Welcome to my blog! I'm excited to share tips, trends and news in the interior design market. Sign up for my newsletter for promos, freebies, and updates! ( See link BELOW).
I would like to know more about you. What are your struggles when designing your home or your business (for those savvy entrepreneurs)? Is there anything particular you would like to know more of? Are you having a hard time with deciding your style? Organizing your things? Let me know. E-mail me your troubles and let me help you take the fog off your eyes! :) Have a happy, happy week!!!
- November 2022 2
- October 2022 1
- September 2022 1
- August 2022 1
- June 2022 1
- May 2022 1
- April 2022 1
- February 2022 2
- January 2022 1
- December 2021 1
- October 2021 2
- September 2021 1
- August 2021 1
- July 2021 1
- June 2021 2
- May 2021 3
- April 2021 4
- March 2021 3
- February 2021 3
- January 2021 1
- May 2020 3
- November 2019 1
- June 2019 2
- May 2019 1
- April 2019 1
- March 2019 2
- August 2018 1
- June 2018 1
- May 2018 1
- April 2018 3
- March 2018 4
- February 2018 4
- January 2018 2
- December 2017 1
- November 2017 4
- October 2017 8
- September 2017 9
- August 2017 19
TESTIMONIALS
“It’s cool and light. Not too loud. Comfortable color (especially if you want people who come into your office to feel “chill”... shoutout to raging parents or intimidated students).”
“I will definitely recommend you to my friends. I’m also excited to see their reactions when they see the dining room.”
5 Easy Steps to A Happy Minimalist Life
Minimalism, decluttering. Are these just buzzwords or are we onto something? How can we do this?
In an alternate world, I will own only a few essential things! It's quite common for most of us to accumulate things over the years. As we grow older, it just keeps growing. Living in a smaller home before, I was practically doing a quarterly clean-up to make sure that I don't store too many things, and of course, because I simply had to!
When I moved in my current home, I actually thought that I only had a few things! Until I moved... hahahaha. That was an eye-opener! And shortly after that, I studied... and guess what, now I need a home office, and all that comes with it--storage, a desk... Now, I am slowly decluttering each room and trying my best to live a more meaningful, clutter-free life. Whatever your reason may be, I know decluttering is so therapeutic! There are literally tons of information out there that talk about decluttering and minimalism but I've found that Marie Kondo has one of the best guides in tidying up your home. It's called the KonMari Method. While I support most of what she advocates, here's my version for those with families (and along with it, a ton of accumulated things!)
1. Declutter your clothes first.
Konmari states that you should declutter by category. Well, if you're a busy mother/wife/driver/daughter/teacher/... (you get the picture) just like me, you can't really have it all in one go. So the easiest thing is to start with your own clothes. Like Marie Kondo says, keep only those that "spark joy." Think about it, what clothes do you love to wear all the time? Which ones haven't you used for a few months, a year... I know, you'd think you'll fit into those same clothes one day. That was my philosophy! Although, I have lost weight, I still haven't gone back to my clothes before. This isn't to let you down about weight loss but more because when you do fit in those clothes again, maybe you'd want different clothes or they aren't as fashionable as you once thought they were. Think of it as living a new life.
2. Continue decluttering per category, per room.
After cleaning out your closet, do each of your kids next. If you don't have kids, continue on to your spouse. Remember to ask first though!
Take it easy! It need not be all done in a single day. Start slowly and place them in your discard bin. Start with clothes, then books/magazines, receipts/papers, toys, decor, electronics, kitchen items, and garage.
3. Discard totally!
While you are putting away those clothes and other things that you declutter, you should already have a plan of when you are giving them away/selling/discarding. This is to make sure that you just aren't putting them back in your closet again.
Clothes can be donated to charity or to street kids. For those that live in Manila, furniture is accepted at Habitat for Humanity ReStore. You can also do a garage sale. Any unsold items can then be donated afterwards.
4. Each item should now have a defined space.
Think about it, all the items left should be the ones that spark joy with you. That means each of them should also have a proper space allocated to it. Now is the time to buy any storage containers or better yet, re-use old ones.
5. Be mindful.
Now that you have a cleaner and happier space, be mindful of your purchases. Always think whether it is just a trend that you'll soon be tired of or it is something that will bring joy to you in a longer amount of time.
Keeping a minimalist space isn't easy. It involves a change in mindset for this to last. Let us try to live more mindfully in our lives and our homes.
PORTFOLIO
Can You Luxuriate in a Clutter-Free Home with Kids?
Is it possible? Am I talking about utopia here? Read on and perhaps you might learn a trick or two.
Is it possible? Am I talking about utopia here? Read on and perhaps you might learn a trick or two.
I only have one kid. Yes, one. But his clutter is in all our living spaces. From the moment he arrives from school, drops his bag and eventually starts his homework. If you have even more kids, can you imagine the number of things doubles/triples/quadruples... Sorry my dear son, if you get to read this! Anyway, I've decided to take charge and remove that clutter forever ... or at least as long as possible!
First, outline your day.
Via Houzz-Cottage Home Company
For each of your children/spouse/loved one, find out their routine. When they get home, where do they place their things? Do they remove their shoes? Place their bag on the floor? What do they do first? Find out their daily ritual all the way til they sleep at night. List down all the things and areas you need to provide organization-- such as keys, shoes, letters, jackets, bags.
Second, make space and make plans.
Ready an area for your command center. It should have all the basics. That means, a place to keep shoes, jackets/coats, bags, keys. Maybe even their schedules and chores!
I know it isn't really trendy here to have a command center. But once I placed mine, wow, the changes it made to a more organized home is immense! You don't need a large area for this, by the way. So no worries if you live in a studio unit.
Third, label each space.
Label them too. That way, they have a sense of ownership. The labels are important! Whether it's handwritten or printed, do make a label. If you have smaller kids, let them decorate their own name. They will feel proud and be more likely to actually use the space.
Finally, train your loved ones!
If they're used to putting their things everywhere, it's about time to train them that you specifically placed an area for all of their belongings. Yes, training is always key. No need to nag, mind you. But if you made everything real pretty too, won't it be pleasant to use?
Need more advice? Join my VIP list where I give more tips and tricks! (link at the bottom of the page).
Clean Your Life by Cleaning Your Closet
In this increasingly small space we live in or maybe it simply seems that our space is forever decreasing, it's about time to decluttering our closet and take charge!
I admit it. I hoard clothes. Sometimes, I just don't use some because I get tired of seeing it everyday. Other times, it's because I know I'll fit into them again someday. Yes, decluttering is certainly something we all need for a better, peaceful, and less stressful life. So here's a roundup of some tips:
- Turn around all the hangers in your closet the wrong way- with the hook facing you. When you use them, turn it the normal way. Do this for 3-6 months. Anything that isn't hung the normal way, you should dispose.
- Finish your decluttering completely. That means all the things to give away, give them away TODAY, not tomorrow.
- Take it one step at a time. Don't try and tackle your whole wardrobe in just one sitting. That will lead to burnout and eventually not finishing what you started. Take a few minutes per day and do it by section. This way you won't get overwhelmed.
- Label your bins. Yes, I know doing this extra step seems too much. But taking a few minutes just to label makes your decluttering and organizing that much easier to maintain.
- Take a few minutes every day, say 5 minutes to put away your things in the proper place. This way, your clutter won't accumulate.
- Place a catchall for your daily use. This is where you can place your keys, watch or jewelry that you use every day.
A final word: Take it easy. Organizing your closet (or any part of your house for that matter) does not need to happen overnight. A few simple steps per day will help keep your things in order.