Posted in caregiver, Clean and Organize, Declutter, Introverts, Lifestyle Coach

I Do This Every Morning . . .

It brings me pleasure, motivation, an action toward my goals.

It’s okay to include your children or family.

It takes about 10 to 20 minutes of your day.

𝓘𝓉’𝓈 𝒿𝑜𝓊𝓇𝓃𝒶𝓁𝒾𝓃𝑔 . . . I been journaling since I could write. I always had a notebook and my collection of pens. My friends would be looking at the toys in the Navy Exchange while I was checking out the new fancy pens on display in the Stationary Section.

I really don’t know what to say to others about HOW I AM – having a journal that never expects anything from me in return, it’s easy to just write about anything.

It’s not that I don’t care about people, I just don’t feel comfortable saying anything other than “I’m okay”. My journal is the space where I can be honest, rude, negative, hopeless, worthless, and above ALL be truthful with myself.

It is not always a smooth journey that leads to an easy destination. There are times when things can get worse before getting better. At times you have to travel unpaved paths to come to the most magnificent visions. Who doesn’t love a rainbow after a violent storm? That’s when you get the prettiest rainbows.

I have used this writing prompt in the past with clients, especially the individuals whom I arrived at on Saturday morning and they would say to me “I didn’t get ANYTHING done this week” I would reply with “Really, you didn’t do anything this week?” I would leave them with this writing prompt as Homework.

The amazement the following week never came from me, it was from my client to learn how many actions they do attend to during the week that’s where I come in as a coach to direct that foot traffic to the purposeful matters.

Enoy journaling . . .

𝓟𝓮𝓪𝓬𝓮 & 𝓗𝓪𝓻𝓶𝓸𝓷𝔂 ~ Your Friendly Organizer, Cheryl

If you’re looking for guidance beyond this post today, my Coaching Programs can be personalized just for you. Book a Complimentary Session to discuss what’s holding you back. I look forward to guiding you on your journey to achieve organized spaces in your lifestyle.

Call or Text 860.961.6842

A text gets to me faster: Name, Issue, the Best time to call

Email: envisionsdesigns@gmail.com

Posted in Clarity, Decisions, Declutter

Spring Clean Your Lifestyle!

Spring Clean Your Lifestyle!

1. Intentional Spring clean. As you clean your house, approach the process with kindness and be patient as it unfolds. Ask: what are my goals for the home? How do I want to inhabit my space differently? What could I do to be happier in my home? 

2. Refresh your journaling routine. Perhaps you’ve always been a free-form writer seeking more direction in your process. Find inspiration with journaling prompts tailored to how you want to realign and recalibrate. 

3. Design with fresh blooms. What better way to welcome Spring than with the beautiful colors of our natural world? Visit your local farmer’s market, flower shop (sometimes they have leftovers from bridal bouquets & centerpieces), or even your local grocery store —it’s a lovely little pick-me-up after your Sunday afternoon tasks.

4. Revisit your spending habits. While the idea of creating a budget may call visions of anxiety and being told NO makes your eye twitch, it is necessary!  I like to think of money as an ‘energy’, not an entity I am beholden to – that’s why you MUST look at your financial picture weekly. Then take a DEEP DIVE once a month. Simply make a list: All your debits (money out) All your credits (money in) + Your monthly Income. This gives you a better understanding of where your money is going and what that says about how you spend your time with your money. Are you spending on clothes you don’t love? On shoes that don’t fit? Would you rather dedicate more money to experiences? To updates on the home? When you have those numbers right in front of you, it will have you spending the ‘green’ differently.

5. Take your workout outside. I’m an outdoor workout girlie through and through. So, when the weather warms up, you can bet I’m hopping on my bike and hitting the trails. Why? Because there’s nothing that energizes or inspires me quite like being outdoors. Even if that looks like a 20-minute walk after work, every step counts . . . . 

6. Dine outdoors. It doesn’t just have to be just when you work out—as you spring clean your lifestyle, look for all the little pockets in your day that you can spend outdoors. You need to eat, so why not set up a picnic at your local winery(adults only)  or local park (family) for lunch or dinner? 

7. Make weekly farmer market trips. Our local coastal farmer’s market moves outdoors in April, and I’m there every weekend. I love indulging in the ritual of a leisurely morning coffee and walking around the market without a list in hand—ready to let inspiration lead the way.

8. Switch up scents! For perfumes, candles, and however else you choose to scent your lifestyle. Pumpkin spice is out ….thank goodness! lilacs are very much in.

9. Pick one thing & Let it go.  This spring, choose one thing—be it a weekly obligation, an invitation you’ve been unwilling to accept, whatever it may be!—and release it. Trust me, the sun will rise and set without you overextending yourself.

10. Upgrade your beauty cabinet. Have you always been curious about clean beauty but haven’t yet taken the plunge? Try This! If a total redesign isn’t in the cards (new products can add up quickly), select a few items in your daily routine to refresh. A little goes a long way.

11. Morning brain dump. If journaling isn’t your ‘thing’ yet, ease your way in with a simple brain dump. In the morning when you wake up, pull out a piece of paper or journal and simply jot down all that’s on your mind. Whether that’s work anxieties or a strange dream you can’t shake off, write it down on the page and leave it there. No need for you to carry it around all day long.

12. Let go of negative self-talk. We’re done!

13. Repurpose a junk drawer into a wellness drawer. Or add a collection of anything else that brings you joy! In the past, I have swapped out my random pens, paperclips, loose keys I had no idea what lock they fit, and sticky notes for aesthetically pleasing objects and positive affirmations and mantras, I love to look at each morning. Create yours however you’d like.

14. Declutter your closet. You’ll be amazed how a small change will transform your whole mood. Each spring, I edit my wardrobe. Gone are the items I haven’t worn in 12 months (seasonal clothes don’t count). If you haven’t heard, clothes should fit you—not the other way around. Build a wardrobe capsule

15. Fluff-Up! your sleep routine. No more phones on the nightstand. Scratch that, they don’t belong in the bedroom at all (unless you need them for an emergency). Just a good book, perhaps your journal, and whatever else helps you wind down (my kitty-Cat helps). This spring and beyond, we’re all getting the sleep we deserve.

16. More silence, please. So much of our lives are dictated by the noise (thoughts, opinions, and influences) that others put out into the world. I’m a warrior with my quiet time and space—in the morning and evening before bed, be particularly mindful of what you allow into your lifestyle.

17. Embrace more whole foods in your nutrition planning. I’m not saying cut out everything that tastes yummy, but moderation should be your closet friend! Throughout your day, look for opportunities to bring more unprocessed or minimally processed foods into your meals. Whether that’s a fresh salad with lunch, fruit in your oatmeal, or nuts as a nighttime snack—“Your diet is a bank account. Good food choices are good investments.” – Bethenny Frankel

18. Clean up your digital life. Clear your phone roll of accidental screenshots and photos of your ex. Delete contacts you no longer speak with anymore. Achieve inbox zero—or whatever realistic version of that you choose. I do a Digital-Declutter once a month!

19. Create a tech-free zone in your home. Analog only, y’all. Books, art supplies, crafting items—whatever brings you joy! The only rule: no cell phones are allowed.

20. Hydrate. If I’m in a bad mood or need an energy boost, a sip of water is almost always the answer. If you’re like me and do not like plain water daily, there are plenty of water flavors to add: fresh fruit, and zero-calorie H2O flavoring. This is what I’m working on currently – drinking more water daily. Let’s hydrate together!

𝓟𝓮𝓪𝓬𝓮 & 𝓗𝓪𝓻𝓶𝓸𝓷𝔂 ~ Your Friendly Organizer, Cheryl

If you’re looking for guidance beyond this post today, my Coaching Programs can be personalized just for you. Book a Complimentary Session to discuss what’s holding you back. I look forward to guiding you on your journey to achieve organized spaces in your lifestyle.

Call or Text 860.961.6842

A text gets to me faster: Name, Issue, the Best time to call

Email: envisionsdesigns@gmail.com

Posted in Actions, Decisions, Declutter, time management

Do You Have 10 Minutes to Declutter?

Your Friendly Organizer, Cheryl

𝑾𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒕𝒐 connect 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒖𝒔!

Call/Text 860.961.6824

*(please text or email with name, story, best time to call, location)*

𝒜𝓉 𝓉𝒾𝓂𝑒𝓈 𝓘’𝓂 𝒾𝓃 𝒜𝓉𝓉𝒾𝒸𝓈 𝑜𝓇 𝓑𝒶𝓈𝑒𝓂𝑒𝓃𝓉𝓈 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽 𝓃𝑜 𝓈𝒾𝑔𝓃𝒶𝓁

email envisionsdesigns@gmail.com

for your free 1/2-hour consultation.

Posted in Declutter, Eclectic, Home Design, maximalist, minimalist

Minimalism vs. Maximalism

There has always been a push and pull between the both . . .

Minimalist design is about prioritizing the essentials. A minimalist building, object, or interior design is stripped of its core functionality.

It is realized using limited materials, neutral colors, simple forms, and avoiding excess ornamentation to achieve a pure form of elegance.

While the final expression of a minimalist design might appear effortlessly simple, as spare as a poem, and as clear as a bell, achieving this kind of powerful simplicity is anything but easy.

It takes purposeful decision-making to bring it all together.

Maximalism design is popular among younger generations, particularly millennials, who were eager to incorporate plants, mixed colors, and other accessories into their spaces.

Maximalism became a way to define an eclectic home with a chaotic array of colors, prints, objects, and textures in a single space.

Maximalism is the art of more-is-more; layered patterning, highly saturated colors, ample accessories and artwork hung “salon-style”, and a real sense of playfulness and bold gestures.

Maximalism is all about going big, or going home!

Here is a list of articles, and information about both minimalist & maximalist design:

Slowing down is an act of minimalism – Minimalism Life

Minimal Maxims – Quotes from The Minimalists

Shared understanding – Manu (manuelmoreale.com) 

Inside Minimalism: Essays on Simple Living (Volume 1) – Kindle edition

Everything You Need to Know About the Cluttercore Trend Cluttercore: The Scariest Home Design Trend That Makes Us Cringe – Treadstone Mortgage(thespruce.com)

Cluttercore Is Where Sentimentality and Organized Chaos Meet (bhg.com)

Maximalism Interior Design: What It Is, Examples and Decor Tips (goodhousekeeping.com)

Your friendly Organizer & Coach, Cheryl

𝑾𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒕𝒐 connect 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒖𝒔!

Call/Text 860.961.6824 or you can

email envisionsdesigns@gmail.com for your free 1/2 hour consultation.

Posted in Clean and Organize, Declutter, healthy home, Healthy Mind

New Year To Go Back . . .

To the basics . . . I am returning to where I started thirty-three years ago, providing my clients with Organizing & Coaching services.

People are overwhelmed with their clutter, but most American families live within chaotic family and work schedules, which keeps them in the clutter because they’re telling themselves “I don’t have time” so clutter has the time to accumulate. We can help break that cycle.

We can help you find the time, when you’re surrounded by clutter, your mindset is in total chaos – that’s where we can first help. We can partner to find a starting point along with an action plan while moving you forward to your goal.

We provide a safe place for you to start letting go of your clutter.

Your friendly Organizer & Coach, Cheryl

Why disorganization cause stress

𝑾𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒖𝒔!

Call/Text 860.961.6824 or you can

email envisionsdesigns@gmail.com for your free 1-hour consultation.

Posted in Clean and Organize, Declutter, Redesign, Renewal

Are You Ready For A New You This Year?

Let’s be truthful, clutter makes us feel crappy. That’s why, every year, after the big ball drops, oodles – oodles and oodles of us vow “this year we will get organized,” Fist pumps in the air, the family high-fiving each other. But, as days, weeks, and months go by and we resume our daily routines, the motivation to declutter tends to diminish. Perhaps your inner ‘neat freak’ merely needs the incentive to jump-start the organizing process.

Do you have too much clutter lying around? Do you have tripping hazards? such as tripping over toys in the middle of the night. Nevertheless, clutter causes many internal problems which – although less obvious than the Lego maze spread across your family room floor – are quite impactful on your life. 

Putting in the effort of getting organized, especially if this organization extends to multiple areas of your life, can help reduce stress and anxiety levels long term by requiring less last-minute scrambling in a variety of directions in everyday situations. It can also feel empowering, so you can experience new situations as “exciting” rather than “stressful.”

HEALTH BENEFITS OF BEING ORGANIZED:

*Boost your energy and productivity

*Reduce stress & anxiety

*Sleep better

*Lose weight

*Improve your financial health

Clutter happens to all of us at one time or another and regaining control over the chaos can be challenging. Fortunately, science has shown getting organized has so many health benefits. Making small changes and successive improvements in one area can lead to positive effects in other areas. For example, less stress means a better night’s sleep. This just might be the motivation you need to kick your organizing goals into high gear.

Check out the three Organize & Coach Packages that are available now. 

Make 2023 the year you get yourself organized. 

The 3 Organize & Coach Packages:

  1. ADD, ADHD, Chronic Disorganization, Hoarders, Clutter-Bugs Coaching

 I have focused my organize + coachwork on busy professionals that have struggled with chronic disorganization throughout their whole life. My clients and I work together to understand their challenges and to identify, and strategize along with learning new skills and habits.

Chronic Disorganization Fees
  • $75 / hour 60 – 90 – 180 minutes sessions

  1. Walk & Talk Strategy

A 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hour Walk & Talk Strategy Session will provide clarity and a written step-by-step strategy for getting organized. We begin with an interview and an examination of the spaces of concern, then continue with an evaluation of various organizing options and product recommendations (if needed). I can provide a sketch of the future layout as part of this package and would also be pleased to advise you on how to work with an assistant or temporary help in order to achieve your organizing goals.

Walk & Talk Fees
  • Individuals, non-profits, small businesses — $75/hour plus expenses
  • Corporations — $100/hour plus expenses

3. The Organizing Operation

I’ll sort through the clutter, create simple systems designed to your style and specifications, and replace the chaos with a pleasing functional, clean & tidy space.

  • Have a deadline?
  • Not productive or frustrated by your desk, filing system or office?
  • Overwhelmed with household storage areas, home office, or the so-called guest room?
On-Site/In-Person Organizing Operation Fees
  • Individuals, non-profits, and small businesses — $75 per hour plus expenses
  • Corporations — $100 per hour plus expenses

Coaching Package Activities:  to facilitate your journey to a  Simple Lifestyle!
  • Vision/Mood Board Kit – learn techniques of creative visualization to achieve goals
  • Journals Kit – help you organize your thoughts, set goals with positive self-encouragement 
  • Daily Planner Kits – help with time management, become more productive, stay on tasks
These three pathways fit into all Organize & Coach packages:
Hands-on Sessions.

In-home organizing tailored to fit your lifestyle and design style. For help making all spaces—including walk-in closets, home offices, pantries, playrooms, and everything in between—functional and stylish.

DIY Organizing ~ Virtual Coming Soon!

Expert guidance via videos & guidebooks. Follow a personalized plan and shopping list that fits your budget and design aesthetic. LBD prefers placement over purchase to style the space, we will have you shop your home before sending you off to the stores. You will then put it into action with one-on-one organizing support in real-time. You will receive a written action plan within the personalized guidebooks for your organizational needs.

Organization Design.

Customized Review of planned closet systems and/or built-in kitchen, bath, or garage cabinets. So you can be sure your newly built or remodeled storage spaces will be well organized for your lifestyle, and that the storage fits the purpose of the space.

𝒴𝑜𝓊𝓇 Organizer & Coach! 𝒞𝒽𝑒𝓇𝓎𝓁

𝑾𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒖𝒔!

Call/Text 860.961.6824 

email envisionsdesigns@gmail.com

Blog www.envision-designs.com

Posted in Declutter, organizing, Renewal

Are You Ready To Dip Your Toe Into The Organized Pool This Year?

Photo by Eugene Golovesov on Pexels.com

Please enjoy the 12 Blogs I have been enjoying during the past year.

Excellent information, mouth-watering images of the organization, fun stories, along with purposeful tips & tricks from professionals.

When I was a teacher – I wrote in my Teacher Journal on my fifth day of teaching these words: 

I AM NOT THE BEST TEACHER, BUT I AM A GREAT STUDENT.

It means I may have some of the answers, but I will do my best to get all your answers.

I hope one of these lovely professionals has the answers you’re looking for in your post-holiday cleanup.

Wrangle the Post-Holiday Mess With These Pro Tips (thespruce.com)

Tips for Cleaning up After the Holidays – House Cleaning Central

10 Budget-Friendly Ways to Re-Organize Your Home This Fall – Men With Kids

How to Organize Your Home – 30+ Organizing Ideas – Organizing Moms

Home | Abby Organizes (justagirlandherblog.com)

How to Start an Overwhelming Organizing Project

A Bowl Full of Lemons. Life. Organized.

Home – Organization Obsessed

Welcome to The Home Edit – You can purchase their products at Target

Cleaning Tips Archives – Clutterbug

Home by Jenn 

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by your home? – Happy Organized Life

Peace & Harmony

Your Friendly Organizer, Cheryl 

Posted in Christmas, Declutter, Deep-Cleaning

How An Organizer Can Help You During The Holidays

Photo by Jessica Lewis Creative on Pexels.com

Do you know that period of time between Christmas and New Year? 

I always remember as a former House Cleaner,  those days were the busiest, most chaotic, and all schedules “go to hell” week. 

  • The kids are acting up, and the pets are acting up.
  • Kids are out of school and ‘jacked up’ on holiday sweets and chocolates
  • The family is visiting, and even though they visit every year they forget where things go so everything is on the stairs it’s a competition ‘who can create the best displays’.
  • Your schedule has remained the same at work during this period, but the schedules at home have gone to hell!
  • You have ribbon all over the place, gifts in boxes scattered all over the floor, the cat is laying on every single wrapping paper it can find, and the dog has cleaned the kitchen island with its tongue . . . someone spread more jelly on the cutting board than the bread.
  • Friends want to stop by to visit your relatives in town, and you can’t find the living room through all the gifts, paper, ribbons, kids, parents, and pets.

That’s where a Lifestyle Organizer comes in – to be those extra hands to help keep your home in that Holiday Spirit to welcome in the New Year. A welcome filled with less stress, organized surroundings, a place where you are comfortable welcoming all that come to your home without worry or anxiety. This year you will probably for the first time truly enjoy YOUR Holiday Season.

Your home is not only your sanctuary during the holidays, but it’s also the stage for many holiday events. Whether you are hosting parties for family and friends, gift wrapping, or decorating your space, we are here to help you create your vision of what the holiday season means to you. 

Want to decorate but can’t find the time to get to the attic where you store your decorations? We can help with that! Need to declutter and clean your closets, pantry, or bedrooms before guests arrive? We have that covered on our list, too! As you prepare your home for all of the wonderful memories to come, we can help you organize it to accommodate any event you have visioned this Holiday Season.

This Holiday, give yourself the best gift you could ever receive– the gift of Peace & Harmony!  so you can enjoy the holiday events as you should.

Your Friendly Organizer, Cheryl

Posted in cleaning, Declutter, Home Stager, Redesign

Repeat After Me . . . Staging costs less than a price reduction

Here’s how a Home Stager can get the premium price from a sale

Stagers are professionals who work with real estate agents to help them sell homes by enhancing interiors for the best possible presentation. Realtors know that selling is more effective, and perceived values increase when prospective customers walk through rooms that are beautifully designed and decorated. This is where the stager can be an essential partner to the agent and the seller.

We partner with real estate agents and Property Managers like yourself in order to market your listings to their best capacity.  Partnering with a professional home stager & Redesigner adds credibility to your business, tremendous value to your listing package, and ultimately results in faster, more profitable home sales. Certified Home Stagers are specially trained to work with agents to quickly transform the inside of the home so that the traffic that the agent drives to the home will result in multiple offers.

How do they do this? We use an 8-step “FEEL HOME EMOTIONS” mission in each room of the home that serves to engage your clients (the home seller) in the process while ensuring that every detail is dealt with in the transformation of the home. 

 Here are the three easy steps to ensure a SOLD home:

1.  Before listing the home, have a Home Stager come to the home and develop a plan for staging the home that focuses on quick transformations, return on investment and works within the client’s budget. Even if you’re a DIYer, we can create a WALK & TALK action plan for you to reference.

2.  Working with the home seller, the  Home Stager makes only those changes that will reap a large return on dollars spent AND will speak to home buyers’ emotions.

3.  Once staged, the home is photo ready!  Since 95% of home buyers are using the Internet to determine whether to visit the home, photos of professionally staged rooms will set the listing apart from the rest.

Staging of Owner-Occupied Homes for Sale We offer a variety of services for occupied homes including in-home consultation, a DIY Walk & Talk action plan, art and accessory packages, and staging only a particular room to showcase its function. Occupied staging focuses on decluttering and furniture placement over purchase to make your home market & photo ready.


Staging of Vacant Homes for Sale We walk every property before providing a bid so we can create a customized design plan that positions the home to sell fast, with the most abundant amount. Our bid is a fixed, flat fee – no monthly fees, no ongoing fees, no design fees, no delivery fees … NO Surprises! The rental fees are based on the number of rooms or square footage of the home.


Interior Redesign Lifestyle by Design can provide options and ideas for “refreshing” your home’s decor as well as providing assistance with shopping (which is primary in-home shopping) and setup.  Services and products can be customized to fit the homeowner’s budget. This service works well if you have an upcoming personal or business event that you’ll have within your home, great way to showcase your sanctuary.


Holiday and Event Staging – Whether you’re planning an event at your home or office and need assistance decorating for the holidays, Lifestyle by Design can provide options and ideas to give your space that perfect look to enhance that special occasion. Services and products can be customized to fit the homeowner/client’s budget.


 It’s human nature to be attracted to pretty things and staged homes are much prettier than unstaged or badly staged homes. Staging relieves your client of stress and pressure and worries if their home looks good enough for buyers to pay the highest price.

Professional staging will encourage the buyer to form an ‘emotional link’ with the house and it’s that connection that leads them to buy the home. When our home was on the market I put out pamphlets of information about the local schools, local farmer markets, local wineries & Music – this way it makes them a part of home & community. It’s an idea I took from going up military, for each new deployment we would have a welcome kit waiting for us with all the information we needed to engage with our new community.

Remember staging is an investment, not an expense. You are investing in a proven method for appealing to the greatest number of potential buyers willing to pay the highest price. Remember earlier when I said we had our home on the market – it was on the market for 1 day, our home was a 30-year-old home with some aging, and it was bought within 4 hours. I asked our realtor what was her response to your survey question, and he said as she walked around she felt she had found “Home”.  

Your Friendly Organizer, Cheryl

Here’s your FEEL HOME EMOTION pdf … Feel The Joy!

If you’re looking for guidance beyond this post today, my Coach/Organize/Stage Programs can be customized just for you and/or your clients. Book a Complimentary Session to discuss how I can help your clients get the best and quickest price for their homes. I look forward to guiding you on your journey to achieve a ‘Showcase’ of your homes or business.

Ways to contact us!

Call/Text 860.961.6824 or you can email envisionsdesigns@gmail.com for your free 1/2 hour consultation.