Comfortable at Home Diane Lowy

Today I’m chatting with Molly. She works in the beauty industry, and in January she moved into a large studio apartment near Moma that has been in her family for many years. Molly was so excited to put down roots for the first time in her adult life but didn’t know where to start. Once I created beautiful displays for her collections, the rest of it fell into place. She was so honest and open about where she started as well as how working together made such a dramatic impact on her self confidence. We talked about so many things! Here are some key takeaways.

1. If you’re a visual person, a beautiful system with room to grow can inspire you to maintain it even if you’ve never seen yourself as a neat person.

2. Systems make it clear what enough looks like. Once the custom shoe wall I designed was installed, Molly found it easy to donate shoes that no longer fit and didn’t love to look at or wear.

3. When you store groups of items  in one location, you can find individual items more easily.

4. Being clear on what you like isn’t the same as being able to find and use what you have. You want to edit and elevate around what you like to enjoy your belongings more.

5. If you’re sensitive to your environment, open shelving should be styled and not treated the same as enclosed storage. Open shelving should be pleasing to look at and easy to maintain or used infrequently. Otherwise, it can quickly become a visual distraction and make a space feel chaotic and claustrophobic.

6. Looking at the whole space can change your mood. Replacing worn, faded, and torn table linens and bedding can make a space so much more inviting and comfortable-- even for your cats!

7. When you invest your time, money, and thought into your home you’re more invested in the maintenance than if you fully delegate a project. When you’re not as invested in the process, maintenance can be more difficult.

8. Even if you live alone, an environment that supports your life can have a positive impact on your happiness, confidence, and relationships.

This episode of Comfortable at Home has been brought to you by New York at Home. Nationwide, we offer private home coaching, a 2 week email course, as well as a 4 week seminar.

Coaching http://www.newyorkathome.com/comfortable-at-home

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Theme music by Amelia Ray https://ameliaray.net/

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Michelle and her husband Mike have lived in their home for over a dozen years. They've worked with an interior designer, renovated, organized, and yet it's still not quite right for how they live.  Working from home in combination with Mike's baking hobby exacerbated tensions around the kitchen. Being part of the Comfortable at Home Seminar in June transformed her entire home, her marriage, and her confidence. You can find her at https://www.instagram.com/radicalempathymarketing/

Episode Takeaways 

1. It’s not about having you work around your stuff but have your stuff work for you.

2. The space should work for you. Paying too much attention to what is expected and what is traditional can get in the way.

3. Change is hard. People respond differently to change but it always has an element of hard to it.

4. Discussing the project with other members of the household before getting started can create a surprisingly  supportive environment.

5. Tapping into what makes the most sense for you will get results you love.

6. Applying your work skills to your home can be like bringing in an expert who understands your needs perfectly.

7. It’s common to need 5 - 10 years to reflect on legacy and to have emotional distance from the passing of a loved one. It’s normal to need that time and it’s also normal to have that time come and go out of habit.

8. When you rediscover an item you love, you can fold it into your daily life. You don’t need to wait for a special occasion. Today is the day.

9. Speak up for what you want. Double down on who you are.

Our signature Comfortable at Home Seminar starts September 8.

Register now. http://www.newyorkathome.com/comfortable-at-home

Theme music by Amelia Ray https://ameliaray.net/

Please share, subscribe, rate, and review this show!

Learn more about working together at http://www.newyorkathome.com/

Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/newyorkerathome/

Get 5 Ways to Feel Comfortable at Home Today http://www.newyorkathome.com/newsletter-1

When Abbie moved into Brad's apartment, the space worked great until the travel for her new job amplified annoyances into problems. Since working with New York at Home in early 2019, a lot has changed but they have the tools to thrive.

Episode Takeaways

1. Your space should reflect your priorities. If you're stuck at home during quarantine and exercise is a central feature of your life, it makes perfect sense to make part of the living room into a gym.

2. The luxury of having a room just for work makes working from home much easier for the person working from home but it's also important to communicate hours to the other members of your family just as you would when working from work.

3. Getting furniture to a new loving home is wonderful. Getting secondhand furniture can be a stand-in to test a new layout before investing in a special piece.

4. Get curious about your resistance. If you have a ratio problem it might about something deeper.

5. Work within the limitations of your space. If you have a small space the way you live will be different from how you live in a larger space.

6. A storage unit is a good solution for items you use infrequently if you have a smaller space.

7. You're constantly learning about yourself and that should be reflected in your home.

8. Anything you use less than once a month should be less accessible than the items you use more frequently.

Our signature Comfortable at Home Seminar starts September 1.

Register now. http://www.newyorkathome.com/comfortable-at-home

Brad mentions a YouTube video by CGP Grey  "Lockdown Productivity: Spaceship You" - you can watch it here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snAhsXyO3Ck

Theme music by Amelia Ray https://ameliaray.net/

Please share, subscribe, rate, and review this show!

Learn more about working together at http://www.newyorkathome.com/

Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/newyorkerathome/

Get 5 Ways to Feel Comfortable at Home Today http://www.newyorkathome.com/newsletter-1

When Diane worked in Patricia's house to tame on an out of control basement in June 2018 , neither of them could have predicted how much that time together would help make 2020 more manageable.

Episode Takeaways 


 If you refinish hardwood floors, you don’t need to cover them up with carpets. Your home is yours to enjoy.
Organizing items from the past can be emotional and it’s simple to delegate this task to someone else. What else? Delegating a group of small tasks can make an impact.
Labels help a lot - even if you live alone.
When items like garden tools have a home, it’s satisfying to put them back.
Editing clothing with another person is easier than doing it on your own.
You don’t need to do the work in order to learn the lessons.
It’s your house and you know better.

Theme music by Amelia Ray https://ameliaray.net/

Please share, subscribe, rate, and review this show!

Learn more about working together at http://www.newyorkathome.com/

Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/newyorkerathome/

Get 5 Ways to Feel Comfortable at Home Today http://www.newyorkathome.com/newsletter-1

Hi, I'm Diane Lowy, a home coach and professional organizer living in New York City. I've been obsessed with how people and spaces relate to one another for as long as I can remember. For years, I've taught people to see their homes in a new way and apply skills they already have to make themselves more comfortable at home. 

Enjoy these conversions with people who have worked with me, talking about the lasting results that have been especially useful when the country is spending so much more time at home. By focusing on you, your family, and your lifestyle I create solutions that are not only beautiful and functional but also give you more time to enjoy both inside and outside your home. Get inspired to apply these tips into your own home so you too can feel more comfortable at home.

Prior to founding New York at Home, I studied installation art in college with a focus on the way spaces can evoke emotions and managed offices for iconic brands like Google and Chanel.