Women We Love Series: Renée Marie, Sunshine Design

series

Mar 29

Serenity sits down with Renée to discuss Home Organizing + Mindful Decluttering with @sunshinedesign_byreneemarie! She talks about how to get a head start on decluttering your pantry spaces, master baths and of course our closets. Head to her page for more insights and beautiful home decor!

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Q&A with Serenity and Renée

Can you tell us about who you are and what you do? 1:25

I have loved organizing probably since I was young and I really thank my mom for that. I remember kindergarten laying out my outfit the night before and making my bag ready, so I just feel like that sort of set me up for life. I just felt like, being prepared for anything and being organized just happened naturally for me and I truly do enjoy it. It is overwhelming, we collect so much stuff over time and people want to be efficient but they don’t know where to start. So, that’s where I come in and make it possible. Organizing was just a natural progression for me, and the after is so rewarding and the best part.

Lets start with the pantry room, what kind of tips do we offer people who are looking to re-hall & get a good head start on that? 4:19

I would take everything out, whether thats your cabinets, and no space is too small or big, or kitchen closet, take everything out. Look over your inventory, check expiration labels; a lot of times there is stuff that we have that have been expired for years. So, step 1, take everything out, step 2 check labels, purge, and then I would remove a box that snacks or foods come in, like popcorn, and separate by categories. It could be condiments, paper goods, but it is really about figuring out what you have and don’t have, and then it’s putting it back.

When we are putting back, should we have clear containers? Or what would you suggest to start to put things back? 6:10

You can buy clear containers, so you could remove pasta, for example, out of the boxes and put it in clear containers to see what you have. Or, you could just buy a bin and just put the boxes back in that in and you know what items are in that bin and what category they are. I’ve found when helping people organize their pantries, they end up spending less money because they now see what they have, or don’t have, and it’s easier for them to make a list and buy what they need.

Would we organize our fridges the same way as we would our pantry? 7:55

Yes, I would. If we can see it then we grab it, so whether that’s prepared snacks in a clear container like carrots or apples, we can see it and grab it instead of forgetting it’s there. Being visual and conscience of when things go bad or what we have and what’s getting wasted is critical.

What tips would you have for somebody trying to tackle their bathroom? 10:05

Same thing, so just removing everything out of that space and evaluating the space: what do I have, what items do I need to see, what items do I need everyday? Again, clear bins. Pull everything out, then purge, then categorize and then you get the clear bins. Use them in the space you have, in the best functional way.

What about people that have a hard time getting rid of their items? 12:20

Purging is my favorite! So, my big question is have you used it in the past 6 months, have you worn it, what’s the emotional attachment at the end of the day? We have over 300,000 things in our homes and that’s a lot of stuff and a lot of stuff leads to a lot of stress. So ask yourself, why am I holding on to this? There’s a lot of emotional attachment to things, but ultimately everything should have a place in our homes.

Do you think having a peaceful space and good energy comes from organization? 13:45

One hundred percent. It’s a process. It is not like you are going to wake up one morning and you’re going to be the most organized, clean person, but i't’s just starting and it trickles to other things in our home.

How do you shift your mindset where you don’t just throw things where it feels natural? 15:18

It’s setting the intention with our spaces and knowing what we want with the space. I would set the intention and also put a system in place.

How would we go about seasonal clothes and cleaning them out? 19:10

Everything comes out, and you just go through item by item. Go through it and see what fits, when was the last time it was used, and from there, putting them into categories such as sleeve length, color, and then putting it back piece by piece. Have fun with it!

What do you suggest for somebody who has a lot of purses? 22:00

You can hang them on hangers or hooks. You could use bins if you have a lot of space or use file organizers, just depending on your space and what works for you in particular. Every space is different, but there is always a solution.

Is there anything else you would like to share with us? 23:12

Organizing is very overwhelming, but it is so rewarding. How can we be our best self if we are living in chaos? Start small, one project at a time and see where else you want to take it. Always have fun with it and it doesn’t have to be a daunting task.