“This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and All You® & Real Simple® but all my opinions are my own. #PMedia #NewYearMeTime http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV”
Creating a happy place for ‘me time’ is essential for making the most of relaxing moments!
With the start of the New Year, I was really feeling the overwhelming need to ‘declutter’ every area of my house. However, I was in need of some inspiration, and a little help, in doing this.
While shopping at Walmart, I was so excited to find Real Simple and All You magazines I thought might help me, I shared them on Instagram…
In fact, I was even able to save some money on them with this Walmart coupon. The coupon is good 1/14/15-2/16/15 (while supplies last) for $1.00 off any of these magazines – People, People StyleWatch, All You, InStyle and Real Simple.
I found some really great advice on getting rid of clothes-
- if you haven’t worn it in 6 months, then chances are you won’t ever wear it again {seasonal clothes excluded}
- if you’re holding on to clothes that don’t fit, thinking you’ll lose the weight, you ned to be realistic and just let go of them
- sentimental items, like wedding dresses or grandma’s vintage gown, should be professionally cleaned and boxed for storage, and then put in storage. This will get it out of your closet and give you more space
These are just a few of the tips that inspired me to get rid of a huge black trash bag full of clothes, which I donated to a local clothing bank. However, I was feeling a bit overwhelmed with the decluttering of my closet, so I decided to take another piece of advice they gave and concentrate on doing one small area at a time. Since I’m making ‘me’ a priority this year, I decided to create a happy place where I could go to do what relaxes me most – snuggling on my bed with a cup of flavored coffee and a good book or magazine.
There was just one problem. My nightstand was a disaster. Literally. It’s sort of a catch-all for everything, leaving me no space for things that truly belong there.
Following the advice I’d read about downsizing my closet, I looked at every item on my nightstand and asked myself these questions:
- do I really need this?
- can I throw this away?
- can I give this away?
- is there a better place to keep this?
I was amazed at how easy , and quick, it was to get my nightstand cleaned off.
When it came to decide exactly what to let stay there, I decided on a few simple rules:
- what do I use the most? Easy- my cell phone and charger
- how do I use the space? Simple – I like to drink coffee and read in bed
- what makes me happy? Another no brainer – my pretty ceramic bird {I love birds!}, a photo cube of me and Mark, my essential oils burner {the smell of lavender is so calming!}
I was even inspired to create a fun painted planter to add some color and fun to it. I’m not the best at keeping plants alive, in fact, I’ve got not only one black thumb, but two. Yep, I’m convinced I could probably somehow manage to kill a fake plant without even trying. Real Simple had a short article on plants that required little care, making it super easy for me to select something that would at least have a chance of survival. I chose a green succulent with pretty purplish tips.
I purchased a plain clay pot and saucer and proceeded to dress it up to add something fun and pretty to my nightstand.
Using a pretty paint color, I applied two coats of it to the base of the pot {be sure to let dry between coats}.
Next, I painted the rim of the pot white. Then, while still wet, sprinkled it with white glitter.
For extra fun, I painted a rectangle of black chalk paint. I used two coats, applying the first coat vertically, and the second coat horizontally, drying 24 hours between coats.
Once the chalk paint was completely dry, I cured it by lightly rubbing a piece of chalk over it, then wiping it off. Using a liquid chalk pen, I wrote ‘Peace’ on the clay pot. And, since it’s chalk, it can easily be erased to create a new message whenever the fancy strikes me.
My ‘new’ nightstand is the perfect happy place for me, allowing me to truly relax with my next read. And it’s also inspiring me to keep up with the decluttering of the other areas of my home. I may even get around to finishing my closet 🙂