Rita Wilkins's Blog, page 48

Forgotten What Day of the Week It Is? Maybe It’s Time for a New Adventure

Have you found yourself asking what day of the week it is? After a year of wearing masks, not being able to travel to see family and friends, there’s no wonder it all seems like a big blur. And FYI, you are not alone!

So many people I talk to are experiencing a general malaise, a feeling of lethargy and apathy with very little motivation and energy, or excitement. They are realizing just how important it is to have something to look forward to! Something to be excited about.

If this is you… maybe it’s time to add some adventure to your life.

Think about a time when you were excited about an upcoming trip over event.

Do you recall the energy and excitement you had just thinking about it?

Even the smallest road trip to the city for dinner or a show… now that we can actually dine-in restaurants and attend live theater.

Sometimes the smallest adventures are the best adventures!

Think of a time you met up with a friend you hadn’t seen in years. You might have had dinner, shared great conversation, got caught up on your lives. A small, but very big and meaningful adventure! You were both inspired, felt rejuvenated simply by planning a trip to reconnect.

Sometimes it’s the spontaneous getaways or visits that help reinvigorate your soul.

A surprise visit from your kids or grandkids. They might have no idea just how much you needed those hugs and smiles after all of those months.

You can do the same for others too. Who do you know that could use a surprise visit even if for a few hours for a cup of tea?

Have you ever thought of how is it living with a vacation mindset every day?

These adventures…

Don’t have to be planned.Don’t have to be expensive.Don’t have to be grandiose.And it doesn’t even have to involve travel.

What could you plan this weekend that would put the sparkle back in your eyes?

It could be something as simple as going fishing, hiking, biking or a barbecue with friends.

Anything you would enjoy.

Anything you can do to change the momentum, something that will get you excited, something you can look forward to.

Use your imagination, your creativity to get out in nature, to be with family and friends, to help you change it up and remove the blur in your life.

What you love to do, where would you love to go, who would you love to see that you haven’t seen in at least a year?

FREE Download: The Reverse Bucket List

Tomorrow morning, I’m getting on a plane for the first time in over a year to meet up with my siblings in South Carolina for a few days. I can’t tell you how excited I am to see them, talk to them in person, and give them each a big hug! I can hardly wait to just be with them … nothing else… Just be together!

As a Lifestyle Designer, I help people step away from the ordinary to create extraordinary experiences as to create memories that will last a lifetime.

By challenging yourself today to try something new, to put something on your calendar, you will feel a shift, a new excitement, and a new zest for life, that may have been missing.

Try it! And let me know what kind of adventure you are planning sometime soon.

Don’t wait!

And oh, by the way, it’s Tuesday in case you forgot! That means you have just three more days until your next big weekend and next big adventure!

Enjoy life! Remember it’s entirely up to you to design and live the life you love!  

Get this Free Download: 31 Lifestyle Upgrades that will change your life! 

Schedule your 30-minute complimentary phone call consult, click here.

The post Forgotten What Day of the Week It Is? Maybe It’s Time for a New Adventure first appeared on Design Services LTD.

10 Most Common Design Mistakes and How to Prevent Them

By Rita Wilkins
The Downsizing Designer

#1 Copying Others

During the last 10 to 15 years, design influencers and manufacturers have been extremely successful in marketing their own unique “look”.

– Martha Stewart, Pottery Barn, West Elm, etc.

It’s great to use these for inspiration and even to use a few of their collection, but when you overuse them or copy them, you lose your own mark or statement.

Make it your own signature look, be creative, incorporating some of their pieces are also putting your own stamp on it.

 

#2 Over Doing It

We’ve all seen rooms where it is so overdone, where they may have tried too hard to put every imaginable design element into a room, and where they’ve attempted to put too much into the space. The results: busy and overdone.

In most cases, less is more. Use fewer things to make a bigger impact.

You can always choose to put more back into the room if you want.

Read related article: What is Lean Design?

 

#3 Choosing the Wrong Paint Color

If you’re wondering what’s wrong with a room that you’ve just completed, it’s often just a small tweak in the paint color. If the color is too light, too dark, the goal is to make it just right… the Goldilocks effect.

Try various paint colors on large sample boards.

Move the board around the room and look at the color at different times of the day.

Lighting has a tremendous impact on color and the overall finished look.

 

#4 Insufficient White Space

 

Leaving some white space is okay. Consider that an empty space or white space is actually another design element when it is used intentionally.

People are often tempted to fill every corner of a room.

Try to hold back from doing that. You can always add back in if you choose to.

 

#5 Random Furniture Placement

A good furniture floor plan or space plan is intentional.

Every good room design has a purpose.

Be intentional and have a plan and a purpose for every room.

FREE Download: Designer Bathroom Tips

Read related article: Top 10 Bathroom Design Trends to Avoid

#6 Not Enough Contrast

Contrast is intended to provide dimension to a room. When you don’t use contrast, everything blends in and can be boring.

Even in monochromatic color schemes, you can use lighter and darker shades of the same white or off-white.

Use contrast to make your room more interesting as subtle as the contrast might be.

 

#7 Wrong Scale for Size of the Room

Too large, too small, a room can look distorted when pieces are out of scale with the size of the space.

Don’t be afraid of using oversized pieces in a large open space.

That’s what the room is calling for. It helps to fill the volume of the large open space.

Conversely, don’t shy away from using smaller pieces in smaller rooms. You’ll discover that the right scale is a perfect complement to a smaller room.

 

#8 Trying to Achieve Perfect Symmetry

Trying to make a room look too perfect or too symmetrical is a design mistake.

Even if you love symmetry, try offsetting one or two pieces. Create a little asymmetry to help make a room more interesting.

 

Do you need assistance with your next home design? I am happy to help!

Schedule your free 30-minute complimentary consult, here  

I also do online design consultations.

 

The post 10 Most Common Design Mistakes and How to Prevent Them first appeared on Design Services LTD.

Married Baby Boomers, Downsize And Simplify Your Life

Downsizing And Decluttering With Your Husband Or Wife 

Baby boomers, do you find yourself overwhelmed by the amount of stuff you have? Do you want to start over and live a simpler life? The answer you’ve been looking for is simpler than you think. Through downsizing, you can declutter and simplify your life, giving you and your partner more time, money, and freedom to enjoy together.  

I’m Rita Wilkins, The Downsizing Designer. I reached a point in my life where I needed simplicity, and I achieved that by downsizing and giving away 95% of what I once owned. Now, I’m looking to help married baby boomer couples do the same. 

Talking With Your Partner About Downsizing 

While some baby boomers take on their downsizing journey alone, married baby boomers have to take into consideration their partner’s needs and desires as well. If you’re eager to downsize but aren’t sure how to approach the topic with your partner, don’t worry. I’m here to help! I’ve designed a unique course for baby boomers called How to Downsize and Declutter for Boomers: Find Freedom in Living with Less. One of the many topics I cover is how to talk with your partner about downsizing and decluttering. I guide you through the following: 

Getting the conversation started – Learn how to approach your partner about the possibility of downsizing. Tips for listening more deeply – It’s important to consider your partner’s perspective, so you’ll have to be prepared to listen. Getting to the root of your partner’s concerns – Understand your partner’s concerns and how they might be addressed. Expressing your own needs effectively – Express why you feel downsizing is the answer to your own need. And more! Sign Up For How to Downsize and Declutter for Boomers: Find Freedom in Living with Less 

You’ll have access to this lesson and much more when you sign up for How to Downsize and Declutter for Boomers: Find Freedom in Living with Less. The course is given through email designed to be easy to read and easy to follow. Once you have the lessons, they are yours to keep and return to whenever you need! 

Learn more about this course when you sign up: How to Downsize and Declutter for Boomers: Find Freedom in Living with Less. 

The post Married Baby Boomers, Downsize And Simplify Your Life  first appeared on Design Services LTD.

No Excuse Guide to Downsizing and Decluttering: The Extreme Packing Party

By Rita Wilkins
The Downsizing Designer

As a single mom who raised two teenage boys many years ago, I certainly heard many very creative excuses in my lifetime.

Why homework wasn’t done in time…Why chores weren’t even started…Why mowing the lawn wasn’t nearly as important as talking to a girlfriend…

In my own lifetime, I’ve certainly made enough of my own excuses.

Why I couldn’t get to the gym…Why an important project needed to wait until the last minute…Why it’s so hard to lose those extra Covid pounds…

And when it comes to downsizing and decluttering our homes, we baby boomers are so full of excuses!

Why we hold onto things we don’t want need or use…Why it’s too hard to get started…Why it’s okay to put off downsizing and decluttering just a little while longer…

Let’s face it! We all make excuses.

We all create our own reasons and rationale for why we can’t, shouldn’t, or don’t do something.

We create excuses to defend our thoughts, our behavior, our actions, or lack of actions.

But there comes a time when you just get fed up with the endless excuses and lack of action!

 

You want to downsize and declutter

You want that simpler life with less.

Where you have more time and freedom to do what you want when you want.Where you have more flexibility and mobility to travel, visit family and friends, start a new business.Where you have less stuff… and more life!

Get Chapter 3 of my best-selling book for FREE! Click here

 

You also realize that as a baby boomer the clock is ticking

You want to downsize and declutter before it’s too late!

So you can live your best life now while you’re still healthy.So your kids won’t have to deal with all of your stuff when you’re gone .

 

You’re ready to stop making excuses and just stop procrastinating

You’re ready to do whatever it takes to downsize and declutter so you can begin living that simpler life you dream of.

 

How to get a jumpstart on your downsizing and decluttering journey1.    Extreme Packing parties

I will give you a brief overview of how to create them towards the end of this blog post.

 

2.    No excuse guide to downsizing and decluttering: a free master class 

Tuesday, July 20th at 7 PM via Zoom.

Must sign up on the form below to attend or email me at RitaWilkins@RitaWilkins.com.

Mark the subject line as “Free MasterClass”.

Seating is limited.

Save your seat now!

 

What is an extreme packing party?You’ve decided to sell your home.

You’re downsizing to a much smaller home. You’re excited!

Family and friends hear about it and say, let me know if I can help in any way.

But you say, thanks, but I’ve got this!

 

You get started downsizing and decluttering.

You’re on a roll, 3 to 4 weeks into your downsizing and decluttering journey you hit a wall!

You’re physically and emotionally exhausted.You’re overwhelmed. You had no idea that you had accumulated so much stuff over all those years.Your realtor calls. There’s a full price offer on your home.

 

You find yourself saying, I need help! And I need a huge jumpstart NOW.

You are crunched for a time now, so you humbly call those friends and family who had offered to help and invite them to your Extreme Packing Party. When they ask what that is, just tell them to dress casually and be ready to roll up their sleeves, but promise them it will be fun and there will be food and wine afterward.

Read this: How to Make Decluttering Easy, Effective, and Fun

Pick several dates and times for your multiple Extreme Packing Parties.

Let your friends and family know that you will be packing for 3 to 4 hours and then you’ll have food and plenty of time for conversation.

FREE DOWNLOAD:

ABC’s of Downsizing and 100 Places to Donate Your Stuff

Invite just 3 to 4 people for each packing party. Too many create chaos. Remember that you will be managing this project, so fewer at a time is better.

Pick an area or a few areas of your home that you have already removed items you don’t want, need, or use. You’ve already decluttered that area and all that remains are the items that you will definitely be taking with you to your new home.

 

When the day of your extreme packing party arrives:Have food and drinks prepared in a separate area of your home.Have the areas to be worked on prepared with these materials.Boxes of several different sizesPacking tapeScissorsNewspaper, bubble wrapLarge strong trash bagsMarkers

 

When guests arrive, show them the areas to be worked on i.e. garage shelves, dining room cabinets, and kitchen cabinets.Designate one task for each person, i.e. pack all china, crystal, and silver.Show them how you would like them to mark the boxes, i.e. dining room, china, etc.

 

Set the timer for 3 to 4 hours or until each area is complete.When finished, put all boxes in one area of that room so that when the movers stage the boxes on the truck, it will be easier to deliver them to the correct rooms.The next part is easy. Enjoy the food, friendship, conversation, and memories.

 

This is a brief overview of what you will learn in my free master class, no excuse Guide to downsize and decluttering on Tuesday, July 20th, at 7 PM EST.

You must sign up to receive a zoom link to my free master class.

Sign up or email me at RitaWilkins@RitaWilkins.com 

Subject line: Free MasterClass

Seating will be limited. Make sure to get your seat now!

 

The post No Excuse Guide to Downsizing and Decluttering: The Extreme Packing Party first appeared on Design Services LTD.

Downsizing Lessons For Married Couples In Their 70s

Boomers, You Can Downsize And Declutter Your Life 

Baby boomers, have you reached a point in your life where you crave simplicity? Do you feel stressed by clutter? Do you want to live a happier life with less stuff? If you’ve answered yes, then it’s time to downsize and simplify your life. My name is Rita Wilkins and I’m known as The Downsizing Designer. I’m eager to help you begin your downsizing journey. 

Are You And Your Partner Ready To Downsize? 

While some Baby boomers may be taking their downsizing journey on their own, there are many married baby boomer couples out there who are interested in starting over through downsizing together. 

Why Do Married Baby Boomers Want To Downsize? 

There are many things that can be the catalyst for starting your downsizing journey. Here are some of the reasons married baby boomers have decided to start over by downsizing and decluttering: 

An Empty Nest – When your children are grown and have moved out, it becomes necessary to consider what to do with both the things and the space they’ve left behind. Do you need as large a home without your children living with you? What things are important to you to keep, and which aren’t? Retirement Approaching – Retirement is also something married couples of baby boomer age are considering. It may be easier to live with less once you hit your retirement age. Managing Finances – If finances are tight, downsizing and decluttering could be a way to help get your finances in order. How to Downsize and Declutter for Boomers: Find Freedom in Living with Less 

Regardless of your reason for downsizing, I’m eager to help married baby boomers along their downsizing journeys. I’ve designed a course especially for baby boomers who are interested in downsizing called How to Downsize and Declutter for Boomers: Find Freedom in Living with Less. When you sign up, you’ll receive easy-to-digest emails over the course of several weeks which will guide you through the downsizing and decluttering process. I’ll teach you how to envision your downsizing goals, how to get your partner on board, and how to choose the best downsizing method for you and your partner. 

Learn more about this course when you sign up: How to Downsize and Declutter for Boomers: Find Freedom in Living with Less. 

The post Downsizing Lessons For Married Couples In Their 70s  first appeared on Design Services LTD.

Find Your Signature Look: Design the Home You Love

By Rita Wilkins
The Downsizing Designer

Have you ever wondered what your signature look is for your home and home office?

Have your friends and colleagues ever commented about that look being “so you”, but you weren’t even sure what that “look” is? Maybe you’ve never thought about it or took the time to define your “special look or brand” that helps identify your signature look.

To put it simply, think of your signature look as an expression of who you are, what you value, and how people picture you when they think of you.

One of the many reasons why it is important to know what your signature look is, is that it will help you save time and money when you’re shopping. You won’t be so tempted to buy things there are incongruous with your brand.

 

What is a signature look, what does that really mean?It’s when you’re crystal clear about what you like, don’t like, want, and don’t want.It’s the essence of who you are and what you care about.It’s the things you most love in your own home.

 

The Process of How to Discover and Define Your Signature Look

There are actually a few steps you can take right now to get more clarity about your signature look:

 

Gather InformationLook around your home.

Identify pieces of furniture, artwork, rugs, lamps, accessories you absolutely love. When you look at them, they should make you smile, they should make you happy.

Take pictures of each of those items and write down what it is that you enjoy so much about that piece.

For me, I have a favorite sofa that I have reupholstered at least three times. It is the most comfortable sofa I’ve ever sat on, so likely I will continue to reupholster it when it looks worn. The reason it appeals to me is that it is neither contemporary nor traditional, but falls into my love of clean classic lean design.

I also have two pieces of artwork by an artist that captures a fun, slightly sassy woman who has gained wisdom throughout her lifetime, exuding both confidence and strength. These two pieces of artwork have traveled with me to four different houses and will continue their journey with me. When I look at them, I’m reminded of how far I’ve come on my own downsizing journey.

A third thing that I absolutely love is an inexpensive pillow that I picked up years ago. It has a quote from Katherine Hepburn: “if you obey all the rules you won’t have as much fun”. People who know me, understand that I frequently follow a different path.

So look around your own home and identify those special pieces that inspire you, make you happy, and even make you laugh.

 

2. Gather Inspiration

Think of people whom you admire… their homes, their décor, their use of color and pattern. What is it about their style that you most admire?

It’s warm, cozy, inviting, and friendly.It’s simple, uncluttered, sophisticated, and peaceful.It’s fun, colorful, unusual, and eclectic.

Write down what it is that you admire. If you can, take pictures of them also.

Do the same exercise on Pinterest and Houzz, various shelter magazines, and design books.

What consistently captures your eye and attention?What styles, colors, patterns?How do those items make you feel when you look at them?

 

Learn a Few Tricks of the Design Trade for Refreshing Your Home 3. Gather Practical Data about Your Life and LifestyleWhat daily activities that are important to you?How does your home need to function for your daily activities?Are you more casual, formal, or somewhere in between?Do you enjoy variety and change or do you prefer to keep things the way they are?

 

4. Combine Information from Steps 1, 2, and 3Gather information about pieces you love in your own home right now.Gather information from people and places that inspire you.Gather practical data about your life and lifestyle.

Study all of the information in front of you: pictures that you’ve taken, stories that you’ve written, feelings that you’ve experienced while doing this exercise. Then, spread it out on a vision board or a whiteboard.

What similarities do you see that help you connect and identify a look that more clearly expresses who you are?What design elements best represent you and fit your lifestyle right now?What style, color, pattern, scale, and function appeal to you the most?Which of these do you naturally gravitate towards?Which ones lights you up and just make you happy?

Determining your signature look will likely take time. Your style will change, develop, and evolve over time.

As your lifestyle changes, it is likely that your signature look will shift according to your current needs.

For me, now that I have a granddaughter, I find myself thinking much more practical than I have in the past… What fabrics, rugs, furniture are more durable and practical for this new life stage.

The most important thing to do to continue refining your signature look is to:

Keep observingKeep listeningKeep noticing

Once you have discovered your signature look:

The one that gives you the most comfort…The one that best fits your lifestyle…The one that simply lights you up…

just embrace it!

After all, isn’t that what our homes are supposed to do for you?

Want to know more about interior design and lifestyle design?

Check out my website: www.designservicesltd.com

The post Find Your Signature Look: Design the Home You Love first appeared on Design Services LTD.

Help! I Can’t Let Go of My Mother’s China!

By Rita Wilkins
The Downsizing Designer

I was with a client recently who was trying to declutter so she can downsize to a smaller home. In the midst of our conversation, she said, “I wonder if you could help me.”

She walked me into her huge dining room, opened up a built-in cabinet that was filled with beautiful plates, cups, saucers, and serving pieces.

She told me that it was her mother’s china, a service for 16 people.

She then said, I can’t seem to get rid of it, but I never use it. It’s been here ever since we cleaned out her house five years ago. And I know I won’t have this kind of storage in my new smaller home. What should I do?

I asked her if she would work with me on a simple exercise. I use with my clients who have difficulty letting sentimental items go.

How to let go of sentimental stuff?

You can learn how by reading one of my recent blog posts.

 

5 Simple Steps You Can Take When You Want to Let Go of Your Sentimental Items

 

1.     I asked her to pick one of the many pieces that she most enjoyed and if she would hold it in her hand. She picked a favorite teacup.

 

2.     I then asked her to tell me a story about it, about when her mother used the china.She went on to describe in great detail the big family dinners, the beautiful table settings of china, crystal, silver, and beautifully lit candelabras.She continued telling me how much her mother loved entertaining. She could almost hear her mother laughing, enjoying all the people in the room.

Read Why You Should Not Let Guilt Get in Your Way  3.     I next suggested that she take a picture of it, write a story about it, and even do a video about it… She took out her phone and immediately started to video it and tell a story that she just told me.

 

4.     Afterward, I asked her to tell me why she thought it was so hard to let go of her mother’s china. She didn’t hesitate.She felt like she would betray her mother’s memory because her mother loved it and used it regularly.She felt guilty because she didn’t love it as her mother did, but she also doesn’t entertain like her mother did.She felt she would lose that special connection and memory of her mother if she gave it all away. 5.     Next, I asked her… “What would it be like if you did not feel guilty or that you were not betraying your mother, or that you will not lose connection with your mother?”She immediately replied that she would feel liberated, not so guilty, or obligated to keep something she knew she would not have room for in her new home.

I suggested that she keep that one very special teacup as a reminder of her mom and then give the rest to her family, friends or someone who might want, need, and actually use it.

I could see the burden being lifted from her. For years, she felt obligated to hold onto it so that she could retain the great memories she had of her mom entertaining.

I reminded her that…

Her mother is gone.She is not using the china.She doesn’t like it as her mother did.She knows she will have no room for all of it.

But if she were to hold onto just that one special piece it would be a sweet and constant reminder of her mother and all of those wonderful dinner parties that she loved.

Are you having difficulty letting go of sentimental items?

You are not alone!

Try this simple exercise yourself. It will help you better understand how to let go of sentimental items while still holding on to the memory.

Download my free PDF,

the 5 Step Guide: Lose the Clutter, but Not the Memories.

PS:If you know of someone else who is having difficulty letting go of sentimental clutter, please feel free to forward this blog and have them download the free PDF.

Comment below, I would love to hear more about how this helped you on your downsizing and decluttering journey.

The post Help! I Can’t Let Go of My Mother’s China! first appeared on Design Services LTD.

Trust Is the Most Important Factor When Selecting Your Interior Designer

By Rita Wilkins
The Downsizing Designer

Every good relationship starts and is built on trust. That includes the relationship you have with your interior designer.

While it’s important to know and like your designer, trusting them to do what they do best and to always act in your best interest is key.

Here’s my recent blog titled How Working with a Designer Can Prevent Your Next Design Project From Becoming a Nightmare, which can give you more insight on how the right designer can prevent you from committing design mistakes.

 

What’s even more important is that since there will be times you need to totally rely on their knowledge and experience, you need to have confidence that they know you, what you want and don’t want.

To implement the vision you created together.To take your project to the next level.To successfully implement your project.

As an interior designer for over 35 years, one of the best compliments I receive from my clients after I get to know them is, “Rita, whatever you think!”.

To me, that implies they know how much I care about them and they know I will always speak up on their behalf to ensure the results we envisioned together are met.

 

How Do You Get to Know, Like, and Trust a Prospective Interior Designer?1. Start by asking your friends, family, and colleagues.

If they have used an interior designer, ask them about the experience they had in working with them.

Ask what type of project it was, what work did they perform, how satisfied were they with the experience and the end result?

A glowing review about a particular designer would be a great place to start.

 

 

2. Check out their credentials, website, blogs, articles they may have written, and other testimonials.

What is their education, experience, years in the field? Are they an influencer within their own field and subject matter?

What is their specialization? Residential, commercial? Renovation, new construction? Kitchens, baths? Senior living, public spaces?

Obviously, it’s best that they have experience within the realm of your particular type of project.

Ready to renovate your small apartment kitchen?

Get your FREE DOWNLOAD: Designer Kitchen Tips

3. Meet and speak with the prospective Designer.

Ask lots of questions:

Their preferred aesthetic and type of project.Their ability to work within your budget and timeline.Their willingness to work with your existing furniture, incorporating it into the overall design.

Ask them about their business experience and resources

Do they use written contracts, proposals, and best practices?Do they have project management experience?Do they have a design team?Do they have a team of contractors and tradespeople that they have vetted?Do they have access to unique resources?Do they have the ability to troubleshoot, problem-solve, create solutions and offer options? Ask for specific examples

 

4.  Creativity and new ideas.

In your conversation, ask specific questions about your proposed project and ask them for creative ideas and unique solutions that push you out of your comfort zone in a good way and have you comment, “I hadn’t thought of that before!”.

Check out the recent blog post How Designers Keep Coming up With New Ideas.

These are just a few ways to determine…

If they would be a good fit.If you could develop a great working relationship.If you could come to know and trust that designer.

When you know, like, and trust the person who has the talent and expertise to make your project come to fruition…

When that designer is also someone you enjoy being with working with, has great ideas, and is willing to continue to develop them to help your vision come alive.

AND when you trust that designer to give it their all, to help you bring your projects to life, then that is the best kind of relationship to have!

 

If you want to know more or if you want to inquire about our interior design services, schedule your complimentary 30-minute call with me to discuss. Click here.

Or visit my website: www.designservicesltd.com

 

The post Trust Is the Most Important Factor When Selecting Your Interior Designer first appeared on Design Services LTD.

Don’t Let Guilt Get in Your Way: Don’t Keep Grandmas Antiques If You Don’t like Them

By Rita Wilkins
The Downsizing Designer

Have you inherited things from loved ones that are taking up space in your home or your garage that you don’t even like?

Perhaps they were given to you or passed down from someone you loved and cared about.

You feel very uncomfortable because you don’t even like it!You feel like you would be disrespecting or dishonoring their memory if you got rid of it.You feel guilty because you don’t love it like your loved one did.

I’m sure they meant well when they gifted it to you in the inheritance,

but now what do you do with it?

In one of my recent blogs, How to Let Go of Sentimental Clutter, I talk about holding on to some of the things that you’ve kept for many years, the things you allowed to take up valuable space not only at your home but also in your mind and heart and how to start letting it go.

It becomes a source of guilt and even resentment for becoming the designated caretaker for something that takes up space in your home that you don’t want, won’t use, and don’t even like.

Such was the case for me when many years ago a very special elderly relative gifted me with an old Victrola cabinet. She was so excited about giving it to us that a furniture carrier showed up at our door one day to surprise us!

As a young couple about to have our first baby, you can imagine my surprise when the truck driver pulled up to our house with it. All I remember was it was big… and dark… and very ornate… and not at all our taste in furniture!

As much as I was touched by her gift, I felt obligated to accept it graciously (although I wasn’t feeling very gracious at the time!).

It was so big and I had no idea where to put it, so I asked the delivery man to put it in the new nursery until I could decide where to put it at another time.

It sat in the nursery for several months until one night as I was feeding our infant, I was inspired to give the old Victrola cabinet a new purpose. It could be a baby changer! It could be painted white!

Then for the next few years, that gift served a special purpose in our home and I was grateful to be able to use it in a way that suited our needs at that time.

I am sharing this story because you might be sitting on a piece… or several pieces of unwanted inherited furniture, artwork, and decorative accessories that you might be wondering what to do with it or how to get rid of it.

 

4 Few Tips to Deal with Those “Sticky Inherited Pieces” That You Don’t Want, Need, or Even Like!

 

1.     Remember, it was a gift and a gift means that you can do with it as you please.

If you don’t want it, donate it, sell it, or dispose of it.

I have created a Free Downloadable list of

100 Places to Donate Your Stuff to a Good Cause that I have used myself.

 

2.     Re-purpose it or reinvent it.

Just like my old Victrola cabinet, what can you do to modify it, paint it, give it a new life that fits your life and lifestyle?

Examples:

Game table: cut the legs off to become a coffee tableJewelry: make it into a bejeweled picture frameClothing: make it into a quilt, pillows, or throw

 

3.     Re-gift it.

This time, gift it to someone who wants, needs, and will use it.

The item that you don’t want, need, or use that is sitting on your garage or attic for right now might be golden to someone who just lost their job, their home, or is just starting out.

 

4.     Ask yourself: if you don’t want, need, or use it…WHY are you holding onto it?WHY are you allowing it to take up space in your home, in your mind, and in your heart?

If you resent being the caregiver for something that you don’t want or like…

If you resent feeling obligated…

It’s up to you to let go of those feelings and lighten your load by repurposing it, reinventing it, or re-gifting it.

Remember that the memories of your loved one will live in your heart. They don’t need to live in your home.

 

Are you downsizing or decluttering? Want to learn more?Check out my new online course: How to Downsize and Declutter for Boomers: Find Freedom in Living with Less.

 

Visit my website for more blog articles for your Downsizing and Decluttering Journey:www.designservicesltd.com

 

 

The post Don’t Let Guilt Get in Your Way: Don’t Keep Grandmas Antiques If You Don’t like Them first appeared on Design Services LTD.

How to Live with Less in 5 Easy Steps

By Rita Wilkins
The Downsizing Designer

There was a time when I honestly believed that if I had a bigger house, a nicer car, more designer clothes, and more beautiful stuff I would be happier.

For those of you who know me or follow me, you may have listened to my TEDx talk, when I began my talk, I confessed to once owning 11 closets and 9 rolling racks filled with clothes of several different sizes, many of them that still had tags on them!

I also said that I wasn’t not proud of that fact but it was my “reality” at that time.

Did all of those clothes make me happy? If I bought more would I be happier?

The answer of course is “no”, but I bought into the societal thinking that “more is better and bigger is better”.

But my reality was that the more I bought…

The emptier I felt.The more burdensome it all became.The more overwhelmed I was.

I have written an article that talks about Prototyping Lifestyles: Steps You Can Take Now to Experience Living Abundantly with Less, where you can design a life you love that can make you feel fully alive.

It was a trip to a third-world country 8,000 miles from here that changed my life.

For the first time in my life I experienced villagers who had so few possessions and yet they were filled with joy… And I wanted that!

That’s why I did my TEDx talk, Downsize Your Life: Why less is more.

That’s why I wrote my book, Downsize Your Life, Upgrade Your Lifestyle: Secrets to More Time, Money, and Freedom.

That’s why I now speak around the country on the profound impact of living a simpler joy-filled life with less.

Watch my TEDx Talk here: TEDx | Rita Wilkins

What is a simple life? How to Live with Less in 5 Easy Steps

In essence, a simple life is one that centers on what is most important to you. If you can pare down your life to surround yourself with.

Only the people you love and care aboutOnly the things you use need and loveOnly do what you love each day…

You will have a simple life and a great life!

A simple life is about being grateful and content with what you already have, not always wanting more, bigger, or better.A simple life is about quality over quantity. A few great things versus many.A simple life is about cutting back, streamlining your life, your schedule, and your stuff so you can balance your life and have more time, money, freedom, and energy to enjoy it more.It’s about making room for those people, things, and experiences that matter most to you.

 

What would it look like to make the rest of your life the BEST of your life?

Get your Free Download: 31 Lifestyle Upgrades that will change your life! 

Check out my New Online Course:

How to Downsize and Declutter for Boomers: Find Freedom in Living with Less

 

The post How to Live with Less in 5 Easy Steps first appeared on Design Services LTD.