Everyone needs a little nook.. a tree house, a fort...

This week I had to slow down to a crawl.  With a foot injury, my daily travels came to a halt.   COVID had already slowed me down and then my body said...still slower Denise.  Ah...I'm not much of a slow mover or at least I didn't think so. 

 In my office I have a great window facing west.  My office didn't really have a seating area...but when I needed to slow down I created one.  I created a place to soak my foot and enjoy the sunshine or rain from my west window.

 

In creating this unconventional spa area...5 gallon bucket for my Epson salt baths...and all, ... I was transported back to my childhood.  As a kid I would set up the card table in the middle of the living room, throw a quilt over the top and create my own nook.  I had no formal training in nook building but there was something deep in my spirit that needed a nook of my own.

I would gather up treasures, books, things I loved and go under(table)  I was happy there.  I was free to ponder, discover.  I can't even explain what "it" is, except my happy spirit space.

To create this new space, I grabbed a wicker chair from my patio and got a 5 gallon bucket to soak my foot. I sit next to my books and treasures.  I'm tucked in a back corner a spot unused for daily life.  This is my nook.  It's not fancy or extravagant.  It didn't cost me a dime.  It must be good, Penny Kitty seem to get "it" instantly.

This weekend as I was nursing a soar foot, instead of having despair...I found joy.  I would go to my nook, with with my treasures and be.  I didn't see joy as a side effect from an injured food. By having to shift my life and slow down even slower than I was... I created my nook out of need.  It taught me what can happen when we slow down and create space.

Yesterday, as I was soaking my foot and a bit of Sarah Ban Breathnach's book Simple Abundance...you will never guess what I read about...yup... creating a nook of your own. June 10th...you can't make this stuff up.

A nook is more than a space to sit. It is permission to create, to explore, to be 10 years old again.  To play, to have a playhouse and let go of your actual house chores.  It is to be a kid again, free from adulthood, full of creative wonder and secret loves.  Not everything in life needs to make sense or be shared...sometimes we need a quiet space...a space we create as we go.  Simple - unconventional.  A place where our imaginations can turn a nook into world of adventure.

  If you come see my secret nook- will you be bedazzled?  Maybe, maybe not, who knows?  What's more important...will you want to go home and create a nook of your own?  Oh, I hope so!!

   I know we are in the middle of a Pandemic, an economic shut down and civil right re-creation...I also know my own business has shifted and my freedom to run...paused....  This is our life...but in the midst of life...isn't it essential to create a nook of our own?  A place we can be free to create, ponder, be true to our spirit.  

From this space...the rest of the world is easier.

Wishing you enriched journeys and a delightful nook of your own.

          Denise

Practices for a smoother season

     As I type this post today, we are right dab in the middle of the holiday season.  No matter what and when you celebrate this season, the month of December seems to take on a life of its own.  By the time the new year rolls around we are feeling a huge need to reboot our lives.  The feeling doesn't always come from a centered joyful place but more of a panic, frustrated and determined to make this next year better place.

    This post is all about creating rituals and practices that support new habits for the month of December.  Habits that will help create a place for you to celebrate, reboot and refresh.

   The practice I'm talking about is called Beginning, Middle and End.  When I work in a home to help downsize or clear the clutter, there is usually a part of this equation that is missing- maybe two or three parts.  Setting the intention and getting started is the first part.  Staying clear, focused and taking action is the second part and finally there needs to be an ending time to wrap up, celebration and pause.

Like our calendars life moves in seasons and circles.  Starting in Jan, rounding through July and back to December our years are not straight lines but circles.  You can't jump around, you need to stay in the flow of time.  Just like clutter clearing and just like the month of December.

For this month not to feel like a treadmill going nowhere here are a few practices you might consider implementing this season.

The beginning- Setting the intention and getting started
    How you start your day sets the stage for the entire day.  Wake up with enough time for a bit of am movement, connection time and setting the intention of the day.  A cup of warm water with lemon or lime will help get your digestive system flowing.   Movement gets you moving and uncrinks the night.
    Set the intention of the day- how do you want it to feel, to flow?  Ask for what you want for the day.  Say thank you in advance.  Breathe deeply and take a minute of two to set your course for the day.  What would you love to do?  What have you been putting off?  What is essential to this day?  These are wonderful questions to ask yourself. 
   Give yourself a time to start your day.  Depending on when my first appointment is I try to give myself at least 30 minutes of am free time- time to move, set intentions and connection time.  It is also important to start the day with good fuel- not coffee and sugar but foods that nourish and support you.

The middle- Time for focus and action
    You may have a lot on your plate this time of year, more than normal.  And yet this season is the season of reflection and rest.  Be very mindful to add on only things you really love.  We are not creating Hallmark movies here, we are living in the real world. 
    Set little blocks or spaces of time for yourself.  Set your timer, work in segments.  Having little pausing points of the day keeps your day from becoming a giant blur.  Set an intention for your drive to work,  give yourself 42 minutes to go outside and walk, set your timer for 30 minutes to call someone you love.  If you are feeling overworked- take a mid day break to be still for 10 minutes.
   By starting with a clear focus and working in time segments it keeps you engaged in what you are working/playing on.  It gives you tiny beginning, middles and ends to each little project.  We all have plenty of time- we all have the same amount of time. The biggest gift you can give yourself is the gift of less on your list.  Be nice to yourself, add in only what you truly love, let go of what is on someone else's to-do list.

Start with the end- Completing and Pausing
    As tempting as it is to put more in your days and stay up later, I suggest the opposite.  Go to bed earlier.  Set a time for the completion of the day.  For me 9pm is the time.  At that time I'm done with doing.  I give myself 1 hour to just Be.  Washing my face, getting into my pjs, unplugging from electronics.  Now I have about 30-40 minutes of pure freedom.  My task list is not part of this time.  I might add in: deep breathing, reading, maybe yoga, meditation or being still.
    The ending of the day is the perfect time to reflect on moments of gratitude or inspirations from the past 24 hours.  I give myself time to pamper and set the stage for a deep and restful sleep.  Sometimes I do nothing- and that's perfect- the most important thing is to give yourself the breathing space at the end of the day to appreciate the day and to just be.

These are ideas I have cultivated over many years, but the basics are these:
      Create a Beginning- setting the intention and getting started

      Having a Middle- the meat of the sandwich is in the middle
      Every good story needs an ending- let yours be sweet and kind.

Wishing you all a happy holiday season, let your traditions be uplifting and your nights restful,
          Denise

The Secret to Happiness....

Over the past 958 days I have been on a personal 1000 day practice.  A practice that is really a journey of learning to live from my heart.  I'm on the final stretch of this 1000 day journey.  

Would you like to know what I discovered today?

 It isn't the length of the journey that matters most.  It is staying connected to the moments in that journey that count.  As day 1 turned to day 32... 445, ... 768 and then to today - day 958, the specific numbers mean less and less.

Staying fresh in the practice becomes the greatest challenge.  Just is it is with life.  How do you stay fresh on day 18,250 of your life?  Now that is a good question.

Life is a series of moments and events.  Refreshing, rebooting, re-creating, resetting your life again and again become our practice in staying fresh and alive.

If we don't connect to this precious day, we end up getting caught up in a merry go round of days.  Life becomes like the movie Ground Hog Day.  And just like the movie, until we get "it", we will keep living the say old day over and over again.

Today, I cleaned off my desk, cleaned out my pens, posted notes and stamp drawer and then emptied and cleaned my bookcase.  I'm washing my office curtains as I type.  This morning, instead of doing my morning "normal" quiet/yoga/meditation time, I slept in and then jumped right into the day.  I didn't not start in a panic, I was not late, I was different.

Life is your habits.  Your habits can uplift you and they can deplete you.  Even seemingly healthy and positive habits can be come stale.  Maybe the secret to happiness is being connected, awake to the moment, trying new patterns, taking new paths and revisiting old paths.  And every once in a while to remember to hit the refresh button.

As always I wish you great joy on your path,

        Denise

Finishing Touches

    As I type, we are deep into the final touches of this year.  Doesn't that sound good "the finishing touches"?   It sounds as if we were all artists just putting the last few brush strokes onto our masterpiece.  Is that how the end of the year feels to you?  I can't say that is how I'm feeling but isn't that an inspired thought?  To finish the year as if we created art.  Instead of lost in our holiday to do list or feeling any regrets of this year, all we have yet to do is to simply and with great finesse, touch up the finale!

If I were to think like a creative artist, what would my final touches of this year be?  When I started writing a few minutes ago I really had no idea where this was going... until now.  As I type, I know exactly what my finishes touches are...

To say thank you.  There is a feeling a deep gratitude filling my soul and this is what I wish to add to the art I have created this year. Thank you!!

As always I wish you all happy and healthy homes.  And may I add - amazing final touches to your year's masterpiece!!

With Deep Gratitude and wishes of Happy Holidays,
       Denise

 

Disinfecting wipes are the fast food in cleaning

    Disinfecting wipes:  uuugh...heavy sigh....deep breath....   Disinfecting wipes are like fast food:  easy, available and effortless.  But instead of high fructose corn syrup these wipes use pesticides.  Yup, our daily disinfecting wipes are monitored by the EPA and classified as a pesticide.  Crazy right???

    Today, I got an email update from the Women's Voices website on the concerns of disinfecting wipes.  I'm sharing it with you because it is indeed a message that should be heard!  Women's voices is a fantastic website full of solid research and helpful wisdom.
                                  click here to connect to Women's voices site and the article

  As it turns out the lesson I learned 25 years ago still holds true.  Be very careful and aware when using products that kill something- aka germ killers, mold killers, pesticides etc.  Because... and this is a huge point ... they kill or damage living organisms.  And we are in fact a living organism!
                                             
 Before you panic about germs and how to avoid keep this in mind:
     In most situations removal of germs/soil is a much healthier way of creating a safe environment than the killing germs.

Here is a wonderfully simple alternative for you:  Use Residue Free cleaning 
   1. Thoroughly wipe surface down with a damp towel and a little mild cleaner or a damp microfiber-            Rub back and forth
                Mild cleaners: dish washing liquid, liquid castle soap, baby wipes
  2.   Rinse with a moist/wet, clean towel, microfiber or even paper towel - Rub back and forth
  3.   Dry surface again rub back and forth

In this three step process you are loosening the soil/germs and breaking surface tension.  Then rinsing and removing the cleaner and germs/soil.   Finally with drying, you further remove the cleaner, soil/germs and moisture.  Leaving your surface clean and free of residue

After all, cleaning is the removal of germs, soil, etc not the addition of chemicals.

   By the way, I am not against disinfectants.  In some situations they can be life saving.  What I am against is using disinfectants daily, without reading, following the label and most importantly out of habit or fear.  This is unnecessary and total overkill.

  Cleaning is a science and an art.  Learn how to clean for the health of home and family.  We teach residue free cleaning which focuses on the science and actual system of cleaning.  Call if you would like to schedule a presentation or consult.

Wishing you a happy, healthy and simply clean home,
            Denise
 

Fresh Air Does a Body and Home Good!

    It is here!  It is beautiful!  It is spring, sunshine and fresh air!!  In the northwest, I believe we should require mandatory sunshine days.  We have snow days but wouldn't a free & unexpected day to go be outside in the early spring be even better?  As I look out our office window I see blue skies, flowering cherry trees and a slight breeze moving the branches of our fir tree.

    Some of the best things in life are simple, effective and free to all.  This spring weather is one of those freebies.  Besides going outside and absorbing all this wonderful weather, this fresh air is also a major benefit to our homes.  Just like us, our homes need to breathe, the fresher and healthier the air the fresher our homes.

   Over the winter we close our homes up tight to keep our heating bills down and our homes warm but now it is spring.  Open up your windows and let the fresh air in.  This is one of the single most important steps you can do to create a healthy home.

  Anytime you are cleaning, doing construction, crafts, cooking, laundry, sitting or standing... open your windows.  Our exhaust fans remove stagnate and contaminated air but opening up a window brings in new life. 

  Our homes are a lot like balloons whatever expands the balloon stays in the balloon.  In the case of our home, this could be a huge variety of chemicals, particles, germs and who knows what else.  Open your windows let the trapped odors and wayward molecules out and in this same process you will let the sunshine, fresh air and new life in!

  As always, wishing you and yours a happy, healthy and prosperous home & life,
           Denise
 

  

 
  

Residue Free Homes: The basics and support sites

I love my job. Just in case you ever wonder, I love my job. Why.. because I get to research, learn and share. Tonight I'll be speaking on detoxing homes. This morning, I wanted to post the basics of creating a healthy and residue free home, plus give you links you can use for researching the safety of your own personal care products and household chemicals.

Lets start by creating a residue free home. What is a residue free home? It is a home that supports you and your families health as your number one priority. A residue free home leaves nothing behind that would be detrimental to the health and well being of your family.

A residue free home turns our focus upside down. In the the consumer products and personal care industries: beauty, speed, effectiveness rule our products. This creates products that may be effective but may also be also harmful. The first place I start in a home is to reorganize our priorities.

Priorities of a residue free home:
1. Health of family, pets and environment
2. Longevity of surface and investment
3. Appearance and beauty

With our focus turning to the health of our family we need a guideline. Here are my 5 rules of thumb for creating a residue free home. Of course this is the condensed version but it will get you started.

Creating a residue free home: my 5 rules of thumb
1. awareness- what do you use?
2. curiosity- what is in it, is it safe? A little research is a powerful friend
3. prevention- can I prevent the need to use this product?
4. mildest-safest means possible- is there a safer way or product I can use instead?
5. leave nothing behind- if I use it do I remove all traces?

Starting with awareness. What do you use in your home?
Take an afternoon and look around your home. Look at personal care products, look at cleaners, air fresheners, candles, home maintenance products, lawn care, auto care, pest control, disinfectants/germ control, crafts, office, pets.... the list is usually pretty big. Don't let this stop you. Your first step is only awareness of what your family uses in your home.

Be curious, ask questions...
Next, Start with one product at a time- one day at a time
Read the label - all of it!!!
Ask yourself how it is used. Sprayed in air, aerosol, put on skin...???
Does is smell?
How do I feel when I use it? What about my family?
Do I mix it with any other products- by accident or on purpose?
How often do I use it?
Where do I use it?
Why do I use it?
What is in it?
How long have I been using it? WHY?
Do a little further research. Look up the product's safety.
For cosmetics and personal care products:
EWG Skin Deep www.ewg.org/skindeep/
http://www.safecosmetics.org/

For household products: http://householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/
This site is a great start but by no means as good as the cosmetics sites.

Prevention: Is there anyway to prevent using this product?
This may be your best way to create a residue free home. Start minimizing the products/chemicals you bring into your home.
An example would be: Instead of using deodorizers to create fresh air, open the windows and let fresh air in. I know crazy right???

Use the Mildest Means Possible: Look for safer products, non toxic products, products used without getting into our air or on our skin. This is where, with a tiny bit of education, you can use incredibly safe products and get better results. Hint- we are a great resource!!

Leave nothing behind: When you clean or apply a product/chemical is there a residue left behind? In the past 20 years of cleaning, residue is the number one thing we remove when we clean.
Don't leave it in the air, on our surfaces or on us. When you use a product do not spray it into the air- unless it is oxygen we don't want to breath it! If you apply it to a surface rinse and dry it. If it creates any kind of odor, vapor, particles or gas turn on your exhaust vents and open windows.
Our homes are sacred spaces. This is where we should be able to be healthy and vibrant. It should never be the source of our un-health. Take back your home, become empowered to create healthy homes and vibrant families.

A word to the wise....this is a process. Remember Rome was not built in a day. Start with awareness and look at one product at a time, on day at a time. Listen to your body. Listen to your family. When you find a product or contaminate that makes you cringe don't panic but rejoice, you have just discovered another way to make your home healthy. Creating a residue free home is about living free and healthy. If you find products you do not want in your home, do not throw away but recycle or take to hazardous waste site for proper disposal.

Congratulations, you are one step closer to a healthy home. If you want further help. We teach classes on creating residue free homes and we can also work directly with you in your own home.
As always, wishing you a healthy and happy home!
Denise Frakes
Co-Owner of Blue Sky Services
Certified Healthy Home Specialist

What a residue free home isn't.....

Create a residue free home. Why would you want to do such a thing? Our homes should be the place we can go that is safe, healthy and relaxing. Our homes should not be the source of our un-health or stress. Unfortunately, for so many reasons our homes are becoming a potential source of our dis-ease. A residue free home puts the health back into healthy home.

Before I tell you about a residue free home, let me tell you what it isn't:

A residue free home isn't about being a watch dog but about being curious and thoughtful.
A residue free home isn't about being afraid of all chemicals but about being aware and wise.
A residue free home isn't about being perfect but about celebrating our imperfections.
A residue free home isn't a task master of lists but about listening
A residue free home is more of a practice than a goal.
A residue free home is a place where gratitude, joy and presence thrive.
A residue free home isn't a place to fret and worry when company comes unexpectedly but a place where all are welcome and happily received- dirty dishes and all.

Before I start in on the details of residue free, I want to help you create a home that gives you and your family the freedom to be yourself and be vibrant in your health. What good is having a beautiful home if the family it holds isn't nurtured in its walls?

Before I begin my next blog, take a minute and dream about your home:

Think about how you want to feel in your home. How you want your family to feel.
Think about what makes a happy home, what part of your home makes you the happiest.
Think about who lives in your home and what they mean to you.
Think about the abundance and blessings in your home.
Think about what truly matters...
And then we will talk.

In the mean time, I wish for you and your family a happy and healthy home,
Denise Frakes
Co-Owner of Blue Sky Services
Certified healthy home specialist

Grandma's wisdom on cleaning

Because I own a professional cleaning company, most people assume my home is perfect. Maybe this is a secret I should take with me to my grave but here is the truth- it isn't. The fact is no one's home is perfect. The act of trying for perfection is very stressful. This morning, I was e-mailing a friend about cleaning. It seems guilt and judgement are emotions deeply rooted in how clean our homes are or at least what we think others will think about our homes.

The fact is our homes are gifts. This is a place we should be able to deeply relax, enjoy our families and let go of the days troubles. Of course, it should be clean enough to be healthy and look nice enough to let you enjoy it. But to fret and worry and press on to create a perfectly clean home all the time is an act of stress.

Last spring I was in AZ visiting my grandma and grandpa. At the time my grandma was 96 years old. As we were visiting one morning, the topic of cleaning came up. I can't remember why, maybe there was a cleaning task that looked like it needed attention. She told me to not to worry about it, that cleaning would be there all my life, we should spend our time enjoying each other's company. Present at that visit last spring was my grandpa, my mom, myself and my aunt Velma- who as I write this is 102.

We did in fact enjoy the entire visit. Cooking for the sure joy of sharing, we ate with gratitude as thick as gravy and we loved every moment together. Worrying and fretting about a perfect home would have wasted precious seconds.

Two months after that visit my grandmother passed away. This December my grandpa followed her. You never know how wonderful a moment is until it is taken away. So on behalf of our grandmothers everywhere, I beg of you not to fret over the perfection of your home, to let go of any self imposed judgments and go enjoy the day. Cleaning will be there again tomorrow but the moment will not.

As always wishing you a healthy and happy home,
Denise

Cleaning: rich ground for a practice

Fast food and frozen dinners are the first things that come to mind when I think of the convenience of food. Aggressive cleaners, loads of product and paper towels are what comes to mind in the convenience of cleaning. Neither of these conveniences are necessarily good for our health. Just like much of our culture, convenience has powerfully invaded our homes. Maybe it is time to take our homes and health back, turning cleaning into the practice of cleaning for health.

As a culture, we don't always value cleaning our homes, nor do we value the person doing the cleaning. So often it is shoved into nooks and crannies of a busy life, a kind of low man on the totem pole philosophy. I say it is time to let the true value of cleaning rise to the top. Not only is cleaning an essential element to a healthy home, when done with the skills and intent of cleaning for health, it also extends the life and value of your home. Cleaning is one of the guiding forces behind a great feeling, beautiful and smoothly run home. But beyond the obvious benefits of cleaning for health, cleaning for health also give us a rich time to practice mindful living.

Cleaning for health as a practice gives you time to do nothing but wash your dishes while breathing and relaxing your shoulders. A time to open up the windows, smell the fresh air and methodically vacuum your floors for the health of your home and not just to remove some fuzz before company comes. A moment each morning to quietly dry your showers walls with nothing in mind but watching the water absorb into the towel. Does this sound slow? On the contrary, slowing down and being mindful gives you time and as an added benefit, a healthy more relaxed home.

Wishing you all a relaxed, healthy and happy home,
Denise

That evasive little thing called... balance

This morning as I catch my breath from a very busy week, the topic of balance seems a good place to start. Balance is that blissful place we find ourselves in when life is running smooth. Out of balance is something we kind of stumble into where it feels like we are driving down a bumpy road -holding on for dear life.

Cleaning and maintenance of our homes is all about finding balance. The balance between perfect and chaos, between under cleaning and over cleaning, between being too concerned about your home and not even caring. On and on it goes. I teach a lot of prevention in my home care classes but of course there is still a balance to over prevention and under prevention.

My basic philosophy is: Our homes should be a place where we can be healthy and regain our health; A place to feel safe and to relax; A place for families and joyful gatherings; A place to unwind and kick back; A place where your creative juices have fertile ground. What our homes shouldn't be is the source of our un-health and stress.

My suggestions of home care are just that- suggestions. Will they help keep your home clean and healthier? Absolutely. Will they help your surfaces last longer and look better in the the process? Yes. If overdone can they become irksome and frustrating? You bet. My goal is always to help you find that balance in your home so it serves you and you can enjoy living with less stress and dust.

Our lives and homes have a kind of flow, some weeks they are fast and furious and others slow and methodical. (I would guess most homes have more fast and furious). No matter the speed of your home, always keep in mind, what you want from your home. That is your foundation. What I teach are tools to help you achieve that foundation.

Wishing you effortless balance,
Denise

A commercial gets my goat...

Last night Dallas and I were watching the finals of the NCAA tournament. Great game. I was cheering for Butler but I like Duke so it was still good when Duke one. Still, its hard not to feel for any team who as given such a gallant effort and not quite made it to the top. As interesting as the game was, it is not what I wanted to visit with you about this morning. It was a commercial we saw while watching the game that made me sit back and wonder...

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I'm not going to mention any names but the commercial came from one of our main box stores that starts with the letter L. The whole commercial was about buying pesticides! Like everyone should do it, it is normal and perfectly safe. The commercial focused on dandelions and ants. My last blog was about minimizing and preventing the use of pesticides and here it was big bold and in full color.

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At our home we have 2 dogs and a cat- Reggie, Sally and Penny. They eat grass every time they get a chance, run and roll everywhere and then lick their paws after they come inside. I'll come clean- we have dandelions on our property. I just think a little yellow flower isn't as dangerous as using a product that kills. I love my pets and I have no intention of bringing pesticides into my home. Plus they aren't good for our environment. I realize this is a total soap box moment but I just couldn't help myself.

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Years ago, one of our chemical suppliers, who provided us with a disinfectant to be used after a flood, gave us an interesting perspective. Disinfectants and pesticides kill organics... we are organic... as is our pets, kids, bees, lady bugs, birds, fish... always use with extreme caution.

Just a thought to ponder on..

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Wishing you a healthy and happy home.

Denise

Blue Sky Services- Natural stone, tile and grout care plus a whole lot more...

Learning to pause

Cleaning isn't just getting the dirt off the floors, it also has the potential to become a life enhancing practice. Cleaning is the prefect time to practice.

For me, the two hardest parts of this practice is remembering to practice in the first place and then trying to staying focused on my practice for an extended period of time.

My solution: learning to pause. To take a moment to stop, breath, smile and relax. To notice where I am, what I'm doing and how I feel. It's like a super-mini vacation in your day. With the pause I can then intentionally decide on my next practice and how long it will be.

This morning I discovered this quote out of one of my books,

"In the middle of my morning's work I break for blessings: a deep breath, a glance out the window, a graceful stretch, a remembrance of God, a brief reflection of the nobility of work, an encouraging word, a grateful thought, a smile, a short prayer, a remembrance of who I am, a sip of freshly brewed coffee. I honor the wisdom of pausing. The day, still bright with potential, when I have the wisdom to step away from work momentarily, I am able to see it as a gift for the entire world."

Macrina Wiederkehr
The Seven Sacred Pauses
Page 71

Isn't this quote as delicious as a cup of hot chocolate?

Wishing you a day filled with pauses,
Denise