Visualize & plan

Overpacking is the most common mistake people make, so adopt our golden rule: pack outfits, not things. Our clothes go straight from a color-coded closet onto a color-coded rail, which makes it much easier to create a cohesive capsule wardrobe. The best way to ensure you only take what you need? Use a packing list. It encourages you to plan out your vacation must-brings before you start filling your suitcase. Really think through your trip. Hot vs cold? Car vs plane? House vs hotel? Oh, and don’t leave packing to the last minute. Enjoy the process of pulling together your dream outfits - it’s all part of the fun.

Pull & edit

Armed with your packing list, pull out your clothes by category. Workout, beach, loungewear, dresses etc. Then separate into outfits and lay them on your bed or floor so you get the overview. This will allow you to curate your ideal vacation wardrobe without sacrificing style or space (and avoids the ‘oops I’ve packed 15 white tees’ mistake). Be ruthless. If you’re struggling, follow the 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 approach. For a weeklong trip, pack five tops, four dresses, three bottoms, two pairs of shoes and one hat. Feeling overwhelmed? Focus on quality over quantity. And, for goodness sake, only pack items that make you feel like a million bucks. This is your vacay!

Organize & pack

We have a fool-proof system when it comes to packing a suitcase (obviously). Always start with your shoes. Stash them in dust-bags and lay them at the bottom of the suitcase as flat as possible, ready to pack clothes on top. With slides and sandals, slot one inside the other to maximize the space. Some people roll but we love to lay clothes as flat as possible. And, remember, delicate fabrics go on top, right at the last minute. When it comes to underwear, keep it simple. A set for each day, plus a couple of extras just in case. Taking a sun hat? Fill the crown with smaller items like underwear or swimwear to maintain the shape. And we swear by packing cubes, too. They’re great for organizing and compressing clothes. Our final pack hack? Place your dresses in the suitcase on slim hangers so they’re ready to hang the moment you arrive. Trust us, the joy of opening your suitcase and being able to unpack at lightning speed is addictive.

Travel-sized & double duty

Don’t take a vacation from looking your best because the TSA guidelines were created by a man with no skincare regime. If your best-loved products aren’t available in travel size, try refillable travel-sized bottles. Worried about space? Focus on multi-purpose products. Our double-duty favorites include BB Cream (even your complexion + add shimmer to your legs and collarbone), lip balm (hydrate your lip + tame your tresses + soften your cuticles) and micellar water (remove makeup + balance your skin). Pare down your make-up kit with a dual lip-cheek stain and a bronzer/highlighter that can double as an eyeshadow. Pack your clear case in the top left (the bottom when the suitcase is standing) to ensure ease of access and afford the most protection from any unfortunate cabin pressure spillage.

Relax & let loose

Even the perfect pack can result in creases! To ensure a wrinkle-free getaway, we recommend traveling with our favorite trusty side-kick, a portable and lightweight steamer. It will have you looking super-fresh no matter how long the journey. Pro tip: we always pack a gorgeous fabric spray to ensure we get at least two wears out of dry-clean-only garments. Oh, one final thing. Add a couple of drops of essential oils to a cotton pad and stash in your suitcase. That way, your clothes come out smelling divine the other end. Bon voyage!

Q: Five months into the pandemic, can you help me get motivated?

A: Consider us your virtual cheerleaders. These simple mindset shifts will change the way you organize

We know. We’re not used to spending this much time at home either. At first it was a novelty, but fast-forward five months and there’s Nowhere. To. Hide. You kick each week off determined to whip your home into shape, only to find things sliding back to normal by hump day. The key is to identify your organizing style and build a system around it. Break it down into manageable goals. Rather than ‘I want to organize my house’, which feels vague and unwieldy, switch it to: ‘I will create a system that makes my pantry work’. Take it a room at a time. Make it specific. Ready? Let's go!

Skip this step at your peril. Take one room at a time and make a ruthless choice to trash/donate/consign all the things you don't need. Some people advise starting small with an easy-to-tackle spot in your room. We say: go big or go home. Once you’ve nailed the space that makes you scream, the rest of the house will seem like small fry. Need some inspo? Look at the photograph above. Our client was struggling to part with her excess clothes, so we pulled out a third of her closet. She was blown away by the result. Not only was there space for her clothes to breathe, it was much easier to create outfits because everything was visible. She vowed to adopt the ‘one in one out’ rule and remove one item from her wardrobe any time she was adding to it. Remember, sometimes you need a visual kickstart. Also remember: space is your friend.

There’s a reason we spend time getting clients’ entry points right. The way you enter your home sets the tone for the rest of the house. If your entryway is a car-crash of coats, shoes, bags and other paraphernalia, then shoot this zone to the top of your to-do list. Design a drop zone that works for you. Short on space? Your system could be as simple as a standalone coat rack or hooks behind a door. Got drawers? Invest in some dividers. Finally, adopt our ‘60-second rule’. When you arrive home, spend 60 seconds putting things in their place. Not only does it clear your head but it makes it easier to leave the house, too.

Yes, we’ll share our decluttering secrets, cheerlead the hell out of you, and help you design a system that works. But maintaining your system? That’s up to you. Be honest with yourself. If you truly want a home that works hard - a home that looks and feel great - then repeat after us: I will make the effort. There are no shortcuts. Once the system is in place, STICK TO IT. Did you know that 80% of cleaning is picking stuff up and putting it away? Utter madness. Tidy a room before you leave it. Return items to their place. Don’t leave a mess to fester. Get into the habit of doing it as you go along. Trust us, the pay-off is worth it.

Organizing your home shouldn’t break the bank. We love to repurpose (we call it our Shop My Home technique!) We’ve used everything from vintage hampers to upcycled shoe boxes. It doesn’t have to be expensive to work. Also, actually use what you have. Finish the last inch of toothpaste, the last drops of olive oil, the last roll of kitchen paper. Don’t buy multiples of things. You’ll waste less, consume less, and bring less clutter into your home. Finally, adopt the one-in-one-out rule. Make a pact with yourself to donate/consign an item each time you buy something new. This will be EXCRUCIATING in the beginning. But once the habit is formed, you’ll wonder what took you so long. Keep a container handy in each zone for items to purge. Then do it (this is very important).

One of our best-kept secrets? We make a visual statement with the way we organize. We color-code. We use stylish storage. We go the extra mile. Why? There are real psychological benefits to maintaining this kind of visual order. Dr. Sally Augustin, PhD, an environmental psychologist says it’s possible that an organized and visually stimulating space can make its owner feel calmer and less stressed. She says: “Bring the complexity in your refrigerator down to a moderate level, and when you open the door, you would have a positive response.” That positive response means you’re more likely to keep it that way. Amen to that!