The Crazy Wisdom Community Journal • September - December 2016 • Page 30
Room to Breathe Organizing for Happiness and Harmony
By Crysta Coburn When I look around my house, I feel disheartened and lost. My fiancé and I moved in a year ago and things are still in disarray. The dozen-plus bookshelves not only bow under the weight of our books, but there just aren't enough to contain all of them. Piles of “to-be-read” books dot tables, chairs, and available floor space. Boxes and plastic tubs are stacked to shoulder height along the walls of two bedrooms. We lived in our previous apartment for nearly three years and some boxes were never even unpacked. Since the two of us are on different schedules, we're rarely in the house at the same time. The amount of time and work required to get our home in order feels overwhelming! How one's personal space, be it home or work, is organized has a great impact on one's energy, productivity, and sense of self. Organization, use, and harmony among multiple users of the space all have a hand in affecting our wellbeing. To some, well-organized means sparse, but this can be detrimental to usability and may not work for everyone. Luckily, there are a number of tools at our disposal to bring organization and harmony to our living spaces.
To some, well-organized means sparse, but this can be detrimental to usability and may not work for everyone.
On the other hand, a well-organized space decorated with intention can leave a favorable impression on visitors even if it is not how they would choose to organize the space themselves. Simply put, when something is loved, it shows. Caryn Simon of Tidy Nest, a prenatal organization service that includes registry advice as well as “assistance in clutter redaction” and more, elaborates, “I see it having a tremendously lovely effect on not just the main tidier. Everyone that is connected to their web will be touched as well.” So what is meant by the word “organized?” Does it translate to a tidy room where we can imagine dust-free shelves, all objects lined up, evenly spaced, and without a piece out of place or at an odd angle? This system works well for some people but for others is, as Nia puts it, an “impractical disaster.” In order to be organized, do we also need to be tidy? Not necessarily says Dana Casey, a local certified interior designer specializing in Feng Shui. “Disorganization is a state with a certain amount of chaos attached to it,” she explains. “In the Essential Feng Shui I practice, it's believed to only fix something that is negatively affecting your life. So, some may thrive in disorganization.” She also points out that “organized” or even “tidy” mean different things to different people. A stack of books pushed against the wall, for instance, to some is perfectly organized while to others is unacceptable clutter. Some of us work more efficiently having everything we need right at our fingertips, while others feel a sense of relief when items are organized in drawers and on shelves.
Simply put, when something is loved, it shows. Feng Shui treats the home as essentially a living thing with bones (walls), arteries (hallways), eyes (windows), and accessories (furniture and other decor). Just like our bodies, we want to keep our homes healthy.
The first question to ask ourselves when looking at organizing a space to best suit our lives is: What do I want to get out of this space? A feeling of peace, joy, or warmth? A place to recharge? Must it be welcoming or motivational? Or will strictly functional suffice?
Nia Spongberg of Spruced Up Spaces
The answer depends largely on who is using the space. Shared space should be supportive of everyone's needs (as within a family), not just a select few (the parents), and we all interact with our environments differently. A well-organized space can increase group harmony and enjoyment as activities become easier to accomplish. The second question we must ask, closely tied to the first, is: What do I want to project? As Ann Arbor-based certified professional organizer Nia Spongberg points out, “Personal spaces often double as social gathering places. And since spaces reflect things about their inhabitants and often form part of our self-identity, the state of one’s personal space can have significant social implications.” Whether it's side-by-side, hands-on help with organizing or a consultation to firm up one's confidence in a project, or to learn where to begin, bringing in a professional can really help one gain perspective and footing. This works in both a personal or home setting and within a professional space. Rather than seeming silly, professional services like Nia's are valued because our society typically looks down on clutter and too much can make people anxious. Many people end up isolating themselves in their homes because they feel inadequate or ashamed of their disorganization and refuse to entertain company. They don't want people to think badly of them because of how they choose to live. In families with children, this can also negatively impact the children if the parents will not allow them to invite over friends.
A well-organized space can increase group harmony and enjoyment as activities become easier to accomplish.
Dana Casey of Dana Casey Design
Caryn Simon of Tidy Nest