The Nesting Mindset

Here in the Pacific Northwest the weather is finally turning.  Throughout September and most of October we have had sunshine on top of sunshine (and lately smoke on top of sunshine – boo.) I never thought I would pray for rain but it’s finally in the forecast and I am so ready. One of the reasons I am eager for cooler weather and grey skies is because I am a big fan of nesting. Nesting is the act of priming your home for the season when you are spending a lot of time inside.  It’s about creating a space that can be an escape from work, the weather or anything else in the outside world that makes you feel tired. Nesting is a way to intentionally enjoy the comforts of your home and get out from under the burdens of your daily life.

So let’s prime your environment to maximize your nesting enjoyment. We are going to focus on 2 spaces in the home that should be the most restful, the Living Room and the Bedroom. The Living Room has more space and usually a fireplace to add to the ambiance but those with kids and busy families may want to focus their efforts on the Bedroom as a place of hygge escape, away from the noise and the chaos. If you put some investment in up front by decluttering these spaces and organizing them to support their intended purpose (nesting!) you will actually create more time to relax and enjoy them. Executing the steps below in order is intentional and part of getting you into the nesting mindset.

Declutter

The first step is to declutter your space and remove anything that belongs somewhere else but has magically migrated and sits in a pile of miscellaneous items on a table, an ottoman or the floor.  Before you begin you may want to get into a Decluttering Mindset; it will be helpful and give you some good momentum you can build on as you go.  In the Living Room pull out all of the magazines that have been piling up and keep only the most recent issues. The kids’ toys, art projects and other accoutrements should find their way back to their intended homes.  Scan the room and remove things that may have been there forever but aren’t currently serving you.  Your intent with this step is to make space for the things that matter in the context of nesting.  In the bedroom clear off the nightstands and leave only what you absolutely need and reach for each evening.  Have a chair in your room that generally serves as a dumping ground for stray clothing?  Clear that too and prepare to designate it as a nook for reading or relaxing as you scroll social media. It’s maybe not the appropriate season to use a gardening metaphor but I’m going to do it anyway: decluttering is like weeding in your garden and preparing the ground for new seedlings.  We only want the good stuff and we don’t want any weeds crowding the flowers we plant there intentionally in Step 2.

Organize

Now you are ready to organize with intent.  In this case, your intent is nesting and you want it to be as easy as possible to get into nesting mode when you are in the room.  This means removing any points of friction that slow down your progress toward that primary intent.  Examples of removing friction: place remotes on a tray or in a drawer that is within easy reach of your favorite seat (or bed!) in the room. Create shelf space to house books that are in your reading queue or family yearbooks or coffee table books that you actually want to peruse. (A side note on books; I like to have them in multiple places in the house, specifically any place where you like to nest. Books are an easy addition to a beautifully styled room, especially charming when they are arranged by color!) Having blankets handy is another way to eliminate the friction point of looking for one when you are ready to settle in with a book or binge some TV. Make sure there is a side table available by your favorite spot so you can fully relax and not have to reach far for anything you need.

Reward

Once you’ve decluttered and organized your nest is ready to enjoy; time to treat yourself! If you have a hard time motivating to start with the decluttering use a reward to stimulate the dopamine loop in your brain. The human brain has a lot of real estate devoted to craving and desire – you can use this circuitry to your advantage by placing something you want at the far side of the decluttering and organizing. Maybe it’s a new throw blanket to replace the one that dog the dog chewed and the kids spilled on? Carving out a few hours for a streaming binge? (I recommend The Bear on Hulu!) Or maybe it’s your favorite hot drink and the newest release by your favorite author (I’m about to start Celeste Ng’s new one.) I love to visit my family photos via albums and my digital library when I’m nesting, especially since my nest is empty (if you like to reward yourself with a Digital Photo Package or an album I can help!) Deciding on your reward ahead of time and bundling it with your Nesting Project is an effective strategy for ensuring the project gets completed!

Holiday Nest

The holiday season is coming fast, now is the time to get your nest ready for all of that time making merry in your home. If you need some support with a plan or actual execution I would love to help, just hit the button below to set up some time to chat!