It’s the beginning of Virgo season which just so happens to coincide with my husband and I purchasing our 1st home. I suddenly find myself in full on nesting mode. I’ve been spending hours saving organization porn on Pinterest, online window shopping at The Container Store and cleaning all of the things. Marie Kondo, Martha Stewart and The Home Edit are basically my muses at the moment. Never in my life have I been an organized person, so I happily blame the Sun in Virgo + transiting Saturn in my 4th house for this bewildering development. Who knew that shopping for hand towels and drawer dividers could give me such a thrill?
5 Things Every (Aspiring) Domestic Goddess Should Know
Here are 5 of my hard-won tips and recommendations from an organization n00b turned aspiring domestic goddess such as myself… P.S. #4 & 5 are my favorites!
1. Take measurements- of your drawers and cabinets before purchasing your adorable bins, baskets and drawers. There’s nothing worse than having your heart set on the most aesthetically pleasing storage containers, only to realize that they don’t fit. Save yourself the pain and whip out that measuring tape. After all, making returns is a headache on a good day, let alone in the midst of Covid craziness. You can thank me later.
2. Make a list– (and check it twice!) Assess the items you need to organize and tailor your organizational system accordingly. For example, you may be smitten with those seagrass baskets, but are they really the best choice for your tiny toiletries? Consider factors such as size, item type and visibility to ensure you make the most efficient and appropriate selections. One method that has worked for me is making a list of the items I need to organize and then shopping around for the best storage solutions. Taking photos of your items in their messy states and existing dysfunctional spaces can be helpful too. It also makes for satisfying before and after reveals.
3. Does this spark joy? Whilst weeding through your possessions and deciding what stays and what goes, ask yourself- does this spark joy? Does this item make me feel good, confident (if it’s clothing), uplifted and content? If not, perhaps it’s time to thank the item for the role it has played and then donate it. When in doubt, toss it out.
4. Prevent decision fatigue– Have you ever heard of decision fatigue? Scientists have discovered that the more decisions we have to make, the less likely we are to make good choices. Steve Jobs knew this well, which is why he had a closet full of black turtlenecks that comprised his ‘daily uniform.’ He didn’t waste his finite amount of quality decisions on something like fashion, which he considered trivial. I know that for me personally, one of the questions I dread the most at the end of the day is: what are we cooking for dinner? When I fail to consider this in advance, we often fall into the takeout trap with less-than-healthy options, or end up plating at 8:30, by which time we’re both hangry. What I’ve started doing recently, and highly recommend, is planning out a month’s worth of dinners. I learned this super valuable tip on Pinterest. Usually on the last day of every month I will plan out next month’s meals. This makes grocery shopping a breeze, increases the likelihood that we will eat something healthy and nourishing and ensures that I never have to agonize over what to feed my family.
5. Stick to a schedule– I have a dirty confession to make. Previously, my cleaning routine was basically non-existent. I’d scrape by, doing the bare minimum, until that fateful day we hosted a dinner party. This is one of the few incidents that lit a fire under my ass. I would scramble around in a frenzy, cleaning my little heart out all day so that our space didn’t look like a pig sty. Not only was this embarrassing and exhausting, but it also made for a less-than-pleasant living environment. Thankfully, dustbunnies are no longer my homies because I stick to this cleaning schedule. Now that I have a house instead of an apartment, I feel like I can’t mess around or I’ll drown in the detritus. Instead of letting all of the housework pile up, I am now committed to doing 15-45 minutes of daily tidying. That way I can avoid those dreaded all-day cleaning marathons.
Don’t know how to get started cleaning or what products to use? I got you babe. Check out these two books, they’re my go-to’s: 1 & 2.
Remember that your home is a reflection of what’s going on in your mind and inner world. When you create a beautiful, peaceful sanctuary for yourself on the physical plane, your internal reality is transformed as well. Cleaning, organizing and nesting are all forms of energy healing. They aren’t lying when they say cleanliness is next to godliness.
Virgo-esque Organization : Beast Mode
My Favorite Nesting Materials
Btw, none of these products are sponsored. They’re just heartfelt shares from an aesthetically inclined Venusian soul such as myself. It’s also worth mentioning that you can get an authentic fiddle leaf fig tree from Costco for $40. But they’re seasonal, so you’ll have to check back in spring & summer.
You can take a look at my garden of Virgoan delights on Pinterest, here. And if you have any cleaning and organizational resources I need to know about, please share them with us in the comments below. Meanwhile, I’ll be over here with my freshly lit burning rose candle, sipping an iced chai and reading Normal People by Sally Rooney (so good!). Until next time, love!
xx,
Avalon
