Hello,

I'm excited to announce a new program that I am offering:  One Year of coaching.  I'm coming out of the closet  with the fact that I am an intuitive.  Its something that I used to always hide, because when I would reveal my "gift"  I often got a negative reaction, and was often socially isolated.  But the past couple years it has been my passion, maybe obsession, of developing this side of me, of healing myself and others, of learning how to listen to myself and have the courage to take action on that very quiet whisper, learning how to manifest intentionally.  We are all manifesting, but until I learned what it was, I didn't realize I was creating my life accidentally, I became very intentional about it.  I love self help, different meditation practices, feng shui, physical health & emotional health, the home, beliefs, the story we tell our selves... and how it is all related. 

Everything is related to everything else.  You've heard of the butterfly effect right?  That is in effect, and I want to teach you to create the life of your dreams starting at the home!​

I am my own guinea pig,  no way have I completely figured it out.  I believe this journey of evolution is a forever process. I have tried hundred's of different processes and I understand how to break it down so that if something is overwhelming we just make the steps smaller, and no that does not decrease the speed of getting where you want to go.  Yes sometimes it is needed to spend more time in one area than another.  A peak into my own life:  I am currently healing my gut off balance with Dr. Steven Gundry's Plant Paradox.  I am in heaven that I have found a solution that works.  But I'm also doing the emotional work to undue those belief patterns that caused me to live a lifestyle and choose certain foods that lead to this issue.  I am taking action in many other ways than just the particular food I eat.  Announcing this program is actually one of the steps,  I am being courageous and putting all of myself out there.

During this year of coaching, I bring all of my skills to the table, while we address each room in your house.  We do organize, you'll still get a beautifully organized home, but we'll also get into the subconscious/emotional relationship of that room to your life.  We'll look at what habits and old beliefs contribute  to the status of that area of your life.  Why would we do this?  Getting to the root of anything is the only way to truly create change.  And sometimes simply shedding light is very healing and powerful.  Sometimes allowing somebody else to see whats going on is very healing and powerful.  Check out this article if your are curious about improving the energy in your home.

Disclaimer* If you hire me as purely an organizer I will not suggest any emotional or spiritual tweaks, and less you specifically ask for it, at the end of the organizing session.

Sending you love, have a wonderful day!
Jessica

Hello!

Happy February! To me because its still so early in the year, Happy New Year too :)

Today's article is inspired from personal experience and an ongoing conversation with fellow organizing friends. So how on earth does filling up your cup have to do with organizing your home??? AND what is filling up your cup? When I began on this journey of intentionally filling up my own cup that is exactly what I asked: WHAT (very frustrated) is filling up your own cup??? And how do you do that? For those of you that have heard this phrase before and understand what that means, yay! For those of you that are as frustrated about this concept as I used to be, the following are some ideas and resources, along with my personal understanding. Much love <3

So what is filling up your own cup? Another way to say it could be self care, the act and commitment of being self loving, doing things to make your self happy without the participation or permission from anybody else. At the beginning of my (conscious) journey, I thought that love was "you make me happy, I make you happy;" but I was continually let down, and this did spiral downward, to a very painful emotional state. When I learned about "filling up your own cup" either from Lisa Nichols, or Teal Swan, and began to practice, I found myself feeling much more fulfilled, and less angry at the friends and family in my life for "letting me down". This can spill over into all areas of your life, especially how organized your home is or not. Personally it did affect how "clean" my home was and how much energy I had during the day.... to clean my place was an item on my to do list. I can say that when you continuously do not get to the things you want to accomplish, checked off, it does eat at you, for a couple reasons. One - things have physical energy. When there is mess or clutter, that is a physical manifestation of stagnant energy which drains you weather you are woo woo or not. The other - is self judgement, who knows what the story you have in your head is, but I know mine, was along the lines, of I am not a successful adult. Its hard to describe because it literally doesn't make sense when I try to remember my automatic thoughts. These thoughts of self judgement are incredibly draining. For you, it could just be simple a matter of you not having enough time, and having an organized home is not the top priority. The effects of not filling up your own cup can be endless, and so can the various things to fill up your cup. So I would encourage you to pause right now, and look at your typical habits and how it contributes to your happiness level.

Pause
Take a moment to reflect on your self.
How is filling up your own cup or not affecting you?
What can you do to fill up your own cup even more?

Here are some ideas that could start you in the direction of filling your own cup for more life <3
Try an experiment where you commit to this practice for at least a week, jot down anything you notice.

1. Take time to prepare a delicious and nutritious mean, sit down and savor it.

2. Spend time outside. Enjoying the view of nature and getting natural sun light does something to the chemicals in our bodies and brings us back to alignment with health. I wish I could site the sources, but its been stated in so many different professions, from psychology, societal domestic violence, prosperity and abundance practices, spirituality, health... Just try it and notice how you feel.

3. Meditate. If you think you don't know how to meditate, go to YouTube and look up a meditation video of any time length you desire and try it out.

4. Yoga, or walking can be a form of moving meditation.

5. Do something creative. If you think you are not creative just scribble on paper, that is extremely gratifying. Sometimes I love to just color the paper a particular color, to experience that color, its very fun :) That is also using color therapy.

6. Take a nice bath.

7. Get a massage.

8. Get a haircut or a make over! These feel like massages to me.

9. Read something uplifting or funny.

10. Watch or listen to something funny. Listening to comedians has definitely pulled me out of low spells.

11. Call a friend.

12. Clean your house, hire an organizer, a house cleaner, or set a timer.

13. Exercise, just move, if its too cold to leave the house put on some music and rock out, or check out my favorite YouTube dance channel Revfit. Physically getting your blood moving gives you more energy, and helps your blood to deliver nutrients and clean out waste.

14. Drink more water, if you think you may be chronically dehydrated use a water tracking ap. I thought I was fully hydrated, and decided to try out an ap, just to test myself, and I was falling short, that meant I was chronically dehydrated. It made a difference!

15. Ask your self: "what can I do right now to fill my cup?"
"what can I do right now that would make me even happier?"
"what can I do right now that would make me feel loved?"
"what would make me feel even more fulfilled right now?"
Any other question that feels good to ask will work. Make sure its an action that you can do that second. This is perfect for when you are feeling indecisive. You can apply this to which way you drive, what you eat for dinner, what you choose to buy at the grocery store, how you dress that morning...

16. Write "I love you" or some other affirmation on your water and/or on your mirrors, especially our bathroom mirror. I have "I love you" decals on my zero water filter and my bathroom mirror, I love it!

17. If this concept is frustrating or overwhelming, I recommend the book "Shadows Before Dawn" by Teal Swan. This book helped me quite a bit. You can buy it on Amazon, and probably Barns and Nobel.

18. What is something that you love, but never find the time to do? Do that first thing in the morning.

19. Fake laugh, I'm sorry laughter is such wonderful medicine. Just talking about fake laughing is making me laugh. Fake laughter can be just as good as the real thing. I dare you to try it with some friends or family, and see if you can keep from laughing hysterically.

20. Let it all out, write it out, talk it out, or punch it out. Find an outlet you enjoy and let'er rip!

So you've read the entire article this far and you are wondering what filling you cup has to do with organizing? Well Organizing, 9 times our of 10 is not about the stuff. Usually its about something else going on. While it may be overwhelming to address the actual issue head on, it is MUCH easier to build yourself up so that you have the strength to deal with the core issue. Organizing is interesting though, on one hand our things can trigger something we may have been avoiding but also simply clearing the physical clutter and, getting your house in order, in a way that best supports you, can be such a bug weight lifted off, that your entire life gets better. I have seen this in my own life, and in the lives of several clients. And that is what I love about organizing.

So here's your your best life, where your are so full that you are overflowing, and can help but give!
Love, Jessica

Happy 2019!

The New Year is a wonderful time to celebrate what we've achieved, experienced and enjoyed the year that just passed.  But its also a wonderful time to re-asses what is working and maybe what's not, or what you'd like to change.  Personally I love to have a goal or resolution for many different areas of my life, but here are some ideas for the home.

1. Bring in more plants.  I LOVE plants.  They do so much good for us, they clean the air, they help you relax, they provide color and natural beauty.  Plus sun light is something that is very healthy for all of us, so if you're plant is doing good then you probably are too.  Sean Stevenson in his book, Sleep Smarter even notes that having a plant in your bedroom can help you sleep better.  Make sure to pick a plant you love, and if you are not very good with plants, pick a succulent or bamboo, they are very hearty and easy to take care of.

2. Create a routine.  So many self help experts state that having a routine is critical for their success especially for the morning and night.  It doesn't have to be very long, it just needs to work for you.  What I do each morning is drink a full glass of water, visit the bathroom, then go for a walk.  Depending on my day ahead I may go for a shorter or longer walk.  But I love my morning walk.  Then I make breakfast when I get back, and start the day.  At night, I take 5 minutes to prepare myself for the next day, 10 minutes to tidy up, then I do a little yoga, write in my journal (will be the next point) and then read a page in my spiritual book, The Sophia Code.

3. The four questions I write every night in my journal:

What did I love about today?
What am I proud of today?
What did I learn today?
What am I thankful for today?

I think I got this from Catherine Northrup, since I started this, I have been sleeping so much better, who doesn't want a great night sleep?!?

4.  Bring in some sents.   Add something that smells nice in your home, it could be fresh flowers, a diffuser with essential oils, or essential oils diluted in a spray bottle.  Whenever I spray my jasmine blend I have in the spray bottle right now, I always smile.  and think "I love this smell."  Its amazing.

5. Commit to not letting anything in your house that you do not LOVE.  I got this practice from a book that talked about how french women live life a little more fully than american women (I forgot the title).  While I don't know if that's actually true, I took on this practice with regards to clothes, and later it evolved to be applied to everything.  I don't bring it home unless I LOVE it; this has really helped my wallet and keeping my own home more organized.  (While I love organizing, I love collecting things too, hehe.  I love establishing systems, and great with maximizing space, it does take some restraint to limit what comes home with me).

6.  Piggy backing on the fact that I love collecting things... decide on what you do love and resolve to integrate that into your home, if you have enough money to replace all of a certain item right away, great!  If not decide to replace it as you go.  This way your collections can become useful.  I collect pint glasses, photos, and I love making plant arrangements, so I collect interesting jars.  I'm pretty nostalgic, and always want to get a souvenir to remember that fun trip or to symbolize my accomplishment...A long time ago I decided my solution to this constant desire would be to only buy pint glasses from a place that would bring back a memory, and not to purchase any other kind of glass or knickknack  (At the moment I have a tiny place,  so one type of glass works fine for me).  I love having a lot of pictures up, so I print them from shutterfly in the wallet size.  I love having the tiny pictures because I can fit more in one area, plus they come in a set of 4; its really fun to share my photos with my friends & family.  And the jars.... I do have to hold back sometimes.  but I have a specific area that I save the jars until I am ready to plant an arrangement.  If they don't fit on that shelf, I don't buy it, or it gets tossed.    In the book Spark Joy by Mari Kondo, she has a wonderful example of her client that loves mushrooms, and has hundreds of photos and figurines of mushrooms.  Her client ended up covering the inside of her closet with all the mushroom stuff.  Then when she would go in her closet she felt so much love and re-charged.

Could you possibly have a lot of something with the intention of a project?  Commit time to doing that project.  Ten minutes a day, one hour a week, two hours a month... If you love something that much that you have accumulated a lot of it, you are worth it to spend time doing what you love.  Commit to it, or have a party!  I have a friend that is very crafty, and literally everything she sees she wants to save because it would be cool for an art project.  She has enough stuff for 20 of us to come over and do all kinds of art projects.  So that's what we are doing.  We girls are going to have a craft party.   

7.  Leading to...  Designate a certain area in your house that makes you feel incredible, like a queen or king! Where one look at this area and you are re-charged.  This could be your closet, your bathroom, a shrine dedicated to how amazing you are... whatever.  This is amazingly powerful.  Pick an area that is only for you, and deck it out.  Personally I have a shrine dedicated to celebrating me!  If its your bathroom, splurge, get really nice towels, a plush bathroom rug, a really gorgeous mirror... (check out my article Spa Sanctuary at Home).  If its your closet, get all matching hangars you really love, line the walls with some gorgeous wallpaper, art or photos you love.  If you have enough space get a seat you love so that you can  sit down while getting ready, put up an affirmation that makes you feel amazing,  if you love your jewelry or have a hat collection, create a way to display it.  If you love mushrooms, cover your closet in mushrooms!  Or create a shrine to worship yourself.  I got this from Regena Thomas Hauer, she's an author and speaker, and created the School of Womanly Arts aka Mama Gena.  Designate this area only to celebrate you, how ever that may be.  I have a modeling picture, a few pictures of when I was very little, a goddess card that looks like me, a box that has all of my dreams and desires, crystals hanging from the top, and some heart stones.  I felt self centered making it, but its really powerful, and I love that its only for me to look at.  Your shrine may be completely different, but it must make you feel loved and incredible every-time you look at it.

8. Commit to a specific amount of time everyday that you will clean/organize.  It can be just 10 minutes a day.  I build this into my night routine, but it can be any time of day.  You would be surprised how much you can get done in 10 minutes.  If you have time do more, if you don't do less.  Making something a habit will carry over in many different ways.

If you have kids check out "Help! How can I get my kid to clean their room?"

I love using a timer, set the timer and just do it :)

9.  Commit to having one type.  What does that mean?  I left it vague because this could be applied to many different things.  I think it mostly relates to the kitchen, but it could relate to many other things like socks or containers.  Again if you have the money, replace what you have all at once.  If you don't simply decide that you will only buy  "that specific thing" and slowly replace as you go.  For example the plastic tupperware I love the most is the round Ziploc containers, because they stack, and the lids are all exactly the same size weather you buy the small size or the large size and they are stack-able, yay for space saving!  Or the jars I use in my house are all exactly the same, with some different sizes.  I made this decision intentionally.  I like the diamond pattern, it makes things "sparkly," I like clear containers because it shows what is inside so that I don't need labels yet there is consistency, they are stack-able (maximizing space) and I use them as a smaller glass when I don't feel like  pint glass.  So look at what you have going on, and establish what you like best or have more of.  The easiest example is: do you have more square or round tupperware?  Commit to having only one shape, so that you can stack it easier, if you have a ton of jars, and want to save money, or like the style replace all of your glasses so that you only use jars to drink out of, if space is not an issue, this one may not be applicable to you.

10.  Look at your habits in the home.  Here are some questions to ask yourself:
Where does mess tend to accumulate?  

What do you have a lot of? And why?  If you have a lot of something is it because you really like that thing?  Or is it because you get it for free?

If your house is not how you want it to be, what exactly is it that you want to change?  How do you want it to feel when you walk in the door, or finish everything, and sit down to relax? 

What is the obstacle to having your home the way you want it to be?  Are you too busy?  Is there some emotional stuff, that maybe makes cleaning a heavy chore?  Maybe having a lot of things makes you feel like you are better off financially?  A big obstacle for me used to be saving up for my "someday house"  I have fantasized about my "someday house" for so long, and have been accumulating, art, tables, and glasses.  Eventually I had to bite the bullet, and accept that at this moment I am not in that house yet, one day I will get there, and when I do then I can fill my cabinets with meaningful glasses and and cover my walls with art that I have collected from my travels around the world, but until I am in that place I am not allowed to "save up" for this future home.  Creating "rules" is what really works for me.

Once you establish why things are the way they are, and how you would like them to be different, then you can establish a game plan.  It is much more achievable that you think.

11.  Toss one thing every month, something, anything; just make sure you throw away or donate one thing a month.  This is so small and so simple, its very easy keep this habit. I usually toss something during my cycle.  My body is is getting rid of something, and so I do too.  Or maybe you enjoy pay day and usually end up getting a little something?  Be sure to toss one item the day before you get paid.  I love this habit, it keeps my life in general up to date in a very easy way.  Clients and friends have told me they really like this practice too!

12. Add Art to your life!  Add art that moves you or photos that bring a lot of joy to look at and remember.  You can do this in so many ways, and its probably the easiest way to add more color to your home.  You could create a gallery wall of what you already have, or create a new collection of images.  Or maybe just hang one large piece of art.  I love art.  If you already have art you love, that will be easy, find a spot it will look great, and voila!  Save up for when you do find that piece of art that moves your soul, or create your own!

13.  Maximize the highs and the lows.  Take advantage of the low spots like underneath your bed and couch, and high spots like above closets and cabinets.  Very often I see these spaces not being used. This is valuable real estate in our homes, if space is a challenge!  For underneath beds and couches you can find shallow containers that slide underneath very easily for things like books, shoes,, sheets or toys.  And  above closets and cabinets are perfect spots for things you don't use very often, but often enough that you don'[t want to put it in the storage.  How much space you have to spare will dictate what you can fit up there.  If you can push the containers back far enough then it won't matter too much what they look like, but if the containers will show, it would probably be nice to pick containers that suit your taste, or go cheap and cover boxes with the same paper so it looks uniform.  Personally I like this because its much easier to create a unique look.  You will want to make sure that if you are putting things above your head that it is in a closed container, not too heavy and secure in some way.  Many times cabinets have little lip,  maybe you put Velcro on the bottom, or secure it to eye hole hooks...

14.  Get some help.  :) Trading with a friend, or hiring a professional to give you a boost in getting your home the way you want might be the perfect solution for you.   Most of the time once you commit to getting things in order the process goes much faster that you imagined.
                                            ..............................................................................................................................................................................................

None of these ideas are in any particular order, I hope 1 or all of these ideas inspire you to make your home into a sanctuary that you absolutely love and re-charges you, helping you have the best year yet! 

Wishing you all an amazing 2019,
Much love Jessica

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Hello Lovelies,

Who loves going to the spa?  I do!  So why not bring those elements into our daily routines?  Personally I think the bathroom is the best place to splurge and make it something you absolutely love.  I have done this with my own bathroom, and many times when friends or family see my bathroom, they say they want to have that too... but there is usually some reference of it being to expensive, and I'm betting there is another thought like why would I waste money on such a tiny space, that I don't spend a lot of time in?  I would argue to the contrary, its the one space in your house where you have that time completely to your self, make it as special and uplifting  or soul replenishing as you can.  Even more so if its you own personal bathroom!

So here are some ideas to bring in some relaxing spa elements to make your time in there rejuvenating:

1.  Play some relaxing spa music.  The easiest and cheapest thing you can do!  We all have smart phones, just  go to youtube and look up some relaxing music that you like.  OR what ever makes your cup feel more full.  I'll post some of my favorites at the end of the article.  Sometimes I play affirmations, sometimes I play music I really love.  Whatever makes your soul happy is great!

2. Bring is some scents.  I would recommend something natural like essential oils, because I'm more of the all natural holistic type, but again what ever makes you feel fulfilled.  You can get a small humidifier or even just use a small spray bottle.  Either way fill with water, and put a few drops of your favorite essential oil in, turn on the humidifier or spray your shower and amazing olfactory transformation!  My favorite essential oils are DoTerra, but just you can also buy essential oils from Whole Foods, Pharmaca, Young Living, ect...    So in my place I have both a humidifier and I use a spray bottle.  The spray bottle is much faster.  I filled it with filtered water, and put several drops of peppermint, I love the peppermint flavor so I put a lot in there, definitely more than the recommended "few drops" and I spray a lot of sprays before I get in.  Scents I also love for the bathroom are lavender, orange, lemon, and melaluca/tea tree. Lemon, grapefruit, peppermint, and melaluca are supposed to be anti mold from what I've heard, but I don't remember exactly where I learned that from.

3. Salt!  In past article I've mentioned how much I love salt lamps.  I do not have the technical data to prove my belief.  But I really think having salt in the room changes the air.  If you have the space you could put a salt lamp in the corner and enjoy a luxurious evening spa pampering, or, if you have a tiny space simply buy Himalayan pink salt rocks and put them on a tiny dish somewhere in your bathroom.  I bought my large Himalayan Pink Salt Rocks at Good Earth, a very holistic grocery store.  I would bet that any hippie type place would have something suitable.  And if you only have normal grocery stores in your area, just go to the condiments isle and buy pink salt that you would normally cook with and put that in a tiny dish.  I swear it changes the air, to make it more ionized similar to ocean air.

Now moving on to the items that cost a bit more, but I think are worth it.

4.  Bring in a little relaxing color.  Color is so powerful, lately I am drawn to light blues for my bathroom, but what ever makes you feel more fulfilled.  And I say fulfilled rather than relaxed, because if your want your bathroom to be your recharging/energizing space you might pick a more energetic color like yellow or orange,  We all get something slightly different from certain colors.  Once upon a time I hated blue, because blue = depression to me, and now I gravitate towards certain blues.  Bringing in color can be done in all different kinds of ways:  Through your towels, your shower curtain, art, plants, or painting one or all walls.
       Hint:  If you are lazy or looking to spend less only paint one wall, specifically the wall opposite the mirror, that is what I have done many times.

5. A decal on your mirror or wall.  On my mirror I have "P.S. I Love You"  I got this idea from Marissa Peer.  Her movement is "I am enough."  I love this it is so powerful, so I have "I Love You"  Its a wonderful reminder that I am loved.  We could all use more of that!  And its very cheap.  I bought my decal on Amazon for about $15.  Put up some kind of fulfilling affirmation on your wall and watch your life change for the better.  

6. Pamper your self.  Whatever that means to you.  Buy luxurious soap, bath salts, plush beautiful towels, a gorgeous shower curtain, or the curtain rings.  I am preaching to make your bathroom as beautiful and fulfilling to you as possible.  I have all of it, and I love it, I love being in my bathroom, I love my plush towels, I love the cute basket I have that holds my extra towels and products.  I love that my bathroom is perfect for me.  Its tiny (the space is truly maximized) but its beautiful.  

Splurge on the things that matter most to you and enjoy!  You are worth decadence and luxury.  

Hope you feel inspired to try out some of these ideas <3 Jessica


Some youtube videos that I listen to: 
​Use these to guide you to something you like, or type in whatever would suit you!

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Hello!

Energy is a very vague yet growing in popularity word that most of us throw around.   Other interchangeable words we use are vibe, it just feels good, the feeling, chi, presence, attention...  And some of us use the word "energy" but mean different things.

But if you are looking to improve the energy (or pick your word :) of your space here are a couple ideas that I believe are powerful tools and use in my own home:

1.  Simply cleaning, you don't even have to move things around or create a home for each thing, just simple cleaning will immediately improve the energy.    Personally when I clean, once I get going... I feel immense love for my self, and immediate satisfaction, cleaning something, anything, leads to an immediate sense of accomplishment.

2. Organizing, lol, I had to sorry.  Organizing and cleaning go hand in hand.  We often do both when we are cleaning OR organizing.  But once you have established a home or system to anything in your space, be it home, office, car, or purse! It just feels so much better.  For me it was my jewelry.  I am the outlier, I love organizing, I love establishing a system, and infusing my personality into weird hidden details, but I can only wish that you experience the amount of self love I felt when I was organizing my jewelry.

3. Plants!  People that know me know how much I love plants.  But plants do a ton for us.  For one plants produce oxygen and naturally purify the air, check out the many pintrest posts, about the top 10 plants to purity your bedroom air quality.  But its true, plants take in carbon dioxide (what we breath out), sunlight and water, and give off oxygen.  Plus, they are naturally beautiful and sculptural in nature, and they automatically bring color into your home, though it is possible to find a beige plant ;)  Also on an energetic level plants are a living being too, so they naturally contribute to the energy in your space.  Sean Stevenson, even quotes in his book, "Sleep Smarter", that plants actually improve the quality of your sleep!  And you can pick one that suits your taste, budget and thumb.  Though I love all plants, the cheapest and lowest maintenance are bamboo, pothos plants, and succulents.   All are hearty and can go a while without attention.     

4.  A salt lamp.  Though I don't have any proof that this works, I believe it does have a lot of power.  I began using salt in my home to clean the energy because of Feng Shui.  In one of the books, it said that having rock salt in water in a bowl collects the negative energy.  I am one to experiment.  Though at the time I was not as energetically sensitive as I am now, I liked it, though I wasn't able to tell if it was actually working or not.  This new knowledge led me to buy a salt lamp which I absolutely love, in addition the energetic cleansing qualities, but also the soft warm glow at night is so nice, and would work really great as a night light for kids, or anybody else that would like one.  The reason I believe it does actually work is because salt just like the salty ocean, has ions that attach to negative energy, plus there is naturally a little humidity in the air, so I think the salt attaches to the moisture and makes the air a little easier to breath.

5.  Change.  Changing something around will naturally change up the energy in a space, and this is always a good thing.  Just like when we exercise we feel a little bit better... because we got things (energy) moving.

6.  Light.  A lot of natural light will make your place feel better.  Open up your windows, feel the warm sun, its guaranteed to lift your spirits.  But if you are in a space that doesn't get much natural light, some things you could do to improve the space, is to bring in more plants, choose plants that don't need a lot of natural light.  I have seen bamboo do just fine in a room that never got natural light.  Bring in mirrors, to bounce what little natural light you do get.  You may also like to bring in a UV light, personally I would create an arrangement, using the UV light, plants and mirrors, to give the space some depth, and a point of interest.  And the most obvious would be to turn on the lights, lights that point upward create the most brightness in a room.  Personally I feel a lot better in a well lit room.

7.  Bring in some color!  There are many articles about color therapy, if interested I'd suggest to look into in, but I know first hand color can change your life.  I had depression, which I've mentioned in my bio, and painted my room this almost neon bright cantaloupe orange.  It was not possible to feel sad in that room, and everyone in the family naturally gravitated towards my room.  I have always loved orange and ever since 15 when I painted my room, the color orange will forever hold a special place in my heart.  But pick a color that suits you!

8.  Energy in a space could also be compared to points of interest.  Where your attention naturally bounces around in a room, is also how energy flows in a room.  Generally in a piece of art, which I see rooms as a piece of art, that personifies you, there are three main points of interest.  Its generally different things, like the the color, the main subject is slightly off center and there is something interesting in the distance.  In your space you can also think of it like that.  So pick 1-3 areas that you naturally gravitate towards, then spruce up those areas.  I love to focus on a tiny niche area.  I think small spaces lend them selves very nicely to creating a vignette.  Keep in mind that it could be an area that every time you walk into that space its the first thing you see and you hate it.  Any strong emotion is a good indication that a lot of energy is going to that space.  I realize this is quite vague when not looking at the same thing together, so if you are unsure, ask someone who you think has great taste, or hire an organizer :) an interior designer, or a feng shui consultant - the true expert when it comes to energy.

9.  Lastly Love.  Having things that you love in your space greatly impacts the energy or vibe in your space.  I love the book "The Magic of Tidying Up" by Mari Kondo, because she wrote so perfectly what I believe.  But she took it a step further by drawing pictures, and teaching you hold to fold!  Which I follow now, and love it!  Our time is precious and we deserve to experience love in every moment, if you don't love it, then it would do better somewhere else.

Hope you enjoyed these tips, if you tried any of them I'd love to see a picture!  You could e-mail me at creativelyjessica@gmail.com tag me in istagram at creatively_jessica or comment below!

​Much love, Jessica 

What a year! As I'm enjoying my coffee and Christmas decorations, realizing an entire year has already passed.  Wow!  A lot has happened in one year; now thinking about what I want to bring into my life for 2018.  As usual I feel slightly overwhelmed.  Its hard to imagine what we don't already know as being possible.  One thing I do know as true for myself, is that as I release things and create space, the space naturally gets filled with better things.  So this truth makes me excited to release or get rid of what no longer serves me and organize!

In the book Spark Joy by Marie Kondo she talks about the tidying marathon in Japan that everyone does in December.  Cleaning out the past, and making space for the future.  I love this book so much because she explains exactly what I believe, to only have things that you love fill your home.  And this concept of a tidying marathon is perfect to bring more love into your life, via your home, by clearing what no longer serves you.  I have done this in my home, and I love it.  I love it the most in my closet.  But I won't lie, I was hesitant to start as well.  The natural idea, of "what if I need this someday?" is what made it hard for me to start. 

Once I started, I was very surprised as I held somethings up to my heart and asked if it brought me joy.  Some items, I was shocked that I said no to.  BUT the things that were nice I gave to my friends, and it makes me so happy to see my friends happy, giving new life to some clothes that I had held on to for a little too long.  And so with 2018 coming, now is the time to look at your surroundings, and celebrate what does bring you joy and release what does not, creating more space for even more happiness.

In celebration of 2018 I would like to extend an 18% discount on the first 5 hour session booked January - March 2018.  All you have to do is mention this article and you'll save 18%, but even better you'll open up your life to even more love, abundance and good.

Happy Holidays and Happy New year!
Jessica

Hello,

My heart goes out to all those affected by the Northern California Fires.  So many people have had everything wiped out from under them, with only ashes of their favorite things left.  While "things" are not truly the important things in life, its still a very big trauma to loose everything you had in one fell swoop.  And almost everyone in the bay area has been affected to some degree, with knowing a friend or loved one directly affected, and even just the health issues caused by the air quality.  

I have noticed a few things because of this tragedy.  One, how uncomfortable the people closest to me feel to even be in a position to possibly need help.  And two, how beautiful society is, so many people extending their homes out, donating, truly doing what they can to help, its wonderful to see this.  I am so grateful that all those I know are safe.  I am very grateful to see a little bit of blue sky.  And I'm extremely grateful that I live in a society that has the infrastructure to provide support and relief during  this time of devastation, and the technology to connect us.

This is a stressful time for all of us, I'd like to thank all that are doing what they can to help, weather its giving food to someone you walk past, extending your home, donating money, or just simply giving a smile.

Sending love to all, 
Jessica

Hello!

Have you ever felt frustrated with the idea of trying to get your kids to eat more fruits and veggies?  I know it can be tough with kids, they decide they don't like something, and even though they've never tried it now they get sick at the sight of it... interesting?  I know I've taken care of many kids that are like that.  And I was the worst when I was a kid myself! 

But I've never met a kid that didn't like smoothies.  Smoothies can be a fantastic way to sneak in some extra veggies, or it could even be a fun activity to do together.  From my experience its really fun to let kids take ownership, and let them pick which recipes they would like to make for you.  You could even make a chart and record which ones they liked the most, trying a new one each day.  Because I'm not so familiar with how to make a smoothie equally healthful as delicious I like to follow a recipe.  Currently I am following the recipe book that come when you buy the Nutri Ninja, but you can also look up different recipes online or turn to many other books.  A book that I really like and will be borrowing from my mom is Supperfood Smooties by Julie Morris.  Her recipes look very interesting, and its a beautiful book sure to entice anybody into wanting a delicious and healthy smoothie.

While I am a novice when it comes to incorporating veggies into a smoothie,  I do know that adding green peas are a great source of protein and won't take away from the typical sweet taste of a smoothie.  And adding one or two leaves of kale will go unnoticed, except for the color to boost the nutritional intake.

I was inspired to write this article because for the month of September I am only eating smoothies, and while I was already pretty healthy,  I've already noticed some health benefits, and so I'd like to share this wonderful idea with you!

May you enjoy as many colorful smoothies equal to the colorful autumn leaves!

Hello, Parents, Guardians, and Care Takers!

I know how frustrating the battle of trying to get your child to clean up their room can be.  Depending on how resistant the child may be you may have to break it down even more.  But I'd like to share what has worked for me.

Some awesome tools anytime a child is resistant (or even for yourself) to anything is to set a timer.  Lets say your child's room is a disaster, the bed is not made, you didn't even know they had this much toys and you can barely see the floor underneath, and that pile of clothes, well you are really not sure, but you're betting its dirty.  And you try so hard to get them to put dirty clothes in the hamper!?!

Depending on the age, how messy their room is, and their resistance, using a timer is a fantastic tool.  If they are super resistant, it may be a good idea to help them.  If you do help them, I'd make it a "race" to see who can pick up the most things, or let them be the "boss" and let them tell you what they want help with.  DO NOT do anything on your own or for them, this will just teach them that if they act helpless, or act out enough that they don't really have to do it.

If you really have no idea how long it might take, or not clear on their resistance level, I'd start at 10 minutes for ages 6-8, younger, 5 minutes, and older I'd start with 20 minutes.  Put the timer somewhere that they can see it count down, and then set a goal.  For example "Lets see if we can get this floor 100% clean before the timer goes off!"

Then when the timer goes off or you get the floor clean celebrate, give them a high five, let them pick a fun game to play with you, or even take a picture of them showing off their clean room.   The celebration part is important, you want them to recognize their own success, and be in that moment with them of feeling proud.  

Then to truly improve their habits, each time they change activities make sure they clean up what they are now finished with, you can set a timer for 5 minutes, or just make sure they put it all away.  Again this depends on how big the mess is and their resistance level.  Or maybe at bed time, right before reading stories, now you/they spend 5 minutes tidying up their room.  Just make it a new daily habit, however it works best for you.

I do this for myself too, right before getting ready for bed, I spend 10 minutes tidying up my home, however it may be, filing away some papers, finishing up something I was working on earlier in the day, finishing up dishes that I didn't have a chance to finish earlier...  If I'm that on top of everything that day, I will spend those 10 minutes doing something to prepare myself for the next day.

Make this a consistent habit, and you will see an improvement; There will be less struggles, and more happiness and hugs!

With love, Jessica

Hello Friends,

I'd like to share what I have been doing lately.  I have been teaching an Interior Design class for kids, at a local elementary school.  They are incredible!  I love working with them, I love seeing their ideas come together, seeing their different processes, and most of all seeing their faces light up when they realize that the options are almost unlimited.  We just have to communicate it.  Its very fun to teach them how to communicate their ideas visually.  And can I say I am extremely impressed by their style!  Each kid has distinctly different style, but its all good, they choose colors and patterns that have enough variation, yet are balanced.  The furniture they choose typically also works with the rest of their room.  Honestly I don't know who learns more, me or them, Its wonderful, and I am so grateful to have this opportunity!  

Thank you <3