FlyLady.net: Zone 5 and Zone 1 Makeover

Zone 5 and Zone 1 Makeover

Dear Friends:

In the past we have sent out some ways to "re-model" some of the zones in your home. The information below is similar but technically covers two zones. Zone 5 (the Living/Family Room) and Zone 1 (the Entrance and the Dining Room) generally fall into the same week with only a few days in each. I have combined some ideas for you to look at these zones this week to see how you can give these rooms a make-over with out spending a lot of money. No interior designers necessary, just your own eyes, a timer and your creativity.

The main areas of our home that are easily viewed by visitors are the ones that tend to cause us the greatest stress when they are full of clutter and feel overwhelming. Based on most floor plans of our homes The Main Entrance Area, the Living/Family Room, Dining Room are generally the most easily viewed areas of the home upon entering the house.

The main entrance area by the door that is used most. This could be a foyer off of the front door or a mud room type area off of a back or side door. This is the very first thing visitors see when they walk through the door and also it is the first thing you see when you walk through the door. What do you see? The Living/Family room - it doesn't matter what you call it. It is the room where all of you gather and watch tv, read and spend time together. It is where conversations happen when you have guests. It is the one room that gets used by all members of the household. What do you see?

The Dining Room - this is where you gather together to enjoy meals. This table can be the breeding ground for conversations and laughter. I am a big supporter of the Family Dinner Table. I learn more about my children at the dinner table than I do any place else. I learn about school, their friends and also about themselves and their sense of humor. The Dining Room is a special place for bringing hearts and souls together. What do you see?

When these three areas in our homes are neat and in order, it is amazing how you will feel when you enter into your own home. There is a sense of peace, a sense of calm, that no matter what kind of CHAOS the outside world is going through; you are home in your own haven to comfort you.

1. De-Clutter - the first thing to do in any room that you want to give a new look to is to really assess what you have in the room. If there are things that are unloved, unused, unnecessary or just plain trash, get it out. Grab a trash bag and go through the rooms. There is always "unseen" clutter hanging around. Things that have just become a part of the room that we no longer see. Books, magazines, water bottles, things that have been dumped to get to later, a pile of mail that keeps getting moved instead of actually dealt with. Do not have end tables and coffee tables overflowing with paper piles. Your Dining Room table is meant for eating on not stacking things on. Set your timers and just focus on getting the "stuff" out these rooms that don't belong. This is not a race or a marathon. I am not telling you to do all of these areas in one day. I am telling you to do 15 minutes a day. I promise you that the power of using 15 minutes every day will make a difference.

2. Once you have gotten the clutter out it is time to assess the decorations. Over time the knick-knacks and what-nots seem to overtake the rooms. We have pictures on the wall that we really don't care for anymore because our tastes change as we get older. What we loved when we were in our twenties may not necessarily be what we love in our thirties, forties etc. Statues, cute little boxes, coasters, vases of dried flowers that are way past their prime, plants that need to be re-potted or even worse the silk ones that no matter what you do the dust has become a permanent fixture on. Look at these things with a discerning eye. Do I love them, do they make me happy to see them, are they in the place that makes the most sense for the room. Do they still fit my personal style? Was I once into pastels and country themed decorations and now I am more into neutrals and subtlety? You may not be able to figure out what your style is right away if your tastes have changed. Getting rid of the things that you do not like, love or use will help you find your style.

3. Detail Cleaning - this seriously make a difference in how a room feels. A detail clean is when you clean a room from top to bottom. You go after the dust bunnies and cobwebs that seem to attach themselves to the ceilings and corners. Using your feather duster will generally take care of these. Vacuuming everything in the room, the corners, under furniture, the furniture itself, around the baseboards etc. It may be that this is the time when you clean the upholstery and carpets or hire someone to come in and do it for you. It is much easier to do this after a room has been decluttered. Then a good dusting and polishing of the furniture. Again this is not a marathon. Setting your timer for 15 minutes and giving yourself permission to stop after that is important. You don't have to feel like you have to do it all in one day.

4. Windows and Window treatments - grabbing your favorite window cleaner and shining your windows will make a world of difference. How light is able to shine in clean and sparkly windows versus dirty windows can affect how you see the room. Clean the windows and the sills. If you are able to clean the windows from the exterior as well, all the better. Window treatments - sometimes we have had our window treatments for so long we no longer even notice them. We don't see that they may need to be cleaned or even replaced. If you have mini blinds these can be dusted or washed. Mini blinds have really come down in price and it may be more worth it to replace them instead of taking them down and washing them. If you want to wash them, fill up your bathtub with hot soapy water and drop the blinds in. Let them soak then drain the water and use the shower head to rinse them. You may have to use a rag to scrub them with if they don't come clean with soaking and rinsing. If you have curtains you can use a feather duster to dust them with or you can take them down, wash them or take them to the dry cleaner. It is amazing how much cleaner and bigger your rooms will appear with clean windows and window treatments. Do not take it personally that you have not done this before. I promise you it is not because you are lazy, I am telling you that it comes from being so used to seeing the same thing in the room that you no longer see them. Remember: set your timer and go 15 minutes at a time. Taking care of the window treatments themselves may take longer than 15 minutes so look at your calendars and schedule a time for that assignment.

5. The Walls - washing your walls, getting rid of the finger prints and scuff marks. Again these are things that after time we just don't see them anymore. Look at your walls and assess what is going on. Dust the pictures and decorations that are on the walls. Look at them carefully - do you love them? A fresh coat of paint can seriously change how a room feels, it could be the same color or a new color to give yourself a change. Paint is one of the cheapest ways to change a room not just in how it looks but how it feels. If you are afraid of color that is ok, a clean bright white is beautiful and simple. A soft cream is warm and comforting. If your paint is in good shape then just wiping down the walls with a soft damp cloth will get rid of scuff marks, finger prints and dust. It seems strange to me that dust can attract to a vertical surface but it does. Look at the light switch and electrical outlet plates? Do they need to be cleaned? Do they need to be replaced? These are not expensive and are subtle touches that can improve the look and feel of the room. Do you have ceiling fixtures? A ceiling fan? Clean the lights and if you have a fan the blades. One of my favorite member tips is to use an old pillow case and place it over the blades and drag the dust into the pillow case. No flying dust bunnies that have to be cleaned off the floor or furniture.

6. Linens, pillows etc. - do you have blanket throws, tablecloths, decorator pillows that need to be cleaned or replaced? Freshly laundered throws feel great when snuggling on the couch. Pillows that look fresh and clean add a special touch to the room. A freshly washed tablecloth makes a dining room table look inviting.

These are all very easy things that you can do to take care of the rooms that are viewed most easily from the main entrance of the home and used quite often by you. Once you have done these things you can re-assess and see if there are any more changes that you want to make. Please remember to take your time and don't do everything at once. Use your timer and pace yourself. Have a positive outlook and enjoy blessing your home. These are all things that will take time but not a lot of money. The cost of an inviting and warm entrance to your home is priceless. The feeling of peace that you will have upon entering these rooms with guests or alone is something that money just can't buy. Baby Steps and 15 minutes can make all the difference. Always remember and don't ever forget - you do not have to fill empty spaces with stuff!!

Love,
Kelly

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