Do you save things for special occasions?

This is a great article by Lisa Baldwin, a professional organizer from New Zealand. I love her writing style and her website - check it out at http://www.divineorder.co.nz/index.html.

Gentle Nudge: A Very Special Occasion

When I help people to declutter their homes, we often discover items that have been put aside for an undetermined "special occasion" - an event or achievement or moment that they will consider significant enough to warrant the dusting off and enjoyment of "the good stuff".

Sometimes these things have been sitting around for years! Some of the things I see are:

• Pictures that have never been displayed because the owner was waiting until they had a nicer home
• Perfumes that have gone off while waiting to be worn and enjoyed- Journals that are "too good to write in"
• Clothes that have never been worn because they're too nice, and have since gone out of style or been damaged in storage
• Candles that are collecting dust because they're too good to burn (including one that had melted in the sun, perhaps out of sheer frustration?!)

These things are symptoms of a life postponed. If you're not using and enjoying the items in your home, then even the most beautiful things become clutter.

Life is a special occasion. Every day that you get to wake up is a special occasion. The fact that your heart is beating makes today a special occasion.

So, in honour of all of the unused "good stuff" in the world, I'm declaring this week a Very Special Occasion! To join the festivities, all you need to do is find something to celebrate and do it with style. That's right - you're going to use the good stuff.

Burn the candle, wear something that makes you feel great, drink from the good wine glasses, write in the journal - enjoy what you have right here and now.

I'd love to hear what you did to celebrate our Very Special Occasion. What did you find to celebrate? And what did you use? Send a note to lisa@divineorder.co.nz so I can celebrate with you.

Something Extra: Quotes

Life Is Short. Wear Your Party Pants - Loretta LaRoche (book title)

"Why have the 'thing' and the 'good thing'? Just have the one thing and make sure its good!" - Iyanla Vanzant