1 00:00:03,400 --> 00:00:06,680 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of my Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,440 --> 00:00:15,360 Speaker 1: Good Morning, This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:16,560 --> 00:00:19,959 Speaker 1: Today's tip is to make one spot in your home 4 00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:26,159 Speaker 1: a haven. We can't always control other people's messes, but 5 00:00:26,239 --> 00:00:30,240 Speaker 1: if clutter bothers you, having one spot that is tidy 6 00:00:31,040 --> 00:00:36,760 Speaker 1: can leave you feeling far more serene. Anyone who has 7 00:00:36,840 --> 00:00:40,400 Speaker 1: seen my office knows that I am not too bothered 8 00:00:40,440 --> 00:00:44,000 Speaker 1: by messes. I get focused on what I am doing, 9 00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:49,200 Speaker 1: and when I am focused, my physical environment just doesn't 10 00:00:49,320 --> 00:00:54,120 Speaker 1: rise up my priority list. That said, even I have 11 00:00:54,240 --> 00:00:58,760 Speaker 1: a limit, and in a family of seven people, sometimes 12 00:00:58,800 --> 00:01:03,760 Speaker 1: the stuff can get out of control. Rather than spend 13 00:01:03,760 --> 00:01:07,040 Speaker 1: my life picking things up, I know I can always 14 00:01:07,080 --> 00:01:11,600 Speaker 1: retreat to my bedroom. I'm never in there except for 15 00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:14,080 Speaker 1: when I am sleeping, and maybe the thirty minutes or 16 00:01:14,120 --> 00:01:17,720 Speaker 1: so before I am sleeping. My closet and bathroom are 17 00:01:17,760 --> 00:01:20,320 Speaker 1: both down a little hallway, which means there's no need 18 00:01:20,440 --> 00:01:24,319 Speaker 1: to stack stuff in the bedroom itself. All that is 19 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:28,520 Speaker 1: in there is a bed, a rug to night tables, 20 00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:34,039 Speaker 1: two lamps, a chair, and a decorative shelf with nothing 21 00:01:34,080 --> 00:01:37,399 Speaker 1: on the shelf because the shelf is new and I 22 00:01:37,480 --> 00:01:41,560 Speaker 1: kind of like keeping it empty. In other words, there 23 00:01:41,640 --> 00:01:45,480 Speaker 1: is really nothing to clean up. If the bed is made, 24 00:01:45,880 --> 00:01:50,200 Speaker 1: then the room is completely tranquil. If other places feel 25 00:01:50,200 --> 00:01:53,320 Speaker 1: like a mess, I can always go in there and 26 00:01:53,400 --> 00:01:58,440 Speaker 1: shut the door. Maybe you could consider creating one such 27 00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:02,440 Speaker 1: space too. The primary bedroom is a good spot in 28 00:02:02,640 --> 00:02:06,000 Speaker 1: many houses since most of the time the kid clutter 29 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:10,359 Speaker 1: doesn't wind up in there. Not always, of course, if 30 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:13,320 Speaker 1: you are sharing sleeping quarters with a baby or toddler, 31 00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:17,320 Speaker 1: then obviously that is going to change things. But if not, 32 00:02:18,200 --> 00:02:21,360 Speaker 1: you might have a fighting chance of keeping most of 33 00:02:21,400 --> 00:02:25,240 Speaker 1: the stuff out of there so everything stays tidy with 34 00:02:25,320 --> 00:02:29,880 Speaker 1: minimal effort. If that is not an option, maybe you 35 00:02:29,880 --> 00:02:34,000 Speaker 1: can find another spot. Sometimes a bathroom can become an 36 00:02:34,040 --> 00:02:38,280 Speaker 1: adult only bathroom and take on a spa like atmosphere. 37 00:02:39,480 --> 00:02:43,239 Speaker 1: Or perhaps it's an office or a guest room that 38 00:02:43,280 --> 00:02:46,920 Speaker 1: no one would naturally use much. If one of your 39 00:02:46,960 --> 00:02:50,800 Speaker 1: kids has moved out, that child's old bedroom could be 40 00:02:51,040 --> 00:02:55,000 Speaker 1: re envisioned as a low clutter spot. Or maybe it's 41 00:02:55,040 --> 00:02:57,840 Speaker 1: just a corner of the living room where you fight 42 00:02:57,880 --> 00:03:01,680 Speaker 1: the good fight to keep everything away. People know not 43 00:03:01,760 --> 00:03:04,360 Speaker 1: to leave a dish on mom or Dad's favorite coffee 44 00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:07,760 Speaker 1: table over there. Or move the pillows from their carefully 45 00:03:07,840 --> 00:03:11,880 Speaker 1: arranged spot. The rest of the home can be a disaster, 46 00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:16,440 Speaker 1: but if you arrange one corner and have the ability 47 00:03:16,480 --> 00:03:20,520 Speaker 1: to sit facing away from the mess, this can make 48 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:25,880 Speaker 1: things feel more in control. Now to be sure, I 49 00:03:25,919 --> 00:03:29,959 Speaker 1: know people can go overboard on linking physical clutter with 50 00:03:30,240 --> 00:03:34,720 Speaker 1: mental unhappiness. I do not buy the idea that life 51 00:03:34,760 --> 00:03:38,880 Speaker 1: begins when you put your house in order, since housework 52 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:42,839 Speaker 1: is never done. That is just a way to keep 53 00:03:42,840 --> 00:03:45,920 Speaker 1: people from feeling like they can ever do anything in 54 00:03:45,920 --> 00:03:50,760 Speaker 1: their lives except pick things up. Since we can't always 55 00:03:50,760 --> 00:03:55,000 Speaker 1: control other people's messes, that means we are defeated from 56 00:03:55,040 --> 00:04:01,320 Speaker 1: the get go. So please go build your are big, beautiful, 57 00:04:01,600 --> 00:04:06,520 Speaker 1: fabulous life, whatever your house looks like. But if you 58 00:04:06,600 --> 00:04:09,920 Speaker 1: do enjoy a calm and serene spot from time to time, 59 00:04:10,840 --> 00:04:13,960 Speaker 1: you don't need to go full minimalist to make it happen. 60 00:04:15,160 --> 00:04:20,320 Speaker 1: Just clear one room or one spot and make that 61 00:04:21,120 --> 00:04:27,040 Speaker 1: your haven. Go there when you need a break, then 62 00:04:27,080 --> 00:04:33,160 Speaker 1: you can emerge to everything else feeling better. In the meantime. 63 00:04:34,120 --> 00:04:38,920 Speaker 1: This is Laura, Thanks for listening, and here's to making 64 00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:49,039 Speaker 1: the most of our time. Hey, everybody, I'd love to 65 00:04:49,040 --> 00:04:52,000 Speaker 1: hear from you. You can send me your tips, your questions, 66 00:04:52,120 --> 00:04:55,839 Speaker 1: or anything else. Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook 67 00:04:55,960 --> 00:05:00,760 Speaker 1: and Instagram at Before Breakfast Pod. That's b E the 68 00:05:00,880 --> 00:05:05,080 Speaker 1: number four, then breakfast p o D. You can also 69 00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:09,160 Speaker 1: shoot me an email at Before Breakfast podcast at iHeartMedia 70 00:05:09,279 --> 00:05:11,880 Speaker 1: dot com that Before Breakfast is spelled out with all 71 00:05:11,920 --> 00:05:14,440 Speaker 1: the letters. Thanks so much, should I look forward to 72 00:05:14,480 --> 00:05:22,680 Speaker 1: staying in touch. Before Breakfast is a production of I 73 00:05:22,800 --> 00:05:26,680 Speaker 1: heart Radio. For more podcasts from my heart Radio, visit 74 00:05:26,720 --> 00:05:30,120 Speaker 1: the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you 75 00:05:30,120 --> 00:05:31,320 Speaker 1: listen to your favorite shows.