home:
- Decide on a limiting number of activities for that space. For example, if the room is a bedroom then decide that you will only sleep, read and get dressed there. Move the treadmill and the sewing machine out of that space.
- Mind your Q&Q's. Go for the quality of your possessions and not the quantity. Fill you space with a few treasures rather than an overflow of trinkets.
- Edit, edit, edit. Most of us are drowning in abundance. See if you can give half (ok, a quarter for those of you who just got queasy!) of what you have to charity. Then follow the One In One Out rule which means that for every new item that walks in your front door, one goes out.
Before and After "Make-Under"
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At POSSE Partners, LLC (Professional Organizing Solutions Serving Everyone) we cater to homeowners who want one-on-one help with their organizing endeavors whether it's their space, papers or time. Besides transferring these organizing skills to our clients, we also hold organizing classes called Clutter Corrals, have a monthly forum for supporting each other called POSSE's Pen and we also give organizing presentations as well. To learn more about the author and owner, Jean Marie Herron, and sign up for her free newsletter go to www.POSSEPartnersLLC.com.
