LIFE SPACES Paring Down

Without Sacrificing Style

By Traci McBride

An essential part of my life has been the times I have reevaluated my stuff: items I’ve purchased, inherited or been given. We change, grow and evolve. Why keep things that don’t serve us, bring us joy, and reflect who we are now?

I love self-expression. It started early in life when I shared my space with my sisters. Even as a girl, I was fiercely connected to my space, wrestling with my sister over decorating our shared bedroom and feeling centered only when my room reflected who I was. And as I moved on, I continued this desire to express myself in my various apartments with roommates, on my own and in homes with my husband and family.

Self-expression is a process that encompasses not only our homes but also our personal fashion style and general approach to life, changing with an ebb and flow.

We frequently hear about downsizing and the popular Marie Kondo method of “letting go.” What we don’t hear about are the internal changes necessary to take these steps. Clearing out the abundance of belongings allows us to cut away the things that don’t reflect who we are anymore. It enables us to redefine who we are now, not who we were. It’s freeing, but it’s not always easy.

PLAN, THEN DO

Time has a way of triggering us to find a way to sort through life’s trinkets and treasures. Unplanned life events also force an evaluation: an unexpected retirement, adult children or elderly parents moving to your house or you moving to theirs.

Merging styles and accommodating everyone’s needs require patience and communication. Bringing in an outside point of view from a professional organizer, designer or decorator can help prevent conflict as you make changes. Streamlining and organizing go hand in hand; you can’t do one without the other.

When you’re reevaluating your possessions, create a step-by-step plan with a checklist on a whiteboard, marking off each task when it’s finished.

Pace yourself and start where it’s the easiest to make progress. This will motivate you to keep going as you move through your rooms.

Create a space you don’t want to leave. A clean, organized, attractive home is emotionally therapeutic and mood-boosting. A home should provide comfort, belonging, identity and privacy.

Reduce, reuse and recycle regularly. The more you make this a daily habit, the easier it is to control. To stay on track, keep a medium-sized box in the garage and a tote in the closet to place items you like but no longer are passionate about. If you haven’t thought about using or wearing it in six months, donate them to a thrift shop.

TRY THESE STYLE-REFRESH IDEAS

— Rotate the art you have decided to keep; if you’ve seen it in one space for years, try another. How does that make you feel?

— Honor the abundance of kids’ art by framing a few favorites and hanging them in a mini wall-style gallery in an unexpected place.

— Modernize by using a fresh color scheme. The fail-safe approach uses three colors: 60% decorating with your dominant color, 30% in a secondary color and 10% in an accent color.

A local professional organizer at whollyorganized.com shared these tips with me to help evaluate items:

. Would you take it with you if you moved?

. Can you get it again if you find you need it?

. Could someone use it more than you?

. How many do you have and need?

. Do you plan to use the thing in a reasonable time frame?

Traci McBride is a Northeast Ohio lifestylist of wardrobes and homes who helps people create spaces that reflect their evolved style. You can find her at Zspaces. TeeMcBee.com or contact her at Traci@ TeeMcBee.com.