How to Clean Out Your Closet

As  a feng shui consultant, I rarely enter a home where I don’t give the following tip:

Clear Your Clutter.

Alas, as a naturally disorganized person myself, I find this feat challenging at best.  Lucky for my clients, I have complete empathy.  Yet after all my years of studying feng shui and putting it to practice for myself and others, clutter-clearing is hands-down the number one thing a person can do create miracles in his or her life.  I’m talking miracles.

{Stay tuned for the Why? on Clutter Clearing...}  

This past week, we had a few rainy days here in Birmingham, and with the change in weather (it’s finally cooling down a bit), I decided to tackle my clothes.   

Because, lately, every time I go to my closet – and I’m talking just to go over to the grocery store – I struggle with what to throw on.  This is a problem, as my closet is packed full of clothes.   

Funny, because I felt like I had just cleaned it all out.  After all, it wasn't long ago that I was wearing all maternity clothes, and I've moved in the past year, so yes, I've tossed some stuff along the way.  Goes to show, however, that clearing clutter is a process.  After all, we are always accumulating things, so it's really about maintenance, isn't it?

So what was all this stuff in my closet???  This stuff that I didn't even want to wear???  

If you are like me, you have a few favorites from fifteen years ago.  And, if you are like me, you have not worn them but four times in the past ten of those years. 

For example:

Betsy Johnson LBD.  Very cute.  I have had some fun times in this little number.  So how to know whether to keep or give?  After all, it’s an LBD.  They always are in style, right?  And it’s designer.  And I’ve had it for soooo loooong.

And how about this fun tunic that I bought in Urban Outfitters in Austin in 1998?  Hot pink is a favorite of mine to wear.  I seem to get a fair amount of positive attention in this one.  But every time I go to put it on (which is probably twice a year), I say “Naaahhh.” 


And then there's the BCBG wrap dress in brown:

When I bought it, it said "feminine class."  When I put it on, it says, "Blah."  

So what gives?  How do you know what to keep (things really do come back in style) and what to say ba-bye too? 

I’ll tell you!

What I was inspired to do – and I’m telling you, I had to get brutal – was to write down every piece of clothing I owned, try that piece on, then rate it.

Yes, I rated my clothes.

I know what you may be thinking.  I have too much time on my hands.  Or that I'm excessively anal retentive.  Both of those could not be farther from the truth.  But, being a single mom, juggling freelance jobs among a zillion other things, I’ve become pretty good at the time management thing.  I have found that when you take the time to make a big pot of soup at the beginning of the week, it saves you time during the week.  Same goes with streamlining your closet – put in the time now, it will save you those evenings of trying on four outfits and then just settling with one that you don’t like that much anyway.  Trust me.  I’m not patient with this sort of stuff.  For me to be doing it should be telling you something. 

Here’s how it went:

I started with the dresses.  I tried them all on, making sure I had shoes to match.  The system went like this:

4 stars – I felt 100% in it!  It fit great, it was my color, and it’s in style. 

3 stars – Cute but not killer.  Not a knock-out, but definitely a keeper.

2 stars – Didn’t fit, not a great color on me, reminded me of an ex-boyfriend or a not-fun time in my life, looked cheap or out of style and not cute enough to save for another season.

1 star – Just bad.

Occasionally, I was between and 2 and a 3, so I invented 2.5 stars.  It’s a little bit of a cheat, so try not to do it if you try this at home.  Basically, those items are still in a smallish pile.  I need a second opinion on those.  (On the opinion thing: be sure you get someone who knows your style and who loves you and wants you to look beautiful.  Hate to say it, but girls can be catty, and you never know when someone’s telling you it looks awful because she wants it!)

The 4 stars went back in the closet.

The 3 stars went back in the closet.

The 1 Stars went in a pile on the floor along with the 2 stars.  These items (I don’t care how long I’ve had it, or how badly I wanted it to fit) were outta there. 

Oh, and during this process if there was something I needed to buy – shoes, belt, certain jewelry – to take it to the next level, I’d write that down next to the item.  This is VERY important as we move onto….

Pants and tops.  I tend to buy in pieces rather than entire outfits (despite my mother’s instructions), and this had gotten me in trouble.  The beauty of having pieces is that you can find sudden inspiration in pairing a top with an unexpected bottom, the day of, and to me, this is part of the fun of getting dressed.  It’s not just putting on clothes – it becomes creative expression in those moments.  But my closet had gotten to the point where I couldn’t even see what I had so that nothing inspired me because it was hidden behind a bunch of 2 stars. 

For example, I bought this precious pink jacket by Theory (one of my favs) a few months ago.

 I'm proud to say that I found it second-hand at Crossroads in Santa Monica, and I just had to have it.  (The $15 price tag may have helped!)  However, I haven’t worn it because I didn’t have a shirt to go underneath – so I thought! 

Can you believe that I actually have a lacy little tank in the exact same pink!

How did I miss this?!

I'll tell you how.  Buried.  Under 2 starses.  

I had a BIG pile of giveaways.  It feels GREAT.  Putting my clothes back in my closet – the keepers – was a reward in itself. 

The next step:  Finding the gaps in the wardrobe.  Like I said, I have tons of pieces, so in order for me to be able to keep some of these cute items that I never wear, I have to find something to go with them to make them a complete outfit.  One thing I have discovered:  shoes make the season.  You can wear something from 1940 or 2001 in year 2011 but only if you have the shoes of the day to bring it up to today’s fashion.  Accessories count for a lot too. 

Here’s my personal must–haves for Fall 2011.

1.  A gold chain-link belt  (to drape on my hips for some of the A-line looks that are passé)

2.  Tight short skirt  (to wear with some of my looser tops)

2.  Thick tights in several colors (to wear with the short skirts and to give a boring outfit some umph) Note:  NOT leggings – unfortunately, leggings are on the out, unless they look like tights

3.  Clunky shoes (to modernize anything)
These are 7 For All Mankind:

4.  Short black wedge boots (because I’m obsessed with boots)
These are Donna Karan: 

Final step:

Before I shop, I search.  A favorite place to visit is the Lucky Magazine website.  I click on Street Style for wearable things first.  I take note of what looks I like.  Of course, I’ll browse the designer sections.  I found myself loving the shorts look with fun shoes, and I realized I definitely need more red in my closet just because, for me, red is an instant burst of fun. 

My final inspiration in my “home shopping,” was this photo.

When I saw it, I thought, THIS IS IT.   Isabel Marant's design.  This is the kind of look I adore.  Although I don’t see myself wearing this exact thing in Birmingham, it's what it evokes that I love.  Basically, it's got attitude.  It's bold, modern, fun, playful, yet sexy.  

Which reminds me -- one more must-have:

5.  Amazing fringe boots.

Skin Food Report....

I was putting off the follow-up blog to the skin care regime, because 1. I find it sort of boring, and 2.  I was afraid I wasn’t going to give you very good news.

BUT THEN – My dear friend whom I haven’t seen since January made the comment of comments – “Katie, your skin looks really good.”

O.  

M.

G.

Just when I was about to relay to you-all that I’m not estatic about the Weleda Skin Food, I get this beloved compliment.  So maybe it is working better than I thought. 

Pros:

• It smells good.
• It’s definitely moisturizing.
• It’s all-natural.
• It’s affordable.
• It’s easy.
• It smells really good.
• It’s gives a dewy effect.
• It’s European.

Cons:

• It’s thick.
• It’s not a miracle wrinkle-fixer (i.e. my friend is still singing botox’s praises to me – unabashedly too.)
• Some people translate “dewy” as “greasy.” 
• It very rarely, occasionally causes a tiny breakout, mostly if I’ve been lazy about cleansing my face.

So there’s my report:  I am not totally freaked-out in love with Skin Food.  But I’d rather be putting nature on my face than rat poison (euphemism: botox) IN my face!  And with winter around the corner and its skin-drying tendencies, I’ll stick with this until someone can sell me on something else.  

NEWSFLASH: Mobile Bay polluted?

I sat down with the intention of following up on my oh-so-exciting skin care adventure, but after a quick check on Facebook, I cannot sit silent, knowing what I know.

I grew up in Mobile, Alabama.  One of the finest things about that town is that it sits smack on a gorgeous bay.

There are also rivers with its wildlife and mystique. 

And all of it opens up into the beautiful Gulf of Mexico...

...where there really is some of the whitest, powder-soft sand on this entire globe. 

Probably the best thing about growing up in Mobile were the summers.  Yes, they were one hundred degrees.  Yes, there were mosquitoes.  But those summers “over the bay” and “at the gulf” are imprinted into my very being.  Waterskiing, warm nights on the wharf, Jubilees, 360s on Waverunners, sleeping on screened-in porches, and yes, never buying a bathing suit with white in it, because after being in the bay, it’d be a deep beige. 

Growing up in Mobile really is the stuff of stories.  "Idyllic" is the word that comes to mind.  After living in many a land-locked town and many a too-busy city, I know now how ridiculously fortunate I was that Boston Whalers were our vehicles at age 13 and dropping a ski at age 10 was the norm. 

But then I glimpse Facebook, and I’m reminded.  We can love it, we can enjoy it, but really it’s not ours.   

Let me explain.  (And I must give TreePeople, the non-profit environmental organization where I used to work, props for this, as I learned it while there.  Thanks, Peeps.)

Mobilians live in what is called a watershed.  Think: gravity.  Think:  all the rivers that are connecting to the bay which then connects to the gulf make a watershed.  And all the creeks and streams that lead into these rivers.  And all the streets with their gutters that lead into the creeks and streams. 

Here's a picture that depicts the watershed for Mobile Bay.

In Los Angeles, they have cute little plaques over the storm drains (aka, the “holes” in the curbs in our streets) with dolphins on them to remind people that we live in a watershed and must do our best to protect our watershed.

What happens when it rains is that the Earth is getting a good cleansing.  In the old days when trash didn’t exist, rain would fill the creeks and flow into the rivers and flow into the bays and oceans where clouds would accumulate and then the whole cycle would start over again.  Nice and clean…and natural.

What is happening today is obviously a different story.  Here’s what I saw on Facebook today that sparked this blog:

These days, our precious water isn't ours.  It belongs to Styrofoam.  It belongs to BP’s gushing oil.  It belongs to anyone who throws a beer can, not only out of their boats, but also out on the street, say, in Birmingham, Alabama.

A disgusting disgrace.  This is embarrassing, disheartening, and sickening to me.  Mobile’s most valuable asset is being treated as a garbage dump.  Let me say it again:  Most Valuable Asset… Garbage Dump.

And who’s to blame?   Rednecks who toss their McDonald wrappers into the water?  Maybe a garbage truck took a wrong turn into the river!  Or, oh, I know, Wal-mart already had too many Styrofoam cups on their shelves, so they had a big party, and they forgot to bring the garbage bags. 

Uh.  No.  Have you ever let a piece of plastic fall on the street and not pick it up?  Have you ever bought a drink out of a Styrofoam cup?  Have you ever sat there and watched someone else litter without saying anything to them?

This may seem extreme to some of you, but it’s not.  We have a major TRASH crisis on our hands on this planet. 

My mind flashes to Wall-E, the Pixar movie, that gives a strong message about this.   And if we don’t start doing something about it N-O-W, we are literally going to be swimming in it.  Oh, wait.  That’s already happening. 

I feel a need to be clearer.  Stay with me here.

Say a trash can, waiting on a curb, accidentally gets dumped over in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.  Say no one bothered to clean it up before one of our afternoon showers comes through.  What happens to the trash?  It flows into the gutters with the rest of the rain.  Then it makes its way into the storm drains.  The storm drains need to be there, as pavement does not allow water to permeate, and the water has to flow somewhere, or it will flow into our houses.  So all the water and the trash goes into the storm drain which leads to the nearest river which eventually leads to Mobile Bay or the Gulf of Mexico.  So, not only is Dog River getting pollution from the folks who live or play there, but it’s getting it from the entire state and beyond! 

Okay, so the trash can example is just to give you a mental picture.  Try this one:  Think of how many people there are in the state.  How many of them litter?  Probably quite a few because our education system here is not the best and research shows that educated people litter less.  Therefore, there are a lot of people littering.  And say all those people litter just one day that week.  Just one item.  But how many people are doing it?  Adds up.  I’d say it was equal to a whole lot of trash cans dumped over, wouldn’t you? 

Sad to say it, but Mobile’s at the end of all that litter.  Well, almost.  Actually, there is no end.  The Gulf and then the ocean is the end.  But that’s a whole other (very-linked) issue.

Because this is what it looks like in the middle of nowhere in the Pacific -- right now!   It's called the
Great Pacific Garbage Patch, and the main culprit is plastic.

[A friend, Anna Cummins, and her husband, Marcus Eriksen, have taken this issue on in its entirety.] 

The point is, y’all, it’s up to us.  It’s up to the people of Mobile, the ones teaching their five-year-olds to ski, the ones having a gin and tonic on the wharf, the ones bringing back the biggest catch of the rodeo, to take care of this situation. 

It starts with personal responsibility.  When you drive a gas-guzzling SUV or when you don't carpool, you are telling the oil companies it’s okay to keep drilling without giving a damn on how it affects our waters.  When you buy a stack of Styrofoam cups or cases of plastic water bottles, you are risking years and years and years of the trash that came from one little drink sitting in our landfills or floating on our rivers or doing who-knows-what to our oceans.  When you throw a cigarette butt out your window in Auburn, you are basically using our gorgeous beaches as an ashtray. 

I know there is a general consensus among a lot of folks that think that little actions don’t make a difference.  But they do!  If everyone did the little actions, it adds up to a lot.

Isn’t a river full of litter proof of that?   Isn't an OCEAN full of litter proof of that?  Aren't landfills after landfill after landfill proof of that?

It CAN be turned around.  I know so many people that love and cherish our waters.  If all of those people began to really take care of it, nothing would get in the way.  If there is one thing Mobilians have, it’s passion.  Passion plus educating yourselves plus speaking up and caring could just do the trick.  No, it will do the trick. 

And when you’re having that gin and tonic on the wharf as the sun goes down, knowing that you did all that you could do to protect the bay or the Gulf for this generation and the generations to come, that cocktail, my friends, will taste all the better. 

Here is a good article I found from WKRG News on how you can help.  And check out Mobile Baykeeper for volunteer opportunities. 

For my Angeleno friends, here is what TreePeople is doing in LA in regards to the watershed.  Also check out Heal the Bay.  Or call Anna!  She lives there!

Please post comments if you care to elaborate further, and give people tips on how they can contribute.  What other organizations are out there?  What else are people doing?  What do you think?????

This is a vast topic, and discussion is one step in the right direction! 

Katie Interviews Katie

I get asked so many questions about feng shui that I decided to, well, interview myself, on the topic for a hopefully interesting FAQ of sorts.

Here it goes:

Interviewer Katie (IK): Katie, someone once told me that feng shui was like “psychic decorating”?  Would you agree with that?

Katie Feng Shui (KFS): (laughs)  That actually isn’t too far from the truth.  Basically, your space -- like, your home or office -- represents you, so when I go and assess a space, I can sort of read it. 

IK: So, if you came to my house, you could tell me if I was going to win the lottery?  Or move to some exotic location, like, Zimbabwa?

KFS: Well, there would be clues as to whether you are good with finances, whether your money situation is stable or unstable, whether you are attracted to exotic locations, and perhaps need or want a big move. 

IK: So you’re not able to tell me my future or anything like that?

KFS: Okay, it goes like this.  When a client calls, I tell them I need the floorplan of their home and pictures (if it’s a distance consultation) and their Three Objectives.  The objectives are things that they want to improve in their life, such as their finances, their health, the relationships at work or in their family, their career, or even their reputation. 

IK: Love life?

KFS: A very popular one.

IK: Not surprised.  Okay, so then what?  How does one get a love life after calling you?

KFS: When I go to their home (or talk to them on the phone if it’s a distance consultation), we hone in on the areas that they want to improve.  See, by that time, I have looked at their floorplan and done an assessment using the Bagua map.  

IK: A map?  

KFS:  Yep.  The ancient feng shui dudes created it.  Thousands of years ago, they were more in tune with things like energy of a space, and they realized that the way the energy moved in a space represented different areas of one’s life.

IK:  So there is a map that can tell me which parts of my home reflect which parts of my life.  Does this really work?  I mean, it seems so weird.   It's kind of saying, your home is a map to your life.  That's just kind of -- 

KFS:  Look, I pride myself on keeping integrity in all that I do.  So, yes, I've put it to practice a zillion times, because honestly, I didn't believe it myself when I first started out and I had to see for myself.  Believe me, there were amazing, crazy, can't-deny-it results in some capacity or another every time!

IK:  Because of a map invented by some Chinese people thousands of years ago?  

KFS: And other things, like the elements and chi and yin and yang.  The map is based on the I Ching.

IK: The E what?

KFS:  Never mind.  Next interview.  Maybe.

IK: So Love.

KFS: Yes. Love.  So I find where their Romance/Love/Marriage section is in their home.  When I see the pictures, I can tell what sort of vibe they are putting out to the Universe.  For example, if my client is a single woman, and she has a huge painting of a woman looking very solemn and alone, I know that she needs a little help romantically.  I suggest she take it down immediately, which she usually gladly does, and then I tell her she needs some artwork that suggests love and romance.  A happy couple.  Two doves.  That sort of thing.

IK: Okay, so she had a pic of a single woman, when she needs pics of couples.  What if the client is in a relationship and having trouble?

KFS: Same thing.  Things in pairs in this section.  I make sure there is nothing so-called blocking the potential for a happy relationship, such as a closet full of dirty shoes, or that sort of thing.

IK: So no dirty laundry in the Romance section.

KFS: And no tools.  It makes Relationships seem like work.

IK: But what if the laundry room is there?  Or the tool shed?

KFS: Then I give “cures” for those things, but it’s a little more complex in those instances, so it’d have to be specific to the home and client.  But there is always a cure.

IK: You mean, like putting up a dragon statue or something?

KFS: Only if the client is into dragon statues.  It doesn’t have to be Chinese décor to work.  I rarely suggest Chinese décor, because we are in the West, and most people have Western décor.  If the client doesn’t like what I am suggesting, then it’s not a good cure, so we find something else.  And it would have to be two dragon statues in the Love section.  Remember, pairs?  And only if that person wanted a fiery, passionate, mystical sort of relationship. 

IK: So doves may be better.

KFS: Depends on who you are.  But generally, yes.

IK: Cool!  Okay, thanks, Katie! 

KFS: My pleasure.  I hope you got some insight.

IK: Well, since I'm you, I really knew all of this stuff anyway.

KFS:  Yeah, okay.  

IK: You know, we were doing this for fun, to educate people.

KFS:  Yeah, I know that.  It was my idea.  And I think we should stop now. 

IK:  Okay.

KFS:  Ok.  

IK:  Bye.

KFS:  Stop.

IK:  Bye!  For real.  Bye.  

My Latest

Doing the Miracle Paintings for St. Paul's Church in Mobile has put me in the mood to "branch out" into other subjects.  And what better subject than trees?   And birch trees have such a beautiful mystique.

I knew I wanted something aqua blue with hints of deep green and gold.  My initial vision was a more pastel version of what became the end product, but during the process, I became so focued on making sure the contrast was intense, so the pastel idea was dropped.

The painting is 4 feet by 2 feet, and it's about 2.5 inches thick, so no frame.  I'll call it Birch in Blue.

(Please excuse the iPhone photography!  I'll post a better pic later.)

Romance and Feng Shui

You gotta love love.  Right? 

In feng shui, there are areas of your home that “match up” to areas of your life.  This is the Ba Gua map.  

You lay it over your floorplan, lining the bottom of it with the wall that aligns to the front door (i.e. in most homes, you will either walk into the Knowledge, Career, or Helpful People guas).  Considering your home isn’t missing any sections, you can find out where your Romance section is, Money section, Career section, etc.

Therefore, if you are standing at the front door, your Romance (Relationship) section is the back right section of your home.

According to feng shui, what is happening in your home in each section is affecting that part of your life.  For example, say your bedroom is there, and it is sweet and romantic.  Then most likely, you are in or will attract a healthy balanced relationship.  However, if there is a closet full of items that you've kept from all your exes, you may want to consider cleaning it out!   

It’s a good idea to put “cures” in place to help with that area of your life.  In the Romance section, color-wise, red, pink, and white work well.  Earth is the ruling element here, so muted tones work too.  (i.e. beige, terracotta, even brick red.  Yellow is also okay because it represents Earth.)   

It’s a big no-no to have anything glaringly single there.  Best to have things in pairs!  Or photos of you and your honey.  Or paintings that depict a romantic scene.

A client of mine wanted to spiff up her Romance section in order to attract love into her life, so she went hunting for something to hang above the door of her kitchen, where her Romance section happens to be.  Here’s what she found:   

Very nice in that it’s a pair, it’s pink and earthy tones, it’s of the Earth element (clay), and they are squares, which also symbolize Earth.  

She did land a hot date (that turned into a hot weekend) very shortly after hanging these!  The key, too, is intention!  Now that these are in place, her subconscious must oblige and send out signals to all the single honeys out there.

However, she wants to get hitched.  Time will tell of course, but a good feng shui consultant cannot ignore what was going on in another pic she sent....

Let's take a closer look:

Yes, she's got a pair, but that lone apron sure does sing out SINGLE!  I like to play it safe with these sort of things.  How about a His and Hers apron?  Or put that thing in a drawer!  I mean, why risk it?

When I alerted her of this, she responded good-humoredly in an email:  "Hahaha!  That f***ing apron is now hidden away in a drawer. :-) I had to laugh. As soon as you pointed it out, it was obvious. And ironically, now that it's gone, I actually think that pantry door looks cleaner and less cluttered." 


Makes you wonder -- what is perhaps going on in your home that is affecting your life?  Feng shui is AMAZING in that it can help you unblock and move forward....  and it could be a simple as putting an apron in a drawer.

Skin Regime Experiment on Ritalin? (or needs to be)

Following up on my March blog --  Skin Care Regime Experiment #1 -- (which is now a combined 2,3, 4, and 5 all in one):

The olive oil was not so great.  I mean, it was fine…but fine is not okay with me.  I used it for at least three weeks, so that’s better than nothing.  It wasn’t doing anything bad, but I want something that does good. 

So I switched to coconut oil....(because I read something like this.)  

Straight up.  And because I LOVE coconut water like a fiend (and lotion and candles and smell and cookies and milk).   I even put a glob (because it's globby, not liquidy) of it in a little tin to leave in my bathroom rather than my kitchen cabinet (Major Tangent: coconut oil is to die for as a substitute in brownie mixes and instead of butter for pancakes and French toast.  And to sauté many different veggies.  FYI.  And it’s good for you too).  The coconut-oil-face-treatment-created-by-moi lasted about 4 days.  In truth – and this is in no way scientific -- it was doing less than the olive oil.

Dear Reader, I need to give an overview.  I ain’t 21 years old, Folks.  But I ain’t 50.  And I’m not so into botox, although I must say, I know some folks that use it, and it definitely takes ten years off.  I, personally, would rather not go there, because I have strange luck with those sort of things, and I have a fear of my face --- never – moving – again – ever. 

After the coconut oil attempt, I had some samples of some really nice stuff by Ole Henriksen, and I thought, what the heck.  

This stuff was nice!  I almost went and bought it, but I never got around to it.  Which only tells me and you that it really was just “nice,” and well, if I’m going to spend a few bucks, I’d rather it be effing amazing. 

I sort of gave up after that, y’all.  I went back to my ol’ Alba from Whole Foods.  I just sort of settled.  I'm really wanting natural, eco-goodness is all.  

The Alba cream actually worked really well when I lived in LA --  but Alabama skin and LA skin differ in the humidity department, and sorry, Whole Foods, but I’m going to be taking it back…

…and exchanging it for this:

 Why? 

…because I was in LA this past weekend and having a delicious brunch (with flakey service but who’s counting?) at the fairly-new Sauce on a side street on the cusp of Venice and Santa Monica (my old hood – love you) with two of my dearest girlies when one of them asked the other what skin care product she used, because hell, this one friend of mine has flawless skin. 

I spoke up, with cilantro/avocado/eggs in my mouth:  “It’s her genes.” 

But the other friend insisted on knowing what she used, because even if it’s genes, everyone uses something unless they are 17 years old. 

Surprisingly, the answer was the above-product mentioned.  My friend had heard about it from another woman I know, who also has flawless skin.  The catch is, it’s a hand cream that they use on their face.  And you buy it at Whole Foods.  Sixteen little dollars.  Eat that, Carita! 

I’m buying it tomorrow.  I’m giving it a few weeks.  I'm hoping it's one of those things where you give up looking, and walahhh, the perfect thing appears.  Can it breeze through the humidity test?  Can it give me genes that I only wish I had been born with?   Can it blow the tox off of botox, leaving only beau?  

Stay tuned...