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With the economy being the way it is, we are all getting more practical. Few folks are moving and many are cutting back. That said, your environment plays a key role in your wellbeing and success. It is not easy to be productive when you cannot find anything. Its even harder to feel peace and contentment in a pile of clutter (if you like things orderly).

This post is about creating an easy home over an impressive one. The cluttered house that sucks our energy can be simplified and made easy – but serious inner work needs to be part of that process. Letting stuff go can be tricky. All change can stir emotions.

Ask yourself the following questions and then add the tips to your new year “to do” list:

Detox Your Home
1. Do I LOVE this item in my home and has it been useful in the last 2 years?
2. Can someone else benefit more from this item? Is it just taking up space?
3. Do these knicknacks really give love or is love in my heart? Do I NEED all of them? Can I reduce?
4. Does my home support my daily routine? Is it set up to make good habits easy for me?
5. Do I feel calm, centered and peaceful when I enter my home? If not, why? What can I change?

Tips
1. Decide what you would like to accomplish in 2009 and create an environment that supports it. I am a vegetarian. I also need protein. I have a canister of protein powder, flax seed powder (fiber) and vitamins on my kitchen counter to easily supplement my diet. I shop each week and have tubs of fresh, colorful veggies in the frig. and keep dark chocolate bars (many) in a drawer for a mini dessert (sweet and has benefits). Having things handy and plenty cuts the planning, guess work and bald spots in my diet. I set it up to be an effortless way to be healthy.

2. Create rooms that support you. Our downstairs needs to “flow”. For me, keeping everything neutral created a peaceful and open feeling. Keeping clutter at bay (having a basket for mail right by the door) and other “catch alls” allows us to find what we need, when we need it in a easy and fast way. On the other hand, my office is colorful (my work space needs to be festive, yet professional and highly organized since most of the time I am on the go). The place I sleep needs to be cozy and warm. How can the spaces in your life better support your goals and ease your life?

3. Plan ahead. Think of an action you take over and over again and plan ahead. I love to run here in Florida so I keep my shoes, mp3 player and single house key by the door. This keeps me running. I need lots of energy to conduct workshops so I have a basket of high protein bars so that I can grab and go. I am often presenting so clothing needs to be right. I have a “uniform” I wear that I change up. This takes the guesswork out and prevents wardrobe bloopers that distract participants.

4. Make choices that say “easy” over “impressive”. I grew up in an Italian home. My adorable grandmother had plastic on her white couches. She worked at Saks Fifth Avenue and it showed. To this day, I still think she was the most stylish lady I knew and I wear her pins with love (and sometimes tears at her memory) quite proudly. BUT, you will not find plastic on anything in my home today. It is very easy to get caught up in what is impressive over what works, is useful and more comfortable. It is more comfortable to have a savings account then expensive stuff keeping you in debt. It creates more ease and simplicity to have a home with simple lines that take 2 minutes to wipe then 50 ornaments you have to take a Q-tip out to clean. Oh, I have my treasures, but if they start taking away from the people I love, exercise time, work time (I love my work) and anything of value – it become a silly move and a poor investment. Time is valuable.

Making your home easy and beautiful is a good way to begin the new year!