Last year around this time, I posted a 30 day challenge for all of my fabulous domestic goddesses. See it here. I literally was blown away by all of you who really took the challenge to heart and made your own version of domestic bliss. This year I want to challenge you again and I've come up with 30 new ways to get even more bliss in your life and this time a little bit of GLAM! Over the past few months, I began offering GLAM-shui consultations to some of my clients and friends. The changes that were implemented have had a HUGE impact in their lives and so I decided to incorporate some GLAM-shui tips into this years 30 day challenge. Bring it on 2016!
First, I want you to print out your pretty 2016 CHIC sheet so you can have a quick reference. Post in on your fridge, put it on your desk. . .I am going to join you all on this challenge and put one in my pretty planner. This 30 day challenge can change your life if you set up the intention to do it fully and completely. You don't have to do it every single day for 30 days, you don't even have to do it in order. You can do 2,3 or 4 a week if that works better for you, create your own method. Schedule each day on your calendar. Intentionality is key, whenever you set out to do something, if you put your whole heart into it, that's when the magic of it will work and begin to change your life.
DAY ONE: Create your BAGUA map. This will help you get to know your space. You can do this for your entire home or just your bedroom. Below is a quick reference with each section showing what color can enhance that particular area. It's good to get familiar with your home and know which section is for which aspect of life. You will refer to this chart throughout your 30 day challenge. I suggest you get out some pretty pens or markers to create your map on a sheet of paper. Decide which areas of your life you would like to enhance and make a note. You can use this layout and diagram to enhance anything. ( For example: there is a way to feng shui your desk at work )
DAY TWO: Order some aromatherapy oils. In the last few months I have become addicted to my oils. When I wake up, I put some Eucalyptus in my hands and take in a few deep breaths of that oil. It's invigorating and gets me going in the AM. I also like to be sure I detox my body by drinking plenty of water so I carry a glass bkr water bottle with a few drops of grapefruit oil to enhance it. I also am a huge fan of lavender oil drops in a hot bath. Try adding a few of these oils to your everyday rituals to enhance your life at home. If you want to take it to the next level, get yourself an essential oil diffuser and really get the benefits of aromatherapy.
DAY THREE: Make space for a vision board. Vision boards are wildly successful tools in helping you to design your life. Find a beautiful space and a beautiful frame for your board. Most of my success coaching clients find theirs at home goods and create a wildly beautiful board. Over the course of your 30 days to domestic bliss course fill up your vision board with photos from magazines that inspire you, words or quotes that excite you just anything that you really want to attract into your life. You don't have to rush yourself to do it all in one night but keep your eyes out as you go through your days. As you collect images for your board, note how you feel about them. You are only allowed to place them on your board if they make YOU and only YOU extremely giddy and happy. That way every time you look at your board you are uplifted and feeling great about your future. ( I have to report that many of my coaching clients have seen things come to life from their boards after their 30 days of creating their board ) Learn how to make a vision board, get my free E-book, by signing up for my love letter list.
DAY FOUR: Add an orchid for abundance. If you refer to your bagua map, you'll notice that the abundance corner is enhanced by purple. I encourage you to go to the store, grab a purple orchid and place it in the abundance corner of your space. I've had my girls do this in their homes and they now swear by it. It's a total glam move. Not only is purple a beautiful color, an orchid brings life and energy to this area of your home. Orchids never hurt anybody, am I right?
DAY FIVE: If its broken, don't fix it! Today, I want you to go around your home and get rid of anything that is broken or doesn't work any more. Old shoes that need to be fixed but you haven't fixed in years? Toss em. That one dish with a chipped corner? Throw it out. Towels with bleach stains or aren't in pristine condition? Get rid of them. Paid bills that are just lying around? Shred and toss! Do this and do this one well. Old and broken things scream procrastination, dis order and clutter. Take care of your home and your home will take care of you, so be sure to clear. it. out!
DAY SIX: Open the windows + play music. Do this on a nice day with crisp air. Fresh air circulates and brings in a whole new cleansing energy to a space. Crack open one window or door in each room and let the natural air circulate and cleanse. Play some relaxing music, I prefer zen meditation lounge music, jazz or some fun worship music. Let this really get you feeling good in your space. This should be exhilarating.
DAY SEVEN: Spray your bedding. So, I do this every single day when I make up my bed. I spray my bedding with my favorite driftwood rose linen spray and on other days I use lavender febreeze. It makes getting in my bed at night absolutely exiting. You also feel that your bedding is fresh and clean between washes. The act of caring for your bed and enhancing your sleep space really is an intentional act to your self care.
DAY EIGHT: Step up your hanger game. Don't you always get envious of the glamorous closets on pinterest? I know I do. You can begin to create this look in your home too. Get yourself all matching hangers. Do not use the ones from the dry cleaners even if they serve some kind of ease. Be intentional about your closet and your wardrobe. I have become addicted to my black felt hangers from Home Goods. Find ones that you love and make you feel good. This will keep your closet looking organized and chic.
DAY NINE: Declutter your library. Now, I typically love a ton of books in a home. It looks so stylish, no? I recently read that if are feeling a little lost, stuck or uninspired you should go through your bookcase and get rid of every book that you no longer read or look through. Take them to the local Goodwill and pay them forward. Once you have done this you should be left with a collection of books that actually inspires you and you may just discover something that reignites your passions, your interests, etc. Maybe you want to cook from that cookbook that you never got around to. Or perhaps you will read up on that exotic destination you have always want to visit and you will actually book a ticket. Clearing out the clutter in your books helps you to get a little more clear and intentional about what you want to keep in your life. See my favorite reads here.
DAY TEN: Curate yourself a tea time. Men do golf, but we women should also have our own "tea time". A lot of times we can feel lonely at home. Who knows, your husband could work all day or be out playing golf, kids are off to school or college, you live alone, you work from home, etc. Be like the cool instagram gals and curate yourself a cool tea or coffee situation and invite someone over in the afternoon. It's always good to bring good energy into your home so only invite someone who makes you laugh or feel good about yourself. Light candles, serve your tea or coffee in your finest china. Serve it on a beautiful tray and place out your fanciest napkins. Think Lisa Vanderpump from Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Be fabulous about it and watch just how fabulous this will make you feel. Be intentional about your friendships and only engage in uplifting conversation. You will be left feeling good and your home will be full of really good vibes.
DAY ELEVEN: Take a bath. Tom Ford has said that he takes 4 baths a day to keep himself sane and productive. I take two and I take really hot ones. Indulge yourself in a long, hot bath. Read an article or watch Netflix, enjoy a glass of wine, do a face mask, etc. Create a bath time ritual that works for you and makes you feel like you are at your favorite hotel spa. Read this post for a little bit of inspiration.
DAY TWELVE: Create your sanctuary. We all know I am huge advocate for having a personal space. We can get so busy in our days and forget to take time out for ourselves but its so incredibly important. Like they tell you on the airplanes before take off, "You must put your air mask on before you help any body else". I believe its a secret to life success. Take care of YOU! Curate yourself a fabulous little space for your own sanity. I like to pile on my glam silk meditation pillows on my big cozy tufted chair. One of my favorite clients uses her grandmothers old vanity and stool hiding in a corner of a guest room. It inspires her to be more like her and it makes her feel good about herself. The whole point of DOMESTIC BLISS is to feel good, no? So unleash your inner decorista and style up your own little sanctuary.
DAY THIRTEEN: Jazz up conversation areas. When it comes to decorating your home I find that most of us center our living room seating areas around the TV. This is a big No No in Glam-shui! Sitting areas should be created to enhance conversations, watching tv should be the last focus. If you already have a set up that has the focal point being the television, throw in some extra seating to create conversation areas. Communication is key in every home, set it up so that when people come together in that area, they are facing each other and communication and conversation will be more natural.
DAY FOURTEEN: Affirmation-ify your home. Find a new affirmation for 2016 and frame it in a beautiful frame. Now don't over do this with too many quotes, it can be too cluttered and overwhelming. Try choosing one or two messages that really inspire you and make them super glamorous looking. Place them right where you can see them and SAY THEM every single day.
DAY FIFTEEN: Enhance your love and relationships. Go out and get yourself some beautiful smelling red or pink candles. Place them in your love corner ( refer to your bagua map ). Place a photo of birds in that corner or anything with the word LOVE on it. You want to enhance your current love relationships and or attract more romance into your life. See two perfect examples of enhanced love corners.
DAY SIXTEEN: Bring home fresh flowers. Just do it for yourself. Arrange it in such a way that it looks like a bouquet was sent. I love to place them in the entryway or the dining table to really make an impact. When they die, throw them out immediately. Don't let the petals fall everywhere and the smell of sour water linger in your home. Pay attention to the details.
DAY SEVENTEEN: Set the table. Pretend you are having the president over for dinner and set the table even if its just for you and a friend on a tuesday night. Do it. Be grand about it and make it a special occasion. Celebrate something small, encourage others to celebrate their achievements that otherwise would go unnoticed. Pretend its the ultimate dinner party and don't spare a thing. No paper towels as napkins today. The experience should be wonderful for everyone involved. Sometimes it feels good to have a special night in the middle of the week. Enjoy!
DAY EIGHTEEN: Glam up your kitchen. I like to make sure that I am eating clean and healthy things for my body. Look inside your fridge and see how colorful it is. How much green is in there? What about bright oranges? Yellows? Reds? Pay attention that everything is current and nothing is past its expiration date. I love having my drinks all organized and looking perfect. Frame your favorite recipe in a beautiful frame and display on your counter. I have a friend who does this with her favorite green smoothie and protein pancakes. This totally encourages healthy eating and it all looks pretty too.
DAY NINETEEN: Decorate with stones and crystals. I am a BIG advocate for having a pink himalayan salt lamp. I have this one and I love it! Put this in the room you are Glam-shui-ing. The salt lamp gives off negative ions and detoxifies and purifies the air. See more reasons why its so good for your space. I also love to have amethyst in my home and well as rose quartz. See how I decorate with crystals here.
DAY TWENTY: Organize your jewelry. I don't know about you but if I don't organize my accessories I don't wear them as often as I'd like. Pay attention to your jewelry and display your favorite items in organized and pretty ways. Peruse pinterest, and give your self a time limit, for some cool ideas. I'm not the biggest DIY-er but I do love gold spray paint and loved this wine bottle idea.
DAY TWENTY ONE: Get yourself a good robe. This is a must! Invest in a luxurious robe to wear around the house. It's a small and easy luxury that makes you feel so glamorous. It makes waking up and grabbing coffee more glamorous. It makes getting out of the bath such a delight. This actually should be Day one but I want to get you to have something to look forward to. These are my three favorites:
DAY TWENTY TWO: Bring in some greenery. I love plants in a home, they give life! I also love succulents, they look so stylish. Whatever you do, don't be afraid to bring in greenery. It connects you to the earth and breathes life and natures energy into your home. It helps to offset all the electronic energy happening. Having a good home means having a good balance of energies. I like to make my plants my babies, I talk to them and enjoy feeding and cleaning them. Have fun with it. Be silly. Don't take yourself too seriously.
DAY TWENTY THREE: Clean out under your bed. The word is that anything under your bed just sucks up your energy while you sleep. I get that sometimes we have limited space so if you MUST use under your bed for storage keep these things in mind. Use nice and organized boxes that keep things orderly and neat. Store things like linens, towels, pillows, etc. Don't store anything with emotional energy like documents, photographs, electronics, books. You especially don't want to hide things you will get around to later. That could be a reason you aren't sleeping! So take a little inventory and clean out this space.
DAY TWENTY FOUR: Make use of something old. I know a lot of people who have old things just lying around that they don't really know what to do with. I am all about clearing out the old but not throwing away things that really warm your heart. Have something special from someone who is important to you? Place it in the Wisdom corner of your bagua to enhance and inspire good advice from that person. My Glam-mother is the best advice giver in the world. All of my girlfriends live by her words. So, I like to hang up old frames from her and things like that to remind me of her beautiful soul. There is always a way to reuse something old, beautiful and meaningful.
Take for example these old headboard frames. They were taken apart and hung up on a wall above a sofa as a decorative wall piece. Without having to use the antique beds, you can keep the sentiment and use in a whole new creative way. This challenge should help you to get to thinking outside of the box.
DAY TWENTY FIVE: Sleep in. Find a day where it makes sense and treat yourself to a day where you can sleep in. If you naturally wake up early, go make your coffee and get back in bed. Don't feel bad asking the people in your life to support you in this. Luxuriate in your sheets. Feel the sensation of staring out the window and take some deep breaths. Allow yourself to drift back to sleep. Have a love affair with your bed. Need some help sleeping? Try one of these pretty sleep masks.
DAY TWENTY SIX: Put up a new piece of art. Art is one of the most important aspects of the home. It sort of defines a homes personality. If you are up for it paint your own painting on a canvas. Frame a piece of artwork done by your favorite little one. Blow up and frame a favorite photo from your travels. Hang this in the creativity corner of the home. Make it and hang it and have a blast doing it.
DAY TWENTY SEVEN: Add a cozy throw. Good glam-shui is all about enhancing the five senses. Making sure that everything you touch is plush and soft is essential to your domestic bliss. When relaxing on the sofa you want to immerse yourself in deliciously soft fabrics, not rough fabrics. This cozy throw is one of my favorites.
DAY TWENTY EIGHT: Move a mirror. Chances are you have a few mirrors in your home. Why not change your energy up and move a mirror to a new place. See how things shift for you. I suggest a nice round mirror in the career section of your home. It's a fantastic enhancement for this area. Also if you don't have a floor mirror, you should definitely think about getting one. It's important that you see your whole self when you get ready for your day. This one is pretty and glamorous.
DAY TWENTY NINE: Make yourself cucumber water. Store in your fridge a pitcher of nice water with fresh fruit inside. It could be cucumber, berries, melons. Whatever you love. Make a pitcher and when you get home from a long day of work treat yourself to a nice big glass.
DAY THIRTY: Journal your experience and set some new intentions. After you have filled your home with love and intention you should be experiencing a different feeling. A new change in your life that should have you glowing and feeling good about your self and your home. Pay attention to what begins to shift. Have you been feeling more blissful? Are you noticing that you aren't procrastinating as much as usual? What rituals did you thoroughly enjoy? How can you cultivate more of that experience for yourself? Spend some time in your special sanctuary and journal your domestic bliss experience. I hope you have enjoyed yourself.
TITLE IMAGE CREDIT: WISH WISH WISH | IMAGE 4: @THECHAMPAGNEDIET | IMAGE 5+6: BEAUTYHARMONY | IMAGE 7: THE PARIS APARTMENT
