www.selifestyle.com · FeBUARY 2010 · soUTHeAsT Lifestyle 3 Designing with Fresh Eyes w W By Denise H. Osborne hat should you do when it's cold outside and you are house bound? It is normal for people to get a little bored when we have so many gray days in a season. So it is time to get up off that sofa and out from the television! Spring forward into action and chase those dreary thoughts. Go outside and walk into that front door of yours. Put on a fresh set of eyes and pretend it is the first time you have come into your house, perhaps like a guest. What do you see? Focus and observe the view. Take a pad and write down what you notice and what you would like to change. Now move to the next room, and do the same thing. If you need a fresh set of eyes, call a professional to walk through with you and make suggestions. When was the last time you have cleaned out and organized a space? Are you the type that hides things behind doors in a closet, just so you won't have to look at it? Take a small project first and just start one space at a time. Pull everything out and start over. If you have not needed it or touched it for over a year or so, pull it out and toss it in a basket or bag for goodwill. Create a space for a yard sale. Start in one room, organize the space and move to the next. One good reference book can be found at the bookstore is "The Home Organizing Workbook" by Meryl Starr. She references how to clear your clutter, step by step. Tired of looking the same way? Change what you have and move it to a different space. Part of design is just having somebody come in and work with what you have. Many times, people have just been given things over the years and you really don't know what to do with it, so it is left out with no real purpose. Don't know where to start? Design classes are available for people who are decorating on a budget. So why wait for spring cleaning? If you start now, you will be well on your way for when the pretty days are here, you can kick up your heels and go to the park! u Denise H. Osborne, AIDP, IDS is the owner of Accessory Design Services in Pleasant Garden, NC who specializes in the finishing touches for residential and commercial spaces. 674-2150