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The Organized Life archives
JANUARY 2008
Volume 5, Issue #1
LET THERE BE LIGHT
Dear Subscriber,
Here’s a little assignment for you to do one evening this week: pick a room in your home, turn on all the lights, and observe. Consider how the room feels, which areas you are drawn to, how well it supports the function of that room.
In your living room, do you feel invited to have a conversation, read a magazine, work on a hobby? How about the bedroom -- is it appealing, serene, romantic, sheltering? Can you easily read a book in bed? In your home office, how easy is it to get your work done? Do you find yourself moving to another spot so you can see better?
Does the room feel warm and comfortable, or more like a cave? Do you feel like you’re squinting?
I’ve recently been picking up on a common “after-dark” phenomenon in the homes I go into: lack of light. Maybe winter’s darkness is bringing it to my attention. All I know is, there’s no question how many of us live in spaces with insufficient lighting. During the daytime this isn’t usually a problem, but as darkness falls and the need arises to turn on the lights, it becomes obvious that there just isn’t enough.
What It’s All About
Part of the issue is awareness. It’s sometimes difficult to recognize that you don’t have enough light simply because you’ve become so accustomed to it. This is a sort of literal version of “familiarity blindness”, which occurs when a condition is so established that you don’t notice it anymore.
I also think that sometimes we don’t realize the impact of not being able to see well. The fact is, when it’s dark and you’re straining to see, it’s harder to get anything done. Our minds are distracted by a search for light, cutting into our ability to concentrate.
On the other hand, I’ve found that low lighting is an effective way to disguise clutter! The piles blend into the background and don’t seem to matter so much. But dim conditions also contribute to clutter buildup because every pile, drawer and overstuffed closet is more difficult to deal with.
Finally, lack of light can create a feeling of being trapped because you’re limited to the places where you’re comfortably able to see. It’s time to open up your space – and your life!
Leave the Darkness Behind
Eating, reading, cooking, working, playing, communicating….everything’s easier when you can see what you’re doing.
In fact, this is why lighting is such an important aspect of Feng Shui treatments and cures. Light represents the element of Fire, one of the Five Elements that help bring any space into balance. It’s also important in Feng Shui that a space be lit correctly so that things don’t fall into shadow and create hidden “dead” spaces.
Of course it’s critical for lighting to work well. Broken lamps, torn shades, frayed cords: all these need to be fixed or discarded. Lack of high-quality lighting sends a message of scarcity to the universe and to yourself, while good lighting creates an atmosphere of abundance.
Setting Up a Lighting Scheme
A good lighting scheme needs to be balanced and flexible, and it needs to fit in well with your décor. Finding all three of these attributes together is the challenge that may be keeping you from having a well-lit space.
You’ll achieve balance and flexibility most readily with two essential types of lighting: soft, indirect light that creates a glow in the room, and task lighting for working and reading.
If you find yourself squinting, the cause may be the glare of an overhead light. Overhead lighting is popular but unfortunate because it creates shadows and never fully illuminates anything. Instead you’ll want to invest in table and floor lamps. Some of these lamps sit against the walls in the background and create an ambient glow, while others function as task lighting.
Torchieres are great for creating ambient light in low-ceilinged rooms. But these rooms need task lighting, too, so consider table lamps around the room.
Finally, lighting creates a mood. Carefully choose the lamps you purchase so that when you’re through your bedroom feels very different from your living room – but both of them are well-lit!
Getting Started
The links I’ve provided are just a starting point. My suggestion for finding your own best lighting is to start a file called “Lighting” and fill it with ads and pictures of the lighting styles you like best. This makes it much easier to make the investment when you’re ready: you’ll know you’re getting just what you like and need.
Until next month, Happy Organizing!
Sincerely,
Ann Bingley Gallops
The Organized Life
P.S. Check out the new Press Room page on my web site, featuring articles and other media appearances I've made over the past few years. Most recently I was asked to help design a "quiet work-cube" for New York magazine. It's all here!
DISCOVERY OF THE MONTH
I occasionally come across the need for "flat files" for storing artwork
and supplies. Most I've seen, though, are really expensive; they're meant for heavy-duty use in offices.
Here is a fabulous, affordable alternative: Giant Stacking Trays that come in two sizes and finishes. They're a great way to take good care of the oversized materials in your life!
ABOUT Ann Bingley Gallops
Ann is a Feng Shui and Decluttering Consultant in New York City, specializing in improving the energy flow and organization of homes and businesses. She is the President of the New York chapter of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO-NY).
GETTING IN TOUCH
Call or write to schedule a Feng Shui or Decluttering consultation for your home or office in the New York City area.
And please drop me a line with comments, questions, or suggestions for future newsletters.
Ann Bingley Gallops
The Organized Life
646-382-3878
ann@theorganizedlife.net
www.theorganizedlife.net
Copyright 2008, Ann Bingley Gallops
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