Not only have I recommended this one to several friends, I had the pleasure of meeting the author Imbolo Mbue last weekend at our local branch library. She crafted this novel, her first, over several years, and it was published in 2017. Such a lovely story about an immigrant couple, trying to make ends meet in present day New York City.

This little gallery packs a punch! It’s jammed full of great pieces of art you can buy, created by talented local artists in our community. Themed shows rotate in and out :: currently they are featuring watercolors, my favorite! Definitely worth checking out, it’s located at the corner of Broad Street and Lee Street, in the lower level of the Kensington, in the city of Falls Church.

Perhaps it’s not totally apparent the difference between the “before” and “after” here but if you look closely you will see it. Before I cleaned it up – all the tools were thrown into a drawer willy nilly and there were many things I never used. When I took the 14 minutes necessary to sort things out – I got rid of gadgets I rarely needed, I put all the everyday tools into one drawer and the items I use only once a week or so into the other. Now it’s much easier to find what I want while prepping food. And there is (a little bit) more room as well!

Organizing does take time. But we all have a little time here and there. Make use of it! Break down projects – you don’t have to rip apart your whole kitchen to achieve cohesion. Take a small area – and set the timer for 15 minutes. Then do as much as you can. Maybe you just pull out the things that you don’t like or don’t use or are broken. That’s a good start! One or two drawers can be your start. Once you have some success it gets easier and more fun.

The desk project took longer. This was over several days. Editing is always the first step with both organization and design. EDIT. Once you have taken out all the things that don’t belong in a desk – things that you don’t use at your desk – and find the proper place for them – then you can start to see some space and organization. I like to corral things into containers and boxes – but even if you don’t do that – once you simply have less it’s easier to organize and then lay your hands on things you actually need.

My last project is my snack drawer. I used to have all my spices here – but just didn’t work that well as a spice drawer. I took everything out and cleaned the drawer with a damp paper towel. Then set about putting only the snacky things I could decant in here. It’s organized and pretty and fun to use. The jars look better without their old labels on them – but I haven’t taken the time to de-lable them all yet. I still like the system though. And it’s the first place my husband goes after he comes home from work. The peanuts!

You can declutter your spaces. Just set a small task, a timer and some music and have fun!

Not surprisingly, we get lots of inspiration and tips from people we’ve found and followed over the years online. Blogs are still a great resource to follow one’s journey as they change something in their lives — we like them for design, food, parenting, organization, travel … the sky’s the limit! Instagram of course is also really fun to peruse — I try to remember to set a timer for 30 minutes or so, whenever I take the time to delve into social media. Otherwise, I can get very distracted from stuff I really have to do, while being absorbed with awesome content!

Here are some of our favorites to follow on Instagram and most of these creatives also write a blog.

Smitten Kitchen :: Deb has published a few cookbooks and talks real about cooking in a tiny NYC kitchen. Lots of great inspiration here.

• Sarah Richardson/Design Life :: She’s been absent from HGTV-US for a few years, but I really like the way she puts rooms together. She talks about practical things like fabric content and lighting placement. Check out her channel on You Tube.

• A Storied Style :: Grace is in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and she works with a wonderful team and creates amazing and soulful spaces, especially for families. Also catch her show on HGTV — it’s about to start its second season.

• Julia Turshen:: This NY-based cook and author talks food and food equity and is a joy to behold. I also listen to her podcast Keep Calm and Cook On.

• Juniper Home :: Based in Arizona, Jenny has created a large following as she’s renovated her home, flipped homes, launched product lines, etc … she’s got great style.

• Bower Power :: Katie is like the girl next door, sharing her take on life with kids and all her interior design projects along the way.

• Chris Loves Julia :: This dynamic duo share their journey as they make changes to their home, all the ups and downs.

In our blog today we are presenting work by Burlington, VT artist Katie Harrington. She has been an inspiration to us as an artist. Her art is alive with color and movement. Emotion and transcendence. Enjoy some of her artwork and a bit about her artistic interest. For more of her work or to contact her check out her instagram : @awesomeidea

My interest as an artist is about the in-the-moment experience of color, movement and emotion. I love the non linear creative experience that painting allows. There is an expansive language present in the materials and in the form of painting that gives me the opportunity to exist, to express, to have, to give without compromise or compression. I feel free. I hope there is some freedom and creativity for you in the viewing and subsequent thinking and feeling.

— Katie Harrington

Every summer for the past 26 years I have gone to visit my parents at their house in Long Island. It is a beautiful place. I’ve been there during all the different seasons – but summer is the most magical time. We spend as much time as we can outside in the gardens and the sound. We buy fresh vegetables and fruit from the local markets, we grill and eat dinner outside as the sun goes down. It’s the perfect time to relax and reconnect with family and nature. And that is what we all need more of. I hope you were able to do some reconnecting this summer as well! Let us know what your favorite magical spots are.