When I think about design, I think of imagination. Unfortunately, this is something we often turn off in our adulthood, but it is a beautiful thing to tap into your individual creativity and dream.
Remove the filter of limiting beliefs and allow your brain to do what it does best, solve problems! Today if you don’t already know how to do something, you can certainly figure it out on YouTube or in the Googles! This week I go deeper into the importance of design.
Physical Spaces- We have all heard the phrase “by design”, like it was planned that way and perfectly executed. How many of you don’t feel your spaces are “by design” but more like “it just happened this way”? I often feel the latter when I allow a space to get cluttered and re-cluttered. I’ve come to learn that if this happens, it’s because I have not designed the space to fit my needs. When clarity or purpose in a space is lacking, so is design. Chaos will always fill the room like dark matter, permeating every nook and cranny and attracting more clutter. That may be a slight exaggeration but you get the point.
Planned design equals functionality.
Functionality equals order.
And order, well that’s what we all want to feel!
So what do you do?
First, recognize the lack of design. Try to observe the room or the item like you were a guest seeing it for the first time.
Second, DON’T JUDGE!! This is the hardest part, but the judgment just gets in the way of objectivity and being able to make decisions. If you find this part too hard at first, set a timer for 2 minutes and allow yourself to judge, vent, and complain. Once the timer goes off no more judging.
Third, is to observe and question. What colors do you see that you like? If you don’t like any of them, what colors would you like to see? Do you like the furniture? Do you want to replace it or does it just need to be cleared of clutter so you can enjoy it more? The more questions and answers you explore in this step the better. You will learn what your tastes are and start to build a roadmap of your own design.
Fourth, imagine your design. Picture it in your head. Decide what purpose the room serves and how you will design it to be functional and fit your tastes. Be creative and spend time in this step getting really clear on what design will bring together solutions to your clutter problems, look good to you, and fit within your budget.
Fifth, implement your design. Have fun with it and enjoy flexing your creativity muscles. Try out new things and play!
Mental Space- You can use design in all parts of your life. Especially in how you think. Whether you are deciding or not, you are thinking things! And those thoughts are directly linked to how you feel and act. So if you are wanting to be more disciplined in exercise, think about what design you have in place to help you with that. Maybe you can change your thoughts from “I don’t think this workout is really going to matter” to “I am committed to keeping promises to myself and this workout is important to me”. You could find a trainer or accountability buddy to make you even more disciplined. You could track your progress and plan a reward like a massage after you complete 60 days. Only you know yourself the best to decide what design will be the most helpful.
If you really believed you could think anything you want, what would you choose to fill your mind with? Hint: You really can choose!
Final Thoughts on Design
We are all unique in our likes and dislikes of certain designs. That is okay. Just get to know yourself, ask questions about your things and your thoughts, and use that creativity to re-imagine and redesign your life.
What designs do you envision for your home and lifestyle? Comment below and let me know what designs you decided on this week or any questions you have about designs.
Enjoy the creative process of designing everything you can imagine!
Hi Patty, love the blog. In reading the prior comment about having so many decisions to make, sometimes in a short amount of time and often with limited resources, the word Prioritization popped into my mind. I would love to hear your thoughts on how we can best go about this.
Greg, thank you for the awesome comment. Yes! Prioritization is one of my favorite topics! One thing that I have found that is helpful for a situation like you describe is getting clear on your vision. Asking questions like, “What is the most important thing that needs to be done right now?” or “Which task, if completed, will make the following tasks easier to complete?” Many times that task is the one you keep kicking down the “to-do” list because it’s the one you want to do the least. However, if I had to recommend just one thing though, it would be Scheduling ALL of your tasks on a calendar, Constraining yourself to complete the task within the allotted time frame you decide on, and then Following Through. You will be amazed at how much you can get done if you take just 1 hour a week to plan out your time. Also, don’t forget to plan for family time, downtime, and hobby activities and schedule those FIRST!
So many decisions on the design of each room, what color, light fixtures, door knobs, etc …..is stressing me out. Luckily I still have time to decide on colors sonfar I know my ceilings are white lol wish me luck 😊
It is a lot of decisions, but try to get clear on what YOU want it to look and feel like. Then spend some time looking at images on Google or Pinterest to decide what you really love. I look forward to following your process!