[Home Styling Journey] The three step process I'll take to transform my space.

Years ago, my dad said something that I'll never forget.  In the context of the conversation, we were talking about achieving goals. The example he used to illustrate his point would forever make a lasting impression.  He used the analogy of how we managed our home as how we manage our lives.
In life, he said in his heavy accent, you have to make it how you want it....if you don't like how something is, change it! Just like in your house, if you don't like how a room is set up, you'll move things around until it feels right. This is you have to live your life."

At the time, I took his words as advice as motivation for setting big goals and making them happen.  But, now that I reflect back, I realize that I neglected an important aspect of his words of wisdom.

One day, out of the blue, I looked around my home and realized that it wasn't the way I want it.  Sure, there were elements about my home that I loved but there are other areas that cause me anxiety.  Yes, that's right....anxiety.

Ideally, if I could have everything I wanted, my home would be spacious, clutter free and would have a minimal aesthetic.  My desire is to walk into every room in the house and feel absolutely amazing. Since I'm home all the time, my environment has taken on a new purpose. It's no longer just the place where I come to at the end of the day to fall asleep. My home has to be a sanctuary that sparks inspiration, creates joy, and fuels abundance.

Today marks the start my of home styling journey.  Styling means being very intentional with the look and feel of your home design.  The end goal is to picture my ideal environment and to bring this vision into reality.  Just like any other journey, I will allow time for the full result to manifest.  It won't happen overnight....but it has to happen.

In Phase I, my strategy is to take the action that would provide the greatest impact.  I'm a minimalist at heart but, at the same time I have a hard time letting things go.  Holding onto things longer than necessary is the recipe for clutter.  Instead of doing a deep decluttering in Phase I, I will instead focus on clearing surface areas.

Clear surfaces automatically put my soul at ease.  When I worked in corporate America, I made certain never to let stuff pile on my desk. It was the only way I could keep my sanity in a stressful environment. People would always compliment me on how neat my office was. In honesty, a clean desk was the only way I could keep my scattered mind focused.  

Once I've removed the random items from my surfaces, I'll be much more motivated to do the serious decluttering (PHASE 2).  If I start decluttering now, I'll probably get tired and will give up before the work is done. But clear surfaces instantly give me the strength and motivation to keep going.

Phase 3 is when the actual styling takes place.  This phase is magical because that's were we design a space that incites our emotions. One that speaks to the core of who you are.  It doesn't have to be fancy, but it has to make you feel amazing.

And, just like any other journey, the purpose is to fully enjoy the process no matter what phase I'm in. But I will not stop until I can walk into my home and feel as good as when I step into a beautifully designed hotel room. Who wouldn't want to feel like that everyday of their lives?