freedom Tag

June 25, 2019 In Uncategorized

a minimalist and a maximalist walk into a bar…

I just read this article a friend posted on her Facebook feed, then sent it to someone I thought it would be helpful to, for a project he’s working on. After the link in the email, I added:

Some people like stuff, and a lot of times, stuff does tell stories. I however, hate stuff, and I’d rather be the one telling stories, but either way, we can all get along…

Being a minimalist, childless, single gal from Vermont with a nomadic heart, and because I’m in the business of helping people get unstuck, I’ve been accused of:

1.) Suggesting everyone burn everything they own.

2.) Eating granola 3 meals a day.

3. Wanting all the people around me to move into a tiny house.

Laughing? You didn’t get the memo that all “hippies” from states like Vermont who don’t find it particularly fun or comforting to shop or have large living spaces, must think anyone else who could possibly like Target, or reside in more than 200 square feet is a terrible person? I’m laughing too. Yes, ridiculous, and certainly not the opinions I share.

Some of my besties have the biggest houses I’ve ever been in, and peruse through Home Goods like it’s their job. Some have shelves littered with books, and tchotchkes like your favorite auntie, or garages full of gear, and some could have thriving careers in interior design their spaces look so amazing with all the stuff they’ve collected. In fact, the person’s feed I took this article from is one of those longtime friends who every place she’s ever lived in, has been filled with beautiful decor floor to ceiling in each room, perfectly fit to her personality and experiences from her adventurous life. The kind of spaces you walk in to that transport you to a far of land and make you want to ask a zillion questions about everything you see. I love these homes, but I don’t want to live in them. These people wouldn’t want to live in my home, either.

Isn’t it great that we all have the choice to live exactly how we want?

A recent client was in her home 30 years, and she was more than ready to downsize from over 3,300 square feet:

(If you’re a Broker in Charlotte, come join us tomorrow, Wednesday June 26th for a luncheon from 11:30AM – 1:30PM at this house currently on the market!)

I got this client downsized and into her next perfectly fitting for this time in life, space, with every last bit of decor she wanted to take with her. She told me what she needed, and I was her guide along each step of the way. My job is to show up when clients take a step towards the life they want, and advise and support them…not try to change them.

Whether you’re a maximalist or a minimalist; YOU DO YOU. Figure out what lifestyle you want, and go for it. Time waits for no one, so whether you spend your 365 days a year in the same pair of shorts and live in a van so you can have the freedom to roam, whether you redecorate your McMansion every season to be the place with the capacity and currency to host all the people you love, or anything in between, use your time wisely enough that you still have a little bit left to celebrate every day.

#RespectTheClock #LifeOutsideTheDroneZone #TodayIsTheDay

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January 29, 2019 In Uncategorized

downsize-o-rama

For anyone who thinks working for yourself would be awesome, you’re right. If you think after you start, you’ll also:

Get rich

Have easy as pie days

Always wear pretty things

Feel glamorous

Sleep 8+ hours a night

Actually be done when you walk out the door

…you’re crazy.

I’m on a 10 day straight run of work like mad, time crunch, let’s get this house on the market now, I’ll sleep later, run. Just 2 more days before break time.

Have it any other way? No, thanks. As my friend Aaron says, I’d rather work 80 for myself any week, before I work 40 for someone else.

AMEN! (And also, we spent the holidays in the Caribbean, so being the boss means you get to choose when to burn the candle at both ends at work, then relax while you light one on the table next to you at the beach as you sip on a corona:)

We finished up a 5,000 square foot purge, organize, and stage to sell in Charlotte, NC last week, then Team BLR directly road tripped up to VA for a much smaller 1,700 square foot home project, filled with lots more than the bigger one had. (Yes! We LOVE to travel to clients. From Texas to Tokyo…we can do it! Call us. We will come to YOU anywhere.) Let the open all drawers and closets, and SEE everything, begin! You’ve got to make a mess, before you make it better. (That’s with everything in life, right?)

(In case you missed above, yes, this is the glamorous uniform I sport in my “office” each day.)

Whoa. Lots of stuff! Intimidated? Never. We aren’t done with this current project yet, but here’s a good idea of a before and after:

This is only just taking off/out/away the piles, and coverings, and repurposing furniture around the house. We snapped this quick photo before we ran out the door tonight, and might change things around another 10 times, but oh the freedom of light, space, and what’s already there to stage if you don’t have the money/time/need to stage with furniture brought in!

Yay.

The best feeling is that we know this client we are working with on this downsize, will soon move closer to her grown kids, grand kids, have less to maintain/less work to keep up with around her next smaller space, and she’ll be able to relax and have more time to do what she loves.

Less stuff. More freedom. Happy life.

YAHTZEE!

Are you ready to get unstuck?

Ok, better hop in the shower and put on something other than my BLR sweatshirt and old jeans so I can get out for date night dinner, all fresh and clean, with my partner in crime. I’m not sure he’s seen me in anything but that uniform in quite some time…

#LiveSimpleDoMore #LoveYourWork #TodayIsTheDay


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April 24, 2018 In Freedom, Inspiration, Links, Live the life you want to live, North Carolina, Today Is The Day

less stuff. more freedom. happy life: downsizing!

Spring has sprung (finally!) and I’m on a roll with downsizing and minimizing mania. All the clients I have right now are my absolute favorite kind; the ones making big changes and getting rid of the things that are weighing them down and holding them back from doing what they really want to do.

We are purging homes full of things that bring stress, no longer have use, or are unnecessary. We’re getting lives either back on track or starting new chapters.

DID YOU KNOW IT’S NEVER TOO LATE?

Baby…you’ve got all the choices in the world!

One of my current clients is 52 years old, and has raised kids who are now off on their own and thriving. She’s caught grief from family and friends about her major downsize and move to the big city from a teeny one. Are they jealous, or just projecting their fear on her? Either way, she’s happy as a college kid about to graduate, so I’m over here jumping out of my skin thrilled to help her. It’s not easy peasy to grow up and stay in the same town most of your life, then make a jump for the big guns with both feet in…but it is so possible.

Work Time Diane Peacock

(I love being cheesy in anticipation of these blog posts to give you a good laugh. That’s me in action last week during a 16 hour day. Nice and glamorous, exhausted and dirty. Just how I like it.)

At first, my clients grumble about starting these seemingly overwhelming projects, but when we get rolling and this happens:

Purging Blue Lollipop Road style

…the lighter, more free feelings rush in, and oh the celebrations we have!

Here’s what I can tell you for sure if you’re thinking about downsizing:

1.) You’ll wonder why you didn’t “do this sooner.” (A direct quote from every, single, last client I have ever worked with.)

2.) Your kids don’t want your stuff. (Sigh, I know your heart is broken, but the China cabinet from great granny is going to get sliced in half and painted white or Agreeable Gray at best. Likely to be used to put a flat screen TV on. More likely to be thrown in a bonfire. Happens all time. Right now your kids are out with your grandbabies and the dog at a craft brewery, eating dinner off paper plates from a food truck. Yes, even on a Tuesday night.)

3.) You will not for one single minute ever remember, or be miffed that you donated or sold whatever item you thought you might die without. (That old winter coat, the couch, or that ceramic plate you served Johnny’s 1st birthday cake on.)

Since I was a wee-little stubborn girl, I’ve always thought that retirement and living simply “later” was a most ridiculous concept. Work your fingers to the bone for years on end, save up all this money and time in hopes that it will be served on a silver platter back to you while you still have your eyesight, and THEN go enjoy doing things you love with the people you love?!

Silly! Let’s downsize and retire NOW…no matter how old we are.

Let’s make smart choices buying only what we absolutely need, use, and love. If we are living a little too big and bleeding out money, let’s assess, reel it back in, and pivot in a new more efficient direction. Let’s stop and prioritize things like health, friends, family, and whatever else makes you scream, Yahtzee! Downsizing Seminar

Toll Brothers has invited me back again to speak about downsizing at one of their new communities! Come join me this Thursday night if you are in the Charlotte area. If you’re far away, you can invite me to where you are and I will gladly road trip (you know I love those!) to talk to your group about my Less Stuff More Freedom Happy Life movement.

Today is the day. What are you waiting for?

#LifeOutsideTheDroneZone #RespectTheClock #MoreExperiencesLessStuff

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February 2, 2018 In Do good, Inspiration, Links, Photos, Uncategorized

celebrate everyday: day 31

1.31.18

I help clients get unstuck. That means I work with people to create the LIFESTYLE they want. Typically this is after (ahem) sh*t has hit the fan and change is forced from not so fun situations. (Death, divorce, debt.) When we’re unfortunately split open to the core, there seems to be an odd magical lightbulb that goes off which makes us stop and think a little more about what really matters.

I LOVE MY JOB.

Really good things can come from change. Like these garbage bags:

Donations

Today I celebrate hyperlocal donations to people in need from those who have too much.

What’s in the bags? Books, movies, games, music, towels, and linens. They all went to a local battered women’s placement office and shelter.

I’ve donated probably millions of dollars worth of client items since starting my business. One mans trash is another mans treasure indeed. Leaving it all behind and running towards the life you really want can be scary, but those things you say goodbye to, can make a huge impact on someone else’s. Everybody wins.

Today is the day. What are you waiting for?

#LessStuffMoreFreedomHappyLife #LiveSimpleDoMore #LoveYourWork

*Ready to get unstuck? Call me! (804.339.6514) I can help.

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May 26, 2017 In Inspiration, Live the life you want to live, TED Talks, Videos

so much better than regular tv

This:

(Click here for video.)

…and this:

(Click here for video.)

…and this:

(Click here for video.)

After watching those, are you slightly horrified about how much money you waste, crap you have, or how ungrateful you are in your current situation that’s actually pretty awesome?

Scared shitless to ever walk into the mall, Target, or (ugh!) Costco again until you actually need something?

Inspired to maybe treat others with a little more respect, purge some closets, or blow up your life and go after what you really want?

Good. Welcome to life outside the drone zone. So glad you’re here.

#CheckYourselfBeforeYouWreckYourself #Consciousness #Freedom

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January 25, 2017 In Freedom, North Carolina, Operation Charlotte, Projects & Organizations I dig, TTAA

micro-apartments rock my socks

After reading this article last week about micro-apartments coming to Charlotte, I jumped out of bed like an excited kid ready to race downstairs to see what was under the Christmas tree. I can’t even count the amount of times I’ve mentioned in conversation since moving to the Queen City, that I wished well designed micro-spaces were here.

Ask and you shall receive!

My favorite apartment to date was the 430 square foot one I had in Virginia back in 2009:

Small smart spaces

Small smart space

Small is simple. Simple is smart. Smart is mighty.

I have no idea why I took or saved these shots. Perhaps they were meant just for this, eight years later. The above is what my place looked like every day in all of It’s simple, small, unfussy, glory. No extra CRAP anywhere to take care of/manage or pay for! Ahhh…I love you, freedom! (Not pictured are my full sized bathroom and kitchen.) The units were brand new and my rent was $595/month. At the time I rented there, the developer tried selling me the unit. It would’ve only been $80k to own. What a deal. I should have scooped that spot up in a heartbeat. I’ve occasionally kicked myself for not doing it.

A Charlotte Agenda writer put out this piece today about the new micro-apartments coming soon. I completely disagree with her. The claim of small spaces and everything having to have a place all the time being stressful, is the exact opposite of anything I’ve ever experienced. (Still love you anyway, Agenda!) Everyday I work with clients who hire me because they have too much space, too much stuff, too many expenses…and they’ve reach a point they’re so over it all. I’ve found time and time again that the stressed and buried feelings much of us swirl in, are directly related to the excess of everything in our lives, not because the carefully selected items we’ve chosen, we love, and we actually use are best kept in their specific places at days end.

I’d never try to convince anyone who wasn’t interested, to live in a small space. You do you! I don’t necessarily think big is bad. I do think however, that far too many of us are incredibly wasteful, living smack dab in the middle of a serious drone zone believing we need a whole lot more than we actually do, to be happy.

I’ll see you for the Grand Opening at The RailYard!

#SmartSpaces #LiveSimpleDoMore #LessStuffMoreFreedomHappyLife

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January 2, 2017 In Links, Live the life you want to live, Today Is The Day

2017: the year of less crap

Welcome to Holiday Hangover Monday!

Money has flown out of your wallet during the past several weeks as fast as Usain Bolt crosses the finish line at the Olympics, and now your house is stacked 6 feet high with piles of stuff. (Ahem, crap.)

How’s that headache treating you?

Ouch.

I had mentioned a few weeks ago that I’d be announcing a project in the new year, so here you have it:

I am declaring 2017…THE YEAR OF LESS CRAP!

Boom-chicka-boom.

Think about no more feeling overwhelmed, buried, broke, sad, grumpy, or tired. No more excuses about not having enough time, space or money to do what you really want. Think about your stairway to freedom!

Go up

(The above photo is actually just the amazing staircase built in god knows what year that’s right outside the door of my current apartment in Madrid, but let’s just pretend for a minute It’s a stairway to freedom heaven.)

Back to work…

Do you ever just get totally sick of spinning in the same crap? Bills, debt, bills, closets and drawers busting at the seams, nutty crazy schedule, never enough sleep, haven’t quite dealt with those awful things that happened when you were little, or made peace with yourself about that jerk you divorced 10 years ago?

Listen, Linda, Listen!

…It’s time to get rid of our crap and stand up for what we want. Sassy little Mateo knows what’s up.

In this YEAR OF LESS CRAP, I’ll be posting tips, tricks, and saucy opinions here on how to get unstuck. (Subscribe below and get my blog in your email inbox…awww…snap! What a treat!) Hopefully I’ll be making some new friends, but I’m sure I’ll tick some people off too. I’ll be airing more of my dirty, dirty, laundry, and encouraging you to do the same. We’ve all got plenty, so let’s be real!

Here’s my CRAP:

I’ve wanted to finish my book for about 67 years at this point and I haven’t done it. Scared I can’t? No way. Disorganization? Hells to the no. Not doing enough for myself to fully commit to what I love and not asking for the help I need? Yep.

WTF.

I know better. So do you, about whatever your CRAP is.

I hope this year you get so sick of yourself, so totally ripped about whatever you’re doing to keep yourself buried/miserable/frustrated/stuck, that you finally snap and make the changes you need. I hope your blood boils, you reach your limit, and riiiiiight before you lose it, you drop your fear and do something TOTALLY FUCKING AWESOME.

No more CRAP, people. No more, CRAP. This is the year to purge and fly. I will help you do it.

#LessStuffMoreFreedomHappyLife #LiveSimpleDoMore #TheYearOfLessCrap

*Tonight I told my Mother it sometimes makes me super happy to use “bad” words when I write. She said she thought there might be a better way to get my points across. I told her I agreed, but also just want to be myself; The unfiltered, truth-teller who often needs and wants to just let the eff-bombs out. It feels so good to be free…

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September 20, 2016 In Freedom, Live the life you want to live, Photos, Today Is The Day

get outta jail!

I just posted the below on my biz Facebook page. A simple explanation to the method of my madness and what I “do.”

I hope you will share this, and sign up for email notifications to get my blog in your inbox. After that, I hope you go do something fun today, and then do something nice for someone else. Having fun is awesome and being nice is awesome:

Happy Tuesday September 20th my friends! 
Lots of questions about what I/Blue Lollipop Road is/does recently, so here you go:
https://bluelollipoproad.com/about/

I’m a #SimplicityExpert!

I teach clients get rid of their stuff. (Translation; crap.) This means I help clear away the triangle of jail. That jail is the personal, physical, and financial dead weight that drags us down and all too often makes life really sucky and not fun:

1.) I talk to people about the dirty laundry/sad/crappy life “stuff” and help game plan to move forward better and happier.

2.) I help people deal with the chaos/disorder/clutter in their home space, and say goodbye to the “stuff” they no longer need or want.

3.) I work with people on stressful/frustrating money “stuff” and advise on how to waste less, reduce bills, and pay off debt.

Life is short! Isn’t #freedom sweeter than being trapped? I sure think so! Live OUTSIDE the triangle jail. I can help you #GetUnstuck.

#LessStuffMoreFreedomHappyLife #LiveSimpleDoMore #TodayIsThedayWhatAreYouWaitingFor?

Need a kick in the pants? Drop me a line and let’s get to work!

[email protected]
804.339.6514

Remember; In order to do something, you have to start doing it first.
~ Diane 

Jump to freedom

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August 28, 2016 In Books to read, Freedom, Photos, Videos

bye bye octopus on roller skates

It’s Sunday morning. I’m sipping coffee in bed on this humid end of August day with a fan on me. All windows open, balcony door too. Love the heat and that it feels like summer is still here in full force and going to be for a while.

I’m reading this book:

Books to read

On Monday morning this week I helped a client with some money organization and in just a little over an hour I saved her thousands of dollars on 2 credit cards. (Interest, fees, etc.) Whoop! Freedom from debt! At the end of our session, she handed me this book. We’ve talked a lot about working for yourself, having a full plate, business, life feeling busy, etc.

It sure is hard to get anywhere if you’re an octopus on roller skates. Been there, done that, and finally conquering taking that 6th skate off for good to leave myself with just two to whirl around in. How about you? How many skates are you wearing?

The very first page of this book made me gasp. (In a good, happy way.) It immediately launches into describing this scene from the movie City Slickers:

…which happens to be my favorite movie ever.

In 1991 when City Slickers came out in theaters and I watched it for the first time, I was a mere 13 years old and in 7th grade. 25 years ago I don’t think I knew shit from Shinola as “they” say. I don’t think I yet thought about the meaning of life, or that “One Thing,” and I certainly don’t think I really understood what this movie was all about, but there was just something that always connected with me.

As I sit here now just after my 38th birthday thumbing the pages of this book and finding gems like these couple sentences:

What matters

…I completely get why I have always loved the movie City Slickers and I’m glad that I’ve stuck with something that matters so much to me; this crazy Blue Lollipop Road.

Somehow within the layers of life; the loss, heartbreak, chaos, madness, exhaustion and everything else that makes us so often feel wiped by days end, if we continue to stick to that The One Thing each day that means so much to us or do just One Thing each day that helps keep us organized, we will always be getting somewhere.

Keep crackin’, baby!

#NeverQuitting #StickToIt #OrganizationNotDeprivation

 

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