Author: Sherry Carver (Page 5 of 5)

What I Learned This Week

July 7, 2019 / Sherry Carver

“You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment.” Henry David Thoreau

My struggle has always been to stay in the present. Writing is my tool to keep me humble. My outward demeanor does not always match what my brain is thinking. I want to laugh all the time but I am so serious most of my days ~~ is it possible to find those waves that Thoreau is talking about?

I subscribe to Maria Shriver’s Sunday Paper ~~ she makes me laugh in her quest to be unique, she too is trying to figure out who she is and what she wants aside from expectations and she interviews interesting people with thought provoking problem solving ideas on her podcast “Meaningful Conversations” ~~ all the ingredients that keep me coming back each week. I like the way she approaches life and inspiration is a great way to move forward.

This week my husband and I made a major life decision:

When Downsizing is Not Downsizing

We have been looking at smaller homes in our area. We knew downsizing would be hard but would open up possibilities ~~ smaller yard, smaller inside, more free time. Turns out downsizing would have been more stressful to achieve than we hoped:

We would be making a lateral move financially and the security we have built up over our last 36 years would dissolve.
My husband’s creative vision for our yard would disappear with a sale and I reminded him, “when our family and friends step outside, they feel your love.”
Every room has meaning and that was our plan.
A larger home means more movement each day ~~ a good thing for our health.
Our neighborhood is familiar and comforting.
Watching a moving van pull away would take too much of the life we built together with it.

Home is a feeling ~~ not stuff. We must come up with a new idea for an adventure but we want to come home to the place we love.

And so, we are staying. We are relieved. We laugh more each day. We have to rely on our imaginations to come up with new ways to explore our need for change. We must stay healthy to keep up with our home maintenance schedule. Creative financial planning must become a date night topic.

We are still those two young marrieds with four kids who created a beloved home with meaning. We are not ready to let it go . . . . .

Before Anything ~~ There’s Organizing

May 12, 2019 / Sherry Carver

Has this ever happened to you?

Walk around the house and wonder where all the “stuff” came from
Find that you’ve put everything under beds and shoved in closets and drawers
Feel anxious when you walk in the house
Never feel done with chores
Procrastinate paying bills and reconciling accounts

How to start. . . .

Pick a small task, start a timer and finish it within an hour
Pick one day a week devoted to organizing — no more than 2 hours and write it on your calendar
Put on your favorite podcast, music or tv show to keep you interested in finishing
Hire someone to help you start

I want this for you. I want to make it fun and something you look forward to. I want you to have more time for the things you want to do and not feel weighed down by clutter.

Tips to start . . . .

Watch the Marie Kondo Series On Netflix ;
Follow Clea and Joanna on their instagram organzing journey The Home Edit — they have built an amazing business and their pictures are inspiring ;
Go to The Container Store and just browse all the possibilities for your home (it’s better to walk the aisles first, then you can shop online ;
Make a list of all of your bank accounts, credit cards and loans to start painting a picture of your finances — You can start with Mint Money Manager it’s free ;
Start following Houzz on Facebook for ideas and pictures of your dream home ;
Walk your neighborhood to see what you drive past every day!

Your Home is Your Biography

April 21, 2019 / Sherry Carver

I counted the other day and I have lived in 13 homes in my life. I have lived in my present home for 36 years which is by far the longest time period of any of them. I think all biographies could begin and end with a chapter on each home you have lived in. They tell the stories of growth, adventure, frustration, joy, finances, clutter and stir memories like nothing else in your life (except maybe our cars that hold stories within their doors).

I’ve always had a feeling about home. Each one becomes a part of the history of you. Moving in is tiring and fun. Leaving is sad for all that is left behind. Every house I’ve been in tells my story. I can be funny. I am a positive curious girl who daydreams a lot or I am extremely responsible and organization overtakes my day. My first house was simple and small. It was a fun neighborhood and it was easy to just grow up with few worries. My second house was two story and held all my teenage decisions. I had my own room and learned to meet new people. I’ve lived in apartments, rented homes and condos I bought too fast. Every place held promise.

FAST FORWARD 45 YEARS ~~ I’ve been in my home for all these years and I wake up every morning wondering if I will regret selling it for a smaller home. Our kids were raised here and we created an art studio for Chris. It is a large 1/2 acre yard and we spent every weekend caring for it and the kids. Is it possible to wake up in a different home and start over?

I lack a sense of adventure. I want to change that. It is okay to let my guard down and try new things. Chris and I have the chance to create a home without worrying how it will affect anyone but ourselves. We have ideas we have never been able to create.

My friend, Monday, has sold her home and her whole family has taken off on a trek across the United States. Even though she is scared, she made it happen. Her stories are hilarious and honest. It is not easy but I can almost guarantee that her kids will thank her for this one day. Even with all the sibling fighting, bonds are being made. Will our kids have nightmares about the new family that will be living in their house?

So this is the first step. Saying out loud that this is going to happen. Making a promise to myself and Chris that we will stay on this path and see it through. Now how in the heck do we start downsizing our “stuff?”

Transition

April 6, 2019 / Sherry Carver

Take a step back and really know that you want to be a homeowner. If those reasons outweigh your worries about the market, then you are on the right track. When we bought our home 36 years ago, interest rates were 12- 1/4% but we bought to build a family environment that helped ease the stress of a blended family with our kids. Our home is part of the family and has provided a safe refuge to rest, energize and get back out in the world for our kids (we have four) — even though they are now on their own.

If you have a five-year plan to stay, try to buy something that you can keep, pay off and possibly rent out for future retirement income — my biggest regret is that we did not keep the first home we sold when we bought this one.

If you decide it is time to buy your home, it is likely that you will walk into a house, look around and say “This is Home” . . . . Your journey has begun.

When House is Home

July 18, 2018 / Sherry Carver

Your home is your recharge station. It starts and ends your day. It is such a good feeling when you walk in the door and look around and love what you see.

Create Your Vision

How many times have you passed by a room, your closet, the garage, the yards or your office and said “it’s time for me to do something about that space.” Months can go by and you still have not found the time to work on the space that is driving you crazy. Contact us — we can help!

Make Your Home Yours

It all starts with a “to do” list and your budget. A simple start is best and we begin with the end in mind. If it was all done — what would it look like? We have used this process to update and organize our own home over the last 34 years — the best feeling is knowing something is getting done and that your list is working.

Set Your Goals

Chris can help with the landscape design or updating of your yards. Start with the basics of making sure the sprinklers are working and then planting of each section can be done over time. Believe me — our yard did not look like this when we moved in! Over time, following a plan, we realized our vision.

Our Yard Over Time

Sherry can help with organizing those closets, the garage, your office, photos and paperwork. It can be tough to let go of things that you think you might need in the future — but clutter can keep you anxious. Clothes that you save for “some day” can make room for new items that update your look. Photos that have been stored in the back of a closet for years can be brought out and shared. Income tax time can be made easy when paperwork is organized with files that keep getting updated every month. The garage can stop being the “throw and close the door.”

A Simple Place For Everything

Go to our CONTACT tab and email us with your “to do” list. We offer a free first consultation and service all of Orange County, California.