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Posts Tagged ‘grateful’

Monday’s Meditation: On The Power of Gratitude

By Annie | December 16, 2013 | 3

Welcome

Annie Traurig was born with the ability to see order through clutter. As a child, she spent playdates organizing friends’ closets and packing their duffle bags for summer camp.

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4/4/26. Being alive is the most precious, exhilarating, fun, joyful, fulfilling adventure. I feel overwhelming gratitude every day to be here, alive at the same time as all of you, able to contribute to the world in the way I know was assigned to. Thanks to @davidaxelrod.co for making all of my (birthday) dreams come true (I.e. extending his superpower normally reserved for @beckonaire clients in my direction), to all those who took time to send me sweet greetings, the city of London, the lovely team at @surrenne, and @tracyandersonmethod @kellybolly for the epic, life-and-longevity extending birthday activities.

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We are all works in progress. What we aren’t are problems to be solved.

The trouble is, for every facet of self that exists, there is a company or person seeking to exploit our humanity in the name of improvement. Buy this product.Take this course. Only the purchase of this thing can save you from your average-human-status and elevate you to the shiniest version of you.

Despite how pervasive the messaging can be, believing that our worth is dependent upon external, surface-level factors (controlled by others who profit off of our insecurities), is still our choice.

Practicing self-love is a possible choice for each of us, too. It’s the requisite antidote to the sense of inadequacy society imparts.

Practicing self-love begins with recognizing the ways we’ve farmed out our worth. It means realizing that those who may have taught us we were unlovable or not enough was misinformed and insecure, themselves. It means speaking lovingly to ourselves, daily.

I love and accept myself as I am.

The first time we say it we may find it hard to believe or awkward to utter. It’s important that we practice saying those words every day, regardless.

I love and accept myself.

As I am.

Not once we get X, and once we change Y. Today. Right now. With our cellulite and our weird decision-making process, our skin color, our anxieties, our age, and our track record. Lovable. Acceptable. No more or less deserving of compassion than anyone else.

Think how easily we extend grace to others. How we take in the whole of them, flaws and all, and still deem them worthy of love.

We must not withhold from ourselves what we give without conditions, to others.

When we love and accept ourselves, fundamentally, we realize our worth was never up for debate or dependent on external factors. It just is. Like gravity. Like the moon.

Rooted in that knowing, we become immune to predatory marketing. We choose how we grow, instead of being sold who to become. And we’re able to view external markers appropriately: potentially fun, entirely optional, and never determinants of our worth.

[calendar design by @arielm_garcia ]

#selflove❤️ #selfacceptancejourney #selfimage

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Live Simply closets = sartorial sanctuaries.

This project (somehow, already a year ago!) is a prime example of the beauty that’s created when people hire for excellence, trust the process, and are open to new ways of thinking of being. Plus, it’s a testament to the power of the edited collection over the accumulation of excess. ✌🏻

#professionalorganizing #closetorganizing #organizinginspiration

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When this fashion industry vet bought her first official shared, non NYC closet, there was only one logical thing to do…enlist the help of the pros.

We made sure every square inch was maximized and in-season garments were prioritized, and we carved out a fully respectable portion for her husband, to boot (ahem). Then we hung a mirror, added a few valet rods, and twirled on to the next project…

#professionalorganizing #closetorganizing #organizedcloset

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Best possible day to…

-Let go of what no longer serves you.

-Move on from shopping mistakes you made in the past.

-Release your feelings of obligation to keep items you were gifted.

-Get rid of broken things, mystery parts, and torn and stained items.

-Say bye to the duplicates and triplicates of the one item you actually needed or wanted to begin with.

-Consign the dud designer goods.

-Clear out the expired products that have been quietly fermenting in your cabinets.

-FREE YOURSELF OF THE CLUTTER.

You’re worthy of a space that supports your best version of self now, one that’s filled with positive, vital energy.

#declutteryourhome #declutteryourmind #professionalorganizing

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Move in while you’re out of town.

It means less facetime with our clients (who we adore), but more magic wand effect: *poof* your fully moved-in home is ready and waiting for your return… 🪄

[interior design by the famously talented @wymaninteriors]

#professionalorganizing #seattleprofessionalorganizer #moveinday

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If you designate it, they will edit.

It’s a lot more challenging to motivate continual editing without a clearly defined landing spot for one/two/three-off donation items.

This is solved by easily by way of a location and a receptacle. Pick the spot, and then use a lightweight hamper, a paper bag, or whatever other receptacle you so choose. Advertise the delicious opportunity to those you share the space with. Marvel at how that vessel fills.

#declutteryourhome #declutteringtips #professionalorganizer

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Are you/ they incapable, or is it a matter of necessity and accountability??

#professionalorganizing #kitchenorganization #organizedhome

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Beginning today, consider the components of your daily life not merely as routines, but rituals.

Routines are obligatory. They can be laborious. And they don’t necessarily require our active attention or inspire positive emotions.

Rituals are ceremonies we perform for ourselves. They invite us to focus on the present moment, to enjoy the Simple acts that constitute them, and to experience a sense of groundedness and peace.

Daily rituals contain a clear beginning, middle, and end. As such, they are distinct pockets of time (in our otherwise flurried days) when we can appreciate the processes we’ve lovingly designed for ourselves.

Each step can be a delight-inducing cue that calls on us to acknowledge the blessings around us.

Something as seemingly banal as making a morning coffee, exercising, or applying skincare can be elevated to the level of a ritual when we define the key steps and choose tools needed to perform the ritual with intention.

The difference between consuming caffeine and Making A Cup Of Coffee (using preferred beans, while enjoying the sounds of the kettle warming and hot water being poured, the feeling of a favorite mug in hand, and so on), is not to be discounted.

It isn’t that the conditions have to be perfect, but that we are tuned into them. Some days are quieter than others, and being present is easier then, sure. But how attentive we are to gratitude for everyday practices and pleasures is ultimately up to us.

“Here I still am, alive, getting to do this,” a ritual inspires us to say. It reminds us, “I am worthy of this small, daily devotion.” And it invites us to reflect and remark, “thank you.”

Just as we bring intentionality to the opening of a ritual, we thoughtfully close one. We do this by putting away all that we have used. Each thing, one by one, we put back where it belongs.

That way—assuming we are fortunate enough to meet tomorrow—the ritual will be ready for us to perform again.

[calendar designed exclusively by @arielm_garcia ]

#dailyrituals #ritualmagic #declutteryourmind

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Wondering where to start editing and organizing?

Your own closet. The space where you begin and end your days. All of your internal noise will be on display there, and when you confront it, you free yourself.

It can either be a place where ease reigns and present-moment-you is supported, or where past regrets and future fears distract and burden you.

You can either have functionality and ease or you can maximum options; rarely can you have both.

What if you allowed yourself to Simply answer the question, “What do I LOVE to wear NOW?” And let the honest answers to that decide the rest for you.

#closetorganizer #professionalorganizing #declutteryourhome

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The happiest Simply kitchen around.

Our organizing process is designed to inspire delight. Add to that base the happiest version of most any thing (in this house, even a hot pad is a chance to inject more whimsy into life) and a playground designed to evoke joy (done by the one and only @massuccowarner ), and the result is this singular space.

Can’t you tell how delicious the banana bread baked here is??😘

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How many canvas tote bags does one person or family really need, anyway, would you say?

(Aka everyone’s favorite Simply psychological game, round 6).

#professionalorganizing #declutteryourhome #declutteringjourney

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Are Lego bricks worth meticulously organizing?

In most cases (hot take!) I say no.

i find that parents who think they want a detailed Lego organizing system are actually desiring less Lego responsibility, not more.

But since a higher maintenance Lego system isn’t a reasonable ask for most young kids, parents are unknowingly signing themselves up for a result that’s counter to their original goal (clocking in precious time sorting Lego after the kids have gone to bed).

Instead of attempting to design an elaborate differentiation system, establish clear expectations about where the Legos belong (and where they don’t!), and make it as EASY as possible for kids to succeed.

A Lego countertop/ tray/bucket/storage tote or two > myriad different drawers/categories/color-sorting system.

It’s one of the only instances I can think of where my vote is less organization. Intention and clearly defined places, yes, always, and in this case, less sorting for more sanity.

Then it falls on parents, loved ones, and caregivers to not overconsume Lego, because excess makes anything unmanageable for everyone.

That’s my hot Lego take. What’s yours??

#legosystem #professionalorganizers #legoorganization

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Do NOT skip this step when remodeling.

If you want your home to be designed for everyday ease and functionality, CONSULT A PRO ORGANIZER, PLEAZZZZ.

We’re paying attention to the details that are often overlooked or under-considered in the planning phase. Details like interior drawer and cabinet dimensions, the types of storage spaces needed, and their proximity and orientation to each other, splurge-worthy cabinetry add-ons, and the ones pros love to use that Organizers are perpetually plagued by in practice.

All of this is made exponentially more impactful when combined with pro Organizers firsthand knowledge of your particular belongings and daily routines.

We’ve been in far too many newly renovated spaces whose lost opportunity for functionality make us groan (since they make YOUR life harder).

So please, just ask us to review your design plans.🙏🏻

#professionalorganizing #remodelingexperts #homedesigning

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Pro tips for fridge/ freezer organization:

1. Have clearly defined zones. Make distinct places for fruits, vegetables, dairy, lunch snacks, and whatever else are staples in your household. Bins help to define shelf space and make contents more accessible.

2. Make a dedicated leftover shelf. Label it. This alone helps significantly to cut down on waste and prevent things from getting lost.

3. Decant your heart out. Especially for the items you always keep stocked. Uniform canisters = more order = more awareness of what you have = better shopping decisions.

4. RESET when you restock. Pull contents out and clean the cabinet or drawers when your stock is lowest/ right before you do a big shop. The state of your space impacts how you feel. Give yourself the best shot at clear thinking when it comes to eating.

5. Most any bin/ jar/ turntable that fits in your fridge will be a winning organizational tool. Whether or not it’s marketed as being intended for the fridge is largely irreverent.

What systems have helped you keep your fridge/ freezer in order??

#professionalorganizing #fridgeorganization #fridgefreezerorganization

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Nothing we hear, speak, or think goes in one ear and out the other. It lands and lives within us, whether consciously or subconsciously.

The media we consume, the conversations we have, and the thoughts we think directly shape our realities.

Yet despite this, we’re far too glib about what we give our precious attention to and what we habitually choose to focus on.

When we consume mental junk by deluging our brains with a constant stream of reality-tv, social media, and societal stress, we simmer in a negative, distracting, toxic mental stew. It only stands to reason that we feel less inspired, less connected, less creative, and less vital as a result.

When we think expansive, life-affirming, grateful thoughts and speak about inspiring topics, we plant mental seeds. Each time we practice those thoughts, we strengthen their roots and our lives flourish as a result.

We cannot expect or hope to avoid altogether challenging topics. Challenges are a part of life and to deny them would be to live in delusion. And yes, we have a civic duty to be informed and proactive in society.

Still, we are responsible for protecting our inner peace and wellbeing. We do that with intentional daily choices and dosages.

We can choose to limit the amount of inconsequential chatter we ask our systems to digest and prioritize engagement in the present moment instead.

We can be intentional about the content and tone of our conversations.

We can focus not just on crucial world updates, but also on hope and heroism.

Our attention is in peril, increasingly exploited for the gain of massive corporations. Directed with discipline, it is the key to our peace and contentment.

[calendar design by @arielm_garcia ]
#february2026 #attention #mentaldiscipline

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When you finally have a full-on walk-in pantry, the only sensible course of action is to ensure it has organizing systems that make cooking, baking, snacking, meal packing, and restocking EASY.

#professionalorganizing #organizedpantry #kitchenorganization

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Yet another reason why it’s beneficial to organize your space…

Organizing involves your hands, and your brain loves that. Tasks like sorting objects, putting things away, folding, positioning things precisely, touching different textures, and so on all lead to an enhanced sense of wellbeing. Research shows that hands-on activities stimulate your brain, help to reduce stress and anxiety, and improve cognition. Especially doing repetitive tasks (ahem, folding, ahem), has the ability to shift our focus from ruminating on problems to finding solutions.

Lots of studies (published on PubMed Central) back this up, as well as sources like Lifting Depression: A Neuroscientist’s Hands-On Approach to Activating your Brain’s Healing Power by Kelly Lambert, and The Breakout Principle by Dr. Herbert Benson.

What does this mean? Organizing delivers on both the journey and the destination! Feel better while you work on doing something that will make you feel better. What more could you ask for??

#organizinginspiration #brainhealthtips #declutteringtips

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We’re looking forward to this next year with pure excitement for the opportunities that are in store. Spaces yet to be transformed, lives yet to be shifted, work yet to be done and fun yet to be had…🚀

Post concept by the one and only @y2kira 😘

#professionalorganizing #seattleprofessionalorganizer #garagestorage

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I have long held the belief that success is largely dependent upon our ability to suck it up in the present in service of our future selves.

Our actions today dictate our circumstances later. When we bear that truth in mind (and have clarity about what we ultimately desire and value), we’re better able to prioritize behaviors that don’t just feel good in a fleeting, sugar-high, dopamine-rush sort of way, but a long-term, mature way.

Maintaining an organized home is wholly dependent on your ability to attend to tasks that need doing now, rather than delaying them in favor of doing most anything.

When you make the bed in the morning, you give your evening self the gift of an elevated nightly ritual.

When you take the time to re-hang the items of clothing you tried on, but did not ultimately wear, your later self gets to return to a calm, rather than chaotic, space.

When you take five or ten minutes now to sort through a smattering of mail, you ensure your future self doesn’t have to eventually face a seemingly unending stack of papers.

When you edit regularly and maintain organizing systems, you make not only your life easier in the future, but also your loved ones’ (none of us are taking anything with us when we go!).

Each decision you make now determines the reality your future self will inhabit.

Choosing the better, wiser, more long-term action requires that you persistently ask yourself the question: what will make me feel my best later on?

[calendar designed to exclusively by @arielm_garcia ]
#january2026 #futureself #persistence

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