September/October 2005

The Need to Nest

Today, I sat on a hillside in the dwindling fall sun and soaked up the rays while I was working on the final edit of my book. Before me, the straw-colored hillside poured down into hazelnut orchards, which stepped down into the valley floor. While the green foliage is still abundant, the buttery yellow sun and tint of fall color announces the season. 

Just this morning, Trevor and I went for a walk in crisp morning fog, bundled in our fleece, and yet this afternoon I got a sunburn on the hill! Northwest autumns seem to have a paradoxical effect on me…I want to absorb the last ray of sunshine, as if lingering behind, but I also welcome the familiar fog of fall, looking forward to the season ahead. 

Fall marks back-to-school time. After we get through that mad dash, we begin to turn homeward. It’s the season before the hectic holiday—the calm before the craze—when we want to nest and clear out the clutter. If you’re like me, you want to burn scented candles, arrange pumpkins and gourds, and enjoy a crackling fire in the fireplace on a rainy night. You begin thinking of re-doing rooms, getting rid of the excess, and settling in. Fall is a time to spruce up your home and refill your fuel tank after a busy summer.  

As you feather your nest, here are some ideas to simplify, beautify, and re-connect: 

Clear Out Cast-offs
In your clearing process, you can check out our Donation Connection on our website to find out where you can donate, re-sell, or recycle your old belongings.

I’ve found that many folks who want to pare down are not quite ready to part with things they feel are “still good.” They keep a stash/pile/closet full of items that they someday plan to sell on eBay™. This stuff just hangs around in a holding pattern until someone does something with it. (This wishful stash seems not good enough to stay but too good to move on!)  

If this applies to you, and if you want to get some cash out of your cast-offs, check out our friends at Tigard iSOLDIt, a service that sells your stuff on eBay™. Download our iSOLDIt coupon for one free listing and a reduced rate as a Restoring Order® referral. 

Of course, if you need help with organization, you can reserve time on the Restoring Order® calendar to get your home into guest-ready shape for the holidays! Inquire about our home organizing services and our Holiday Help package.

Redecorate
Paring down clears the way for you to enjoy your home to its fullest. After you’ve organized, you may want to reward yourself with some home decorating. Some cost-free, simple strategies to freshen up your space are: re-arranging to create easier traffic patterns, eliminating excessive knick-knacks, and re-purposing items you already have in new ways. Lighting, slipcovers, and paint are inexpensive pick-me-ups for rooms that need a lift. 

If you are remodeling or updating and need expert decorating help, call our friends at Comfort Interiors at (360) 254-2800 for a consultation. They have offices in both Portland and Vancouver.  

Reclaim Your Hobbies
I don’t know about you, but my developed photos are collected back to 2001, and are patiently awaiting inclusion in photo albums. I don’t take much time during the sunny seasons to work on this hobby. However, as fall rolls around, I get together with my best girlfriends on fall evenings to work on my scrapbooks. I already have a handful of dates reserved throughout the coming months to crop ‘till I drop. I color-code these activities purple on my calendar, which to me means re-fueling and fun activities.  

Fall is a perfect time to get your favorite activities and people back on your calendar. I encourage you to reconnect with friends and create some new memories this season. Above all, feather your nest with your most important priorities! 

Wishing you a cozy nest,
Vicki Norris 

PS: 

Remember Those with No Nest
In a time when Hurricane Katrina has separated so many from their homes, we can be thankful for the basic things we so often take for granted: a warm meal, a bed to sleep in, and shelter. As you nest this fall, take the time to remember those who have no home to call their own.  

The Portland Rescue Mission serves homeless, needy, and displaced men, women and children in our area, meeting their basic needs since 1949. Their doors are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. As the rightful, national outpouring of compassion is directed towards Katrina, let us not forget the poor and homeless in our own city.





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