Little Miracles & The Power Of One

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Natalie Weinstein is President of Natalie Weinstein Design Associates, The Natalie Weinstein Home Decorating Club and Uniquely Natalie, a quality consignment boutique. For inquiries call: 631-862-6198.
     It’s over-the holidays-and you can breathe a sigh of relief. You survived the stress, the in-laws, and the indigestion. Now it’s time to take down the Christmas tree and put away the holiday decorations until summer, when Hallmark channels remind you that it’s almost Christmas again!
    So what’s next in the cold and dark January days of New Year’s resolutions? A new exercise, diet or home organization plan? Sadly, by January’s end the plans are still in place but the actions, not so much. How will you keep it going when comfort food is what you’re craving, it’s too cold to exercise, and the Christmas decorations are in boxes on the dining room floor? Little miracles just might be the answer. What does that mean, you ask? One definition of a miracle is a “Highly improbable event, development or accomplishment that brings very welcome consequences.”
    From my 40 plus years as a decorating diva, I’ve learned how overwhelmed people can become when a design project is on the horizon. As designers, we have the experience and do everything in our arsenal to explain, demystify, and simplify how and what will happen throughout the process, to put our clients at ease. We are their little miracle! But, you can be your own little miracle if you only remember yourself, the power of one.
    In my seminars on clutter control and organization, I always conclude by giving my attendees an assignment. I tell them to pick one location – a drawer, small cabinet, or surface (not too big) ­– to organize. Take everything out, but don’t put it back unless it belongs there or you really need it. One – just one spot. Invariably, I will receive text messages or calls from clients that tell me how satisfied they feel and couldn’t stop once they started.  We all know, “Success breeds success,” and when something feels good, we want to keep doing it. It is said that if you do something for 30 days in a row, it becomes a habit. That one drawer, which turns into another and another, gives you the impetus to tackle bigger things (e.g., the scary hall closet, the no carb diet, or the gym)! The power of one – it’s truly a little miracle. 
    January begins the year 2020, and if good intentions don’t overwhelm, we can turn the power of one into a 2020 vision for our homes and ourselves, and start this New Year with a little miracle.