What is inside the Box?

Think of your house as 'the Box.'  What is in your box?  Is it cozy, cluttered, spare, dreamy, what?  Do you want another box?  A different sized box?  Do you entertain in your box?  Can you change your box?  Can you afford your box?  Can you afford to do anything with your box?  ...This sounds like a Dr. Seuss book, right?!

When I look at a project of any size, on any home, I always ask these questions...and more.  Even if you just want to paint a room, I ask a lot of these questions.  Chances are what you do to your home is predicated on the answers to these questions, both short term and long term.  These answers are unique and constantly changing, so it is a moving target for people like me (whose job it is to help define the answers and bring them to life).

This is a home that was up for sale!  Really, people list their homes for sale and do nothing to make them appealing.  Not only would I not like to purchase this, I would not want to call it home in it's current condition.  The 1990's called and they want this box back!  

  

With paint, clean-up and new carpet this home catapulted into another era...entirely.  If this was my box this is how I would want it to be.  So, my point is to live in your box in a way that suits you.  Most of us would rather live in a home that has some semblance of order.  If your home is cluttered, chances are you are frazzled and can't seem to catch up.  If your home is clean and organized (not perfect!), you feel at ease coming to it each day.  

We can dissect your box one section at a time or look at the overall picture and create a long term plan.  Planning is the key to all of it.  Failing to plan is planning to fail!  This can not be emphasized enough.  If you are painting your bathroom there are many things to consider.  Of course, color is what we all go to first but, it is only one part of the plan.  Your bath box has 6 sides.  Four walls, the floor and ceiling (plus all of the other horizontal surfaces like counters, toilet, bath).  All of them need to be addressed as a part of the project.  All six sides need a cohesive and congruent plan to make it a successful project.  It is so sad to go to the time and expense of updating or renovating a room and not get it right!  Below is a bathroom that needed paint and editing, not much more than that.  These pictures are the same bathroom...

can you believe it?

White walls with a little stenciling on a wall.  Lots of stuff (I cropped the yucky stuff out)...again, this house was listed for sale!  It is a Jack & Jill bathroom, so it is a little tricky to keep it functional for everyone but, that is what the cabinets are for.  It's crazy how under-utilized those darn things are!

Here is the same bath after it was painted and cleaned.  No comparison in look and feel.  It does not have to cost a lot of money to do this!  I will share a picture of one of the bedrooms adjoining this bath.  I don't have a before because it was just a storage room with lots of boxes.  You'll get the idea though.

It does not have to be complicated or expensive to integrate pieces of design and decor from one room to the next, if you plan for it. 

It is your box so, how do you want to live, work and play in it?  

Ask for help because there are people like me that want to help you live in 

comfort and style, your style! 

geniseplessasdesigns.com

  

genise plessas designs: Stepping into 1st Qtr.

This morning I woke up feeling kind of crummy (head cold).  So, my plan for the day was to stay in, drink warm liquids, take cold medication and clean up files on my laptop.  The first email in my inbox was a short video from Robin Sharma*.  If you have not experienced this guy...do it!  He is, of course, marketing his business strategies but he gives a lot of great content for free (which keeps me interested and going back for more).

It was an important video to watch because I have been in search of a tool/guide to help me define how I want to live my life going forward into 2014.  I did set some goals for myself, personally and professionally at the end of last year.  Good step. Accomplished both goals!  Yay for me, but now what?  I set myself up for success in baby steps and realize that is important, but need MORE.  Now, I am going to fly past those "January" goals and step into my "First Quarter" goals!  Baby steps...so gone!

I am going to develop 3 key habits in the next 90 days.

1) Join the 5 a.m. Club.

Get up every morning at 5 a.m.  I must have the discipline to conduct my business during regular business hours.  I work with contractors a lot and most of them start work by 7:30 a.m.  I must be prepared and ready to begin my work day at that time, too.  The personal benefit will be to spend time with my husband and family when they are available in the evening and on weekends.  I see NO negative effects by making this change and realize it will have great potential benefits.

2)  Read for 30 minutes everyday.

 I think reading is good for my soul and my mind.  It really does not matter if it is a trashy novel or an inspiring motivational book, it is good to escape into inner thoughts that reading takes me to.  This will ground me and help me seek out a variety reading material on a regular basis (I read very fast so I can gobble up a lot of material, at a rapid pace).

3)  Journal daily experiences.

This will be the hardest habit to build into my day.  I have tried journaling many, many, many times.  This time I have focus and purpose to my journal entries.  I will write about what I learn and experience each day and include my "to do" list for the next day.  I have used the Mary Kay Ash '6 most important things' list for years.  When you are working from home and want to keep your sanity, this list is a life saver and lets you get some sleep at night.

Now, don't worry...I won't be posting journal entries on a daily basis or calling my friends and business associates at 5 o'clock in the morning!!  Just be on notice that this is a change in the environmental factors that influence my creativity, my energy, my awareness of positive attractions.  I am very excited to get started.

Link to Robin Sharma's video:
http://www.robinsharma.com/blog/01/special-habits-to-make-2014-awesome

Goal or Resolution?

GoalResolution

I set a goal before the end of last year.  This is a goal, not to be confused with a resolution.  I wish I had made a resolution because I could just ignore it when it gets to hard.  I can't do that because I set a goal.  It matters, in my mind, to make that distinction.  My goal was to create a website for my business, which is now on life support due to economy/no building/no remodeling/no budget for a silly designer/everyone is a diy'er situation.  I love what I do and really want to put the energy in to doing business again and expand my horizons.  So, like all good business women and men, I set myself up for success, set that goal and am determined to get it completed before the end of January 2014.

I didn't get back to work until January 3rd, which does not seem like too much grass has grown under the proverbial goal but we are talking about a website---of which I know nothing about creating---have attempted before and failed---am worn out just thinking about getting started on.

For expediency, I am going to fast forward a few sleep deprived days and reveal that I do in fact have something online that represents a bonafide website.  It is not complete yet but I have hope.  Now, I am going to post a link to my site for your gazing pleasure but whatever you do don't look at the Blog link on the menu.  It will confuse you and make you think you are part of this evolutionary process.  You sadly, are not. It is the result of my inability to figure out how to link my old blog with my new blog.  Which is why I am not blogging on my website right now!

www.geniseplessasdesigns.com

I have 23 days left to figure this out.  In the mean time, I will be working on a new project in Rancho Cordova, CA.  It's a kitchen remodel.  The cabinets and appliances are ordered so now it is on to the jewelry of the project (granite, tile, hardware).  Let the good times roll!