Summer Detox: home edition

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Summer Detox: wardrobe edition

**This post is the last in a series where I focus on “detoxing” our hair, skin (face and body), wardrobe, and home as a final step in closing out summertime. In each post, I shared some of my favorite tools, products or advice on whichever subject is the focus that day. Check out all the posts in my series and share any helpful tips or suggestions in the comments for others to benefit from as well!**

Recently I’ve been fully focused on redecorating my office (more to come on the blog soon), as I’ve shared on Instagram, but in the process I’ve been thinking about ways to clear out other parts of my house. I’ll be pulling some furniture from other parts of the house, so there will be a bit of shifting around. We are acquiring my parent’s piano since they sold their home and I’m happy to have that in the house! I haven’t played since I quit in about 5th grade, but I hope to give the kids lessons or perhaps practice again myself.

In terms of thinking about detoxing the house post-summer, Nicole had some great ideas.

She suggested “quieting” the house before putting up fall decor, and frankly September is the perfect month for that. When September hits, I start to crave fall but it’s still in the 90’s for most of the month so it just doesn’t feel right-and I mean that literally. It doesn’t feel right/good to cover up with a blanket in September-it’s too hot!

So “quieting” the house, removing all the knick-knacks and simplifying your decor or cleaning up from the summer without adding anything new, is the perfect way to create a fresh start for the fall season.

Gather up any summertime scented candles to store away, pack up beach or pool supplies (make sure everything is dry!) and store in a air-tight container for the fall and winter. Take a good, hard look at your rugs and doormats, do they need to be replaced? Just washed? We practically live outside all summer, so my floor mats take a pretty good beating. I wash my bathroom mats regularly, but I admit my kitchen and door mats get the shaft! I’ll be tossing those in the washing machine very soon!

I’ve always taken on the method of having a gathering area where I can group the items I’m going to donate or throw away. While it seems to create a mess in one spot, it allows you to see progress in each of the rooms you are working in. I’ll round up everything I’m taking out and place it on the kitchen table.

Rooms that you don’t use very much are often easier to purge than a bedroom, for example, so similarly to starting with a small sock drawer for cleaning out you closet, I would suggest starting with a small room first.

Take a hard look at your powder room, does it need to be freshened up? Or could you lose one of those throw pillows on the couch? Trying to look at a space with fresh eyes may help you see it in a different light.

Some of the hardest areas for me to keep organized are the kids playrooms, my bedroom and the kitchen. I mentioned this a bit in this post, but the sheer act of scaling the kitchen clutter down to almost nothing and then setting a real goal to keep it that way helped me a lot.

As far as kid’s clutter goes, I’m starting to get the boys included in donating toys. I ask them to go through some boxes and pick out some toys that they think other kids would like to play with. David is more willing to part with things than Luke is, and it’s sweet to see him decide what they would like! Trust me, I’ll sneak extra toys in the donation box behind their back, but I like trying to teach them this lesson from a very early age.

This is the last part of the summer detox series, and I think this may have the biggest impact on our day to day lives! I’m a firm believer that physical clutter/mess causes stress, so dealing with that and removing it as soon as possible will make you feel so much better!

Find a landing zone for any item you are removing from a room. Also, have a donation box READY for you to simply toss things into, and keep a couple garbage bags nearby for trash too. 

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Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog says · 08.31.17

I love your decluttering ideas. They make it so much easier for people who dislike to declutter!

Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com

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Amaura says · 08.31.17

Where is that shelving unit from?? I am struggling to find something that can be used for open storage but still has some personality. I love the style of your home!

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Kate says · 08.31.17

HomeGoods a few years ago!

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Jasmen says · 08.31.17

You must live in the hottest part of NC, because it’s low 80’s/70’s in September for the state.

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Jessica says · 08.31.17

Where is the black and white bag from? Love it!

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Lisa says · 08.31.17

Great post, Kate! This Summer Detox Series is the perfect timing as well because we are going through big changes at home. A few months ago we had flooding in our basement, so with new flooring finally going in next weekend, we’ve actually started looking at all of the stuff we have in our basement; talk about too much stuff! I’m looking forward to having the music going and just purging!

Thanks for a great series!

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Erin says · 08.31.17

Great ideas, I love a good purge! I had to think twice though when I read about changing out the pillows in the powder room. I grew up in the Chicago suburbs and a powder room is definitely the half bathroom on the first floor. It’s neat to hear how different rooms have different names, in different parts of the country. 🙂

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Kate says · 08.31.17

I was referring to two different rooms, the powder room is the half bath!

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Maricela Caulder says · 08.31.17

Hello,
Can you tell me what was the name of the site you used to send pictures of your office to for ideas for that space. I have been trying to look back and cant seem to find it.

Thanks!

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Marah says · 08.31.17

Hey Kate, thanks for your blog! I am writing my question here and sending an email too in hopes that you may read it! I know you can’t possible read every comment or question you get so just telling you up front that I am trying two places 🙂 My question is about half-up hairstyles. I have medium- long hair (about 2-3 inches past my shoulders) with long layers . I love the idea of half up hairstyles but I find that whenever I try them, all of my layers are taken up leaving the “down” part of my style looking very boring and shapeless. Is there a way to solve this problem by the way my hair is cut? I am wondering if there is someway to add layers to the “down” part of my half up hair without my cut looking strange when I do want to wear it all down. Thanks for any tips.

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Katherine Salinas says · 08.31.17

I know this only pertains to those of us with kids in diapers, but I use empty diaper boxes in every closet for donations. They are sturdy, easy to carry with those handles and I have a bazillion of them 🙂 When it gets full, fold up, carry to the car and head straight for donation center.
When I was working on a garage sale, I did the same thing but just stored all in our storage room. My husband was lost amidst all the boxes but when the time came, he couldn’t believe how easy it was to set up the garage sale! And now, our storage room looks amazing!!!

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Chris says · 08.31.17

Great suggestion! Using this.

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