Being married drastically changes the tone of your everyday routine. Things you used to do on your own such as eating lunch or doing the laundry will be different, because you’ll find yourself already consulting someone from time to time regarding small matters.
I haven’t actually been physically by their side from Day 1 to say that Kai Honasan and her husband Eco del Rio’s love story have been all “harmonious” and “in tune.” It’s just that, I can’t help smiling whenever I watch them sing together, tease each other, or be themselves in the videos they share in YouTube.
They got married May of last year, and it’s a big leap to entertain someone in their homes to do organizing and cleaning their space, when no one has entered their space before to do these.
I can’t believe it’s been almost 1 1/2months since we did our #DelRioGrande #NeatProject!
If you’ve seen this video, then you have an idea how long (or short?) it took us to transform this cozy space, and how we tremendously enjoyed it!
For this blog post, I will condense our 12-hour #NeatProject in three steps!
SORT – ANALYZE – MOVE
- SORT.I’m sure you’ve read this over and over, so here’s a little test on what I always (always!) say: “Sorting is the _________of organizing.” Clue: An organ in our body that’s part of a greeting this month!
If you said heart, congratulations!
In our #NeatProjects, it’s the sorting part that mostly takes time, all because we have to pay attention to small details. Our #DelRioGrande project was no exception. We had to sort everything we found – from clothes, gadgets, and books, to those teeny-tiny things such as accessories, and guitar picks.
I admired Kai’s humility when she confessed that she has no idea what the other drawers in her room contained as they are “untouched” for some time. Don’t we all relate to it? Don’t we all have a corner in our homes that we don’t dare to face at one point? We know they exist, but we’re not brave enough to confront them, worried sick that we might not be able to come out of the dump.
Kai was very trusting, patient, and cooperative. She was there the whole time and she was very keen on helping. She was also ready to let go of some of her items. Have I mentioned that before we even started sorting, she already showed us three huge bags full of clothes she will either sell or donate? She did sorting before we even started, and that’s one happy point for her!
Eco did help too! He helped us evaluate some of his things, he guided us where to place his prized possessions, before he said goodbye to proceed to his gig.
(On a side note, I have been running Neat Obsessions for almost a year now, and I must say my team already developed their own “areas of expertise” when it comes to sorting. It’s like they automatically “disperse” in a project such as this, proceeding to their “stations.” Some of them work in the closets faster than the rest, some of them sort makeup and skin care like they’ve been doing it their entire lives (trust me, they told me they found it difficult the first time because things looked so foreign!), some of them treat bookshelves as if they’re mothers dressing their babies for the first time. To be able to see them grow in Neat Obsessions is something I am really thankful for, and the way they treat every project as a learning experience is something very priceless for me. I am happy to note that the transformation we see in a client’s space is the same transformation I see in them, however small. Like I always say, slow and small progress is still progress!)
- ANALYZE. Kai and Eco’s place could pass as a charming coffee shop or private restaurant. In fact, they invite friends over from time to time. Their space is decorated with guitars and ukuleles hanging on the wall, so there’s no mistaking two artists and musicians create harmony in this space. Although one’s home is usually for private moments, in one look, I knew that this place is meant for sharing. There were so many interesting pieces: the bookshelf, the huge hammock, massage chair, cozy sofa, and a chalkboard wall speak so much of the owners’ personalities.
In the middle of sorting, with Kai’s inputs, we analyzes the huge space they have and how they can make better use of it. We surveyed if one furniture could fit the space where another furniture is currently in place. It is crucial that Kai approves of our plans, because after all, she and her husband should be able to move effortlessly everyday even when we switch the location of things. It was a lot of mind work, but I am happy that Kai was there to guide, and that she was open to suggestions.
- MOVE. When all things were sorted, the surfaces were clean (Thank you, NinjaMade for helping us in this project!), and we already had the liberty to move things around, here is what happened!
We do things in tune to what we want to achieve. Just like in any relationship, we do what it takes to keep the harmony intact. I hope and pray that their decision to have their space organized will pave the way for more harmonious decisions and relationships in their marriage.
After a long day’s work, we were very happy to see the smile on Kai’s face, closely similar to that of her glow when she got that four-chair turn. *wink!*
Stay Neat Everyone! 🙂
NEAT OBSESSIONS 